What are work perks?
Work perks are extra incentives businesses can offer current and potential employees. These benefits generally fall outside the basic compensation package but provide value to employees. Some employers combine certain work perks with their employee referral program to increase their candidate pool.
What are the benefits of offering work perks?
If someone applies to multiple similar jobs, you can make your workplace stand out with unique perks. Providing the best company perks may, in some cases, even allow you to recruit candidates at a slightly lower base salary than what your competitors offer.
When employers offer their staff great perks, the employees often feel more appreciated and motivated to complete great work.
Below are some common benefits of offering perks to your employees.
Increased employee retention
Offering perks shows you care about your employees. When you treat them with respect and give them perks other offices don’t provide, they typically want to stay with your company. This increase in your employee retention rate helps you save money by keeping team members longer as they develop skills, understand their roles and improve your company’s performance.
Attract new employees
Nontraditional perks help differentiate your business from others, so share the luxury perks you offer in job descriptions to attract strong candidates. These candidates may see how motivated and happy the unique perks you provide make current employees, making more job seekers want to join your company.
Proves your loyalty to employees
Employees want to know their employers care about them and notice their hard work. Offering perks that benefit them directly makes them feel more appreciated. To really show you care about their needs, conduct surveys or directly ask employees what perks they value most. Seeking feedback like this shows you listen and strive to meet their needs.
Increases productivity and motivation
The best company perks encourage employees to stay and help them be productive and motivated. Typically, this increase in work satisfaction translates to high-quality work that ensures impressive business results.
Boosts morale and engagement
Having a business that cares enough to offer employee perks helps workers feel positive and enthusiastic about their jobs. If a few employees express happiness over their perks at work, the upbeat mood usually results in a morale boost among other employees. This, in turn, helps create a happier, more comfortable work environment that employees embrace and enjoy.
20 of the best company benefits and perks to offer employees
Here are some work perks that your company can offer.
1. Unlimited paid time off
Unlimited paid time off has become a more common perk for work that employers offer to help create a better work-life balance. As long as employees work hard and complete tasks on time, they can take as many days off as they like.
2. Flexible work hours
Instead of a rigid start time, give team members the option to come to work whenever they want as a job perk, as long as they work the required number of hours. Flexible working helps employees who care for children and other family members and those who have frequent appointments and personal commitments.
3. Gym membership
Some employers either pay for their employees’ gym memberships or provide an on-site gym at work to promote health and fitness. If you choose to build an on-site gym, also include a shower facility so workers can freshen up after enjoying a workout.
4. Shorter days near the holidays
As the holidays approach, employees may become busier with family obligations. On workdays right before a holiday, give staff members the option to leave work early. This lets them take less paid time off and get an earlier start on their holiday preparations or travel plans.
5. Extended parental leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period. Employers who want to entice employees with growing families, however, may offer paid parental leave to both parents with a newborn. Another job perk might be providing paid leave to those taking care of an ill family member. Employees may appreciate having more time with family and return to work feeling better about the experience.
6. Stocked fridge and pantry
Having free food available to employees keeps everyone’s energy up and hunger pangs satisfied throughout the day. Healthy food options freely available for workers may inspire them to eat better.
7. Special employee discounts
Employee discounts keep more hard-earned money in your workers’ pockets, making these special promotions a great way to show your appreciation. Programs such as Perks at Work include options for special employee pricing, points programs and dedicated apps. These programs typically enable employers to customize programs to their needs.
8. Casual dress codes
Create a new dress code that lets employees dress casually while still looking appropriate in the workplace. Businesses can often relax professional dress codes, especially if employees don’t face clients regularly. Employees who dress casually may feel more comfortable while they work, which typically increases productivity.
9. Company-sponsored events
Throughout the year, company-sponsored events give employees ample opportunity to get to know each other better and improve collaboration, both of which can boost morale. Ideas for fun events include office parties, happy hours, virtual get-togethers, team lunches, company intramural sports leagues and retreats.
