In today’s economy, employees often feel overworked and underpaid. Businesses are aware that they may not be able to meet their employees’ expectations with compensation and therefore, take a different route to increase employee satisfaction. Companies are increasingly going above and beyond the standard office benefits, offering special perks to stay competitive in the talent war. Here are eight amazing office perks companies around the world are offering their employees.
1. LoadSpring Solutions, an enterprise software company- strongly believes that experiencing other cultures enhances personal growth, so much so that they offer up to $5,000 USD and an extra week off to employees who travel overseas for vacations. While this amazing perk serves an obvious benefit to employees, having well-rested employees with a good work life balance will help the business increase productivity and staff retention.
2. Patagonia, the outdoor-apparel maker known the world over, actively encourages their employees to help others. As such, Patagonia offers employees two weeks of fully-paid leave to work for a non-profit of their choice. This is a great benefit for both the employee and the company. Employees get in touch with their altruistic side and will feel a greater satisfaction in their job and overall, which has been proven to impact productivity positively.
3. Akraya, an IT staffing company, believes that a clean home is a happy home. This is why they send professional cleaners to their employees’ homes every other week, helping to eliminate one of life’s most dreaded chores. Having a clean house to come home to ensures that there is more time for relaxation outside of work. Employees who are not under stress outside of the office are more likely to be productive at work.
4. SC Johnson & Son offers an on-site employee concierge to handle all of life’s chores- From errands such as sending packages, picking up groceries and taking your car for an oil change, to buying flowers, standing in line for concert tickets and shopping around for deals on car insurance, they can do it all. With these perks, employees will get more time to enjoy life outside of work.
5. The expansive Chesapeake Energy campus offers employees and their families typical office perks, with a few unique ones for those who need them. The most unique may be free scuba diving certifications in the company’s Olympic-sized pool. Employees can even help themselves to dental and dermatological treatments, including botox at the on-campus health center.
6. AOL helps take the stress out of being a working parent by offering fringe family benefits to all their employees. The company’s Well Baby programme provides moms-to-be and new moms with prenatal instruction, for childbirth and new-born care. New moms also get eight weeks of paid maternity leave. To top it off, when mom or dad returns to work, there’s an on-site day care facility to allow parents to remain close to their little ones.
7. Yahoo! definitely wants to ensure their employees are happy in and out of the office. Onsite, employees have access to fitness centers, healthy snacks and drinks on every floor, and-of course, ergonomic chairs. Outside the office, the company offers employees discounts to California’s theme parks and ski resorts. Always looking to ensure their employees are having a good time, Yahoo! hosts an annual Oktoberfest party and throws baby showers for their employees who are expecting.
8. St. Louis-based online investing firm, Scottrade, truly goes above and beyond the typical office benefits. Knowing very well that employees are a firm’s best asset, the company will consider opening a new branch in an area their star employee is moving to. According to Fortune magazine, the company has opened 20 offices for employees such this guideline. In one instance, one of their top employees moved twice, to Georgia and then to Florida, which led to the opening of branch offices in both locations. Several companies have lost their best employees due to geographical moves, but Scottrade prevents this by moving with and for the employee. This helps retain knowledge and assets within the company.
By finding generous and innovative ways to appreciate employees for their hard work and dedication, companies are guaranteeing themselves increased employee satisfaction and morale, overall productivity, and long-term employee retention.
Now, the question is: why should you settle for less when you know there are other opportunities out there that can offer you more?
