As part of National Mental Health Awareness Month, we sat down with Tom Brinegar, vice president and chief financial officer of PEAK Resources, to learn more about their employee benefits.
Research has shown that flexibility in the workplace supports employee mental health and well-being as well as attraction and retention. What does flexibility look like in PEAK’s workplace?
Brinegar: PEAK offers unlimited PTO. I know this can be a controversial topic, but we combine this with a strong culture of team support. We get together as a team in advance of someone’s PTO and assign tasks, so our employee going on extended PTO feels comfortable taking this time away. They feel secure that their responsibilities are being covered and return refreshed, without an overwhelming amount of work. This requires a team culture but also individual responsibility from the entire team. I am proud that our people see the synergy in supporting their teammates so they in turn can be supported. The other value in unlimited PTO is that anyone is allowed a well-being day without questions or advanced notice. Again, the team is there to support that individual.
PEAK also offers a remote work policy in addition to unlimited PTO. What outcomes have you seen from this?
Brinegar: We have instituted a remote work policy where the entire team is in the office on Mondays and Thursdays. I have seen two very specific well-being outcomes. First, everyone has the opportunity to work remotely three days a week, which helps employees find more work-life balance. We constantly hear feedback on the time saved from not having a commute and being able to spend more time with family. Additionally, having everyone in the office together provides the benefit of connection and collaboration. It may be anecdotal, but there is a spirit of togetherness and teamwork at PEAK on Mondays and Thursdays.
Are there any unique ways you provide well-being benefits to PEAK employees?
Brinegar: We have a specific benefit called ThrivePass. PEAK puts $25/month into an individual’s account with a limit of $300 until this is spent. The employee can use these funds on a very wide variety of activities. Some of the categories include gym membership, ski pass, charitable donation, travel, and mental and emotional support just to name a few. We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response to this benefit and make sure people are aware and are using this benefit.