10. Paid volunteer days
In addition to paid time off, consider giving employees a set number of days they can volunteer outside of work and still get paid. Also known as VTO (volunteer time off), this job perk promotes community relations and provides a meaningful break from work. Document employee participation by asking for a confirmation email from the organization’s event.
11. Pet-friendly workplace
Pets boost mood and lower stress, so having a pet-friendly workplace may appeal to many employees. If you don’t want pets at work every day, create a policy where employees can bring their pets once a week.
12. Educational opportunities
Investing in your employees can improve workplace productivity, making educational opportunities a great way to grow. Host seminars, provide skills-based training or give them time off to attend class. Alternatively, fund courses employees already take with tuition reimbursement.
13. Remote work options
Remote work, also called telecommuting, has significant cost savings for workers, and the majority of the costs come from transportation. In addition to sparing employees the expenses of commuting, remote work provides more freedom and flexibility and can contribute to increased job satisfaction.
14. Commuter benefits
Commuter benefits ensure companies cover employees’ costs to get to their job sites. These costs include reimbursing employees for the mileage, offering reduced-cost public transportation passes and providing vouchers for qualified parking. You can also reimburse employees for the cost of using ridesharing apps or paying tolls.
15. Childcare assistance
Businesses that provide childcare assistance alleviate the stress and costs some workers have to deal with for a fast morale boost. Childcare assistance comes in many forms, including on-site care, flexible schedules and backup childcare. Under specific circumstances, employers who provide childcare subsidies may earn tax credits.
16. Employee recognition program
Every employer wants to get the most out of their workforce, and implementing a recognition program can lead to employees feeling valued and validated by their supervisors and peers. These programs often increase employee engagement, which can drive growth and profitability.
17. Game rooms
Google and Apple game rooms are legendary, but they aren’t the only companies that can offer this luxury perk. Having a well-designed no-stress zone appeals to many employees because it provides valuable insight into the company culture. A game room at work demonstrates a commitment to work-play balance as a means of fostering creativity and productivity.
18. Remote work stipend
If you have a fully or partially remote workforce, consider offering a remote work stipend. A fixed amount of money given in addition to an employee’s base salary, this extra money helps cover the costs of working from home, such as internet bills or improving furnishings in their home office.
19. Health and wellness classes and services
Health and wellness programs help employees care for themselves. In addition, offering work perks that improve health and well-being can reduce sick days and potentially lower the cost of health insurance benefits. Some programs to consider include smoking cessation groups, yoga classes, meditation classes and biometric screenings for cancer and other conditions.
20. On-site services
Partner with local providers to provide free services to employees in the office. Hire a cosmetologist to give haircuts, facials or manicures, or put a massage therapist to work helping employees de-stress. You can also bring in an accountant to do employees’ taxes or contract with a mental health professional to offer in-office therapy sessions. Other creative services ideal for work perks include free auto detailing, dry cleaning pickup and drop-off and discounted grocery delivery.
Offering employee perks keeps your staff passionate about their roles and your business. Listen to your employees’ input and offer a job perk package related to their suggestions when you want to improve productivity and potentially boost overall morale.
FAQS about work perks
How do I choose which work perks to offer?
The best company perks are the ones your employees appreciate the most. To figure out what may work best, send out a survey to your current employees asking them which perks at work are the most important to them. Additionally, if you notice employees don’t use a job perk you offer, ask them if they know about it or would prefer you replace it with something more appealing.
How do I ensure employees use perks at work appropriately?
When choosing your job perks, outline how employees can use them in the employee handbook. By setting clear rules and limitations ahead of time, they’re more likely to use their employee perks appropriately. For example, if your company offers unlimited paid time off, clarify that this benefit is only available for employees who regularly get their work done on time. Similarly, if you allow dogs at work, you may want to set a limit for how many times each person can bring their pet per week.
What is the difference between a benefit and job perk?
A benefit has a wage-based value attached to it— this means it’s generally something employees have to pay for themselves outside their workplace. For example, non-wage compensation benefits usually include providing health insurance that mitigates health care costs or reimbursement for transportation expenses. By contrast, employee perks serve as extra incentives on top of workers’ salaries and benefits.
