Oya's Childcare: personal benefits and support in the workplace

Oya’s Childcare, with over 100 employees in various roles and contracts spread across multiple locations in Amsterdam, faces the challenge of responding to the diverse needs of its employees. This diversity calls for customised solutions. Therefore, Oya’s offers a flexible reward system with Alleo, allowing employees to receive a monthly budget that they can spend as they wish. This budget can be used in various categories, such as wellness, training, or personal gifts, such as gift cards. This approach caters to the unique desires of the team and gives them the freedom to choose their own rewards.

"It has done exactly what we hoped for: it completely relieves us during birthdays and, more importantly, it gives employees the freedom to choose their own rewards." - Frauke Groenevelt, co-founder of Oya's

Absenteeism and Retention

In childcare, absenteeism is higher than average, and due to the collective labor agreement (CAO), there are limitations on wage increases. To remain attractive as an employer, Oya’s focuses on secondary employment benefits. In addition to using Alleo, a household team allows employees to be relieved of tasks such as cleaning and cooking. This enables them to fully focus on the care of the children.

Customisation in employee benefits

The flexibility of the Alleo platform is highly appreciated by the employees. "Employees can determine how to spend their monthly budget themselves," says Frauke Groenevelt, co-founder of Oya’s Childcare.

"Additionally, they love that they can also give gifts such as gift cards or contributions to charities via the app. This personal approach is received extremely well."

Frauke notes that the diversity in the Alleo marketplace, with options from Treatwell for beauty treatments to Uber Eats meals, has been very positively received. More serious options, such as contributions to Giro 555, are also appreciated.

Save or spend?

Another popular aspect is that the budget can be saved. With €30 per month, employees have the freedom to save for larger expenses or use their budget immediately. "I know that some employees are really consciously saving for nice extras," says Frauke.

Combining digital and physical rewards

In the past, all employees received the same gift card on their birthday, but this did not always lead to satisfaction. "You don’t want to reward everyone the same, because everyone has different wishes," explains Frauke. While digital rewards work well, Oya’s is considering combining digital rewards with physical gifts in the future to maintain the personal touch. "It feels personal for the employees, and that is important to us," emphasizes Frauke.

The focus on personal rewards and relieving employees has not only reduced absenteeism but also ensures that employees are eager to come back—the greatest compliment Oya’s can receive.