Perks that Work

Employee perks you can do now!

Whilst salary plays a vital role in candidate attraction, employee perks are now becoming more important for many job seekers. I took to Reddit to ask the question “what cool work perks do you have?” Some answers were more modest than others with free theatre tickets, food and free yoga classes. More outrageously some employees claimed to have rented a Maserati for a week or had ‘swanky’ security systems put in place. Of course not all companies have the budget to allow staff to rent flashy cars or have all expenses paid holidays, so I have compiled a list of employee perks that all businesses could provide their fantastic staff at a minimal price.

1. Free coffee and tea
   First and foremost – everything is better with a nice cup of tea! A cost-effective benefit is to provide free tea’s and coffees to employees so make sure you keep those jars fully stocked at all times! Most companies already have this, if not all but I have encountered a couple of businesses (Not naming any names) that require a 20p coin for a plastic cup filled with tea. Just buy a bag of Tetley’s please!
2. Ping pong
   Working hard is great but professionals need fun in their workplace too. This wouldn’t necessarily apply to all companies, but if you have some space, why not add a ping pong table! You can get one as cheap as £60 and it will provide some fun in the office and a well needed break. The CEO and founder from Uberpong, David Lowe, said that ‘after 15 minutes of table tennis, employees return to work more engaged with sharper strategic thinking.’
3. Free fruit bowl
    This is super easy to achieve and everyone loves fruit. You can even take it to the next level and make fruit infused waters… They go down a treat in the office!
4. Free dry cleaning
   This is a bonus to employees that are required to wear a suit to work everyday. Dry cleaning is not always cheap and takes up time that the employees may not have. There are dry cleaning services that come to your office to pick up and drop off too – now the office will have no excuses for turning up untidy. Alternatively if you want to keep it more casual, you could have dress down day every day but keep a wardrobe in the office with everyone’s suits in it. A last minute meeting called in? – No problem, put the suit on!
5. Pets at work
   This one is absolutely free! Employees can bring in their pets one day of the month, which is a benefit to everyone. Who doesn’t love cute little kittens or tail wagging dogs? Research shows that it destresses people at work, keeps everyone active and brightens up the day.
6. Unlimited vacation
   I have noticed that more companies are introducing unlimited holidays to their employees. Whilst this can be negative for the business if used wrongly, it is a major pull factor for any organisation, especially with millennials wanting freedom now more than ever. If used appropriately then it should create a more relaxed and positive vibe in the office and thus a happy workforce!
7. Free breakfast
   This can be for any day of the week, whether it’s a Monday or a Friday morning treat for all employees, everyone loves a good breakfast! It is the most important meal of the day and it will give the workforce a good kick-start to the day.
8. Perk Box
   An online platform that provides the team with hundreds of exclusive company perks and is very affordable even for the smallest of companies. From discounted products, cinema tickets and a free taste card, there is something for everyone. There are also new perks being uploaded regularly so the employees would be spoilt for choice.
9. Charity Day
   A day where you allow your employees to help fundraise for a good cause is a good way to promote corporate social responsibility within the organisation. For those who are less cynical it is a motivational boost for the team, and time spent helping a worthwhile cause is always personally rewarding.
10. Cycle to work scheme
    Loan bicycles and cyclist safety equipment to staff tax-free through the government Cycle-To-Work scheme. A benefit for staff and a benefit to the environment meaning you can promote healthier journeys to work and reduce environmental pollution.

Tags: Benefits, Cost-effective, Employee perks Categories: Uncategorized