In the second part of our blog series, we dive deeper into the world of employee benefits usage. Every year, there are some clear spikes in how benefits are used. The first spike typically happens right after the benefits are distributed to employees. The second usually falls around summer, and the third takes place near the end of the year, just before the benefits expire. In this post, Smartum's Business Lead Juuli and Growth Director Mika share their top tips for making the most of your benefits.
Among Smartum users, there are as many ways to use benefits as there are people. One might buy a public transport card for the entire year, another goes to the dentist, and a third starts a new hobby. Office workers, in particular, make the most of the massage benefit—or should we say they enjoy it with relaxed shoulders?
"Of course, I always use all my employee benefits. It would never occur to me to leave such valuable perks unused!" Juuli exclaims right at the start of the interview.
Mika appreciates the flexibility of Smartum's benefits, which allow him to decide freely what his well-being needs at any given moment. "If it ever looked like my benefits might expire, I’d definitely buy the Smartum OwnGiftcard," he says.
The Smartum OwnGiftcard gives employees an additional three months to use their benefits. This way, even those who leave things until the last minute can make the most of them, as the card's validity begins only when the original benefits expire.
"I love spending time on the slopes, so I usually use as much of my FlexBenefit as possible on a season pass for the ski resort," Mika shares. The tax-free limit for the sports benefit is €400 per year, which also applies when using the FlexBenefit for sports activities. "For me, using the benefits follows a kind of annual routine and doesn’t require much planning," he reflects.
The FlexBenefit lowers the threshold for trying out new activities. Some hobbies can be expensive, so being able to cover part of the costs with benefits makes it fairly easy to add recreation and recovery into everyday life.
In addition to sports, Smartum users also utilize their benefits for healthcare services. "Specialist visits aren’t free, but thanks to these benefits, I can book appointments as needed," Juuli points out.
"As for sports, I’ll just say this—€400 doesn’t cover everything I’d like to spend on fitness and culture," she adds with a laugh.
For Mika, a key way to unwind is visiting a skilled massage therapist.
"This year, I've been going for a massage every two weeks," Mika shares. "Without employee benefits, I probably wouldn’t go nearly as often. But last year, I bought the Smartum OwnGiftcard, which let me roll over my benefits into this year. That’s how I was able to buy a gift card for my regular therapist."
"And of course," Juuli chimes in, "you don’t have to use all your benefits right away. You can spread them out over the year. I usually save a small portion for the end of the year to spend on something nice. If I can’t think of anything, I’ll just buy the Smartum OwnGiftcard."
Jos voisit valita vain kolme, mihin käytättäisit etusi?
What tips do other Smartum users have for making the most of their benefits? Read the first part of the blog here: Smartum´s tips for using employee benefits.
Mitä tehdä jos etua on vanhentumassa?
At Smartum, benefits don’t go to waste, but we still asked for tips on what to do when time is running out, and your benefits are about to expire.
"If I have unused benefits at the end of the year, I buy the Smartum OwnGiftcard. That way, I don’t have to rush into using my benefits on just anything," is a common piece of advice. The Smartum OwnGiftcard gives you an extra three months to use your benefits and can be purchased with exercise, exercise and culture, or massage benefits.
You can conveniently buy the Smartum OwnGiftcard through the SmartumPay app:
SmartumPay
Since Smartum users could be considered experts in making the most of benefits, we also asked for some creative tips that might not immediately come to mind.
Juuli encourages taking a restorative break during the workday. She prioritizes enjoying lunch and suggests thinking outside the traditional lunchbox: “You don’t always have to eat at a lunch restaurant! On busy days, a giant, fresh smoothie or a large iced latte with a sandwich makes a great lunch.”
Mika’s tip, of course, is skiing-related: "Ski resorts often sell next season’s passes in the fall at early bird prices. When you use your employee benefits to buy a season pass, you can hit the slopes even for just a couple of runs a day and make the most of the entire season."
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