Facebook and Google are setting the bar high when it comes to benefit packages and rewards for employees. While unlimited vacation time is not always feasible for every company, many leading organizations recognize that workplace perks are incredibly valuable for motivating employees and fueling performance.
Here are nine creative benefits employers can offer to increase employee retention and loyalty.
1. Spa Service
Employees who feel great will perform great. Bring in a licensed massage therapist to give employees 30-minute chair massages in the conference room. Massage therapy reduces stress, headaches and muscle tension according to MayoClinic.org. And less stress in the office will create a happier work environment and happier customers in turn.
2. Flex Time
Today’s over-worked, always-on-the-go employees want to balance their work and home life. They want to be able to work anywhere, at any time, from any device. And it turns out, offering flexible work schedules to employees not only provides incentives for the employee, but it also greatly benefits the company. A study conducted by IBM reveals that companies now offering flex time report at least a 20 percent increase in productivity and cost savings.
3. On-site Daycare
Relieve working parents of the daily daycare hassle and reduce the costs of absenteeism by providing child care on site. Oregon’s Bureau of Labor and Industries reports that on-site child care increases employee productivity and morale while helping the company to recruit high-quality employees, as well as benefit from tax incentives and subsidies.
4. Free Tech
Help your employees feel more trusted by offering work-phones. The LG G5 has a micro-SD slot allowing employers to encrypt data, ensuring that important data isn’t lost or hacked on personal phones with personal settings.
5. Catered Lunches
Make it convenient for people to stay in the office over lunch and enjoy coworker camaraderie. Bring in regular catered lunches on the company’s dime. Use this as a time to mingle with and thank your employees for their hard work. They will feel much happier going back to work after a good (free) meal. If your company can’t afford free meals, consider providing free coffee or hiring a mobile espresso cart for special occasions.
6. Office Decorations
Working in a gray cubicle does not make anyone happy, let alone productive. So empower employees to decorate their office space in a cheerful way. Offer decorative fluorescent light panel covers that diffuse glare, simulate natural light and create a more uplifting mood. Give employees the choice of wall paint color and allow them to hang tasteful posters or prints to make the office more inviting.
7. Competitive Play
Foster more effective teams and higher morale by conducting office games that all employees are encouraged to participate in. Host an “Office Olympics” day or invest in a ping pong table for the break room. Chances are, the best team-building and brainstorming sessions will happen during “play” time.
8. Free Fitness
Cut healthcare costs and give back to your employees with an on-site gym. If space or money is limited, hire a yoga instructor once a month to provide a class for your employees over lunch. Alternatively, give employees a monthly stipend to spend on fitness-related activities or equipment, like a gym membership or a treadmill. Or simply encourage more activity by offering employees a standing desk.
9. Paid Volunteer Leave
Craft a company culture around caring for others. Provide employees with one paid day per year to volunteer at an organization of their choice. The opportunity to help others will disrupt their normal thought patterns, inspire gratitude and foster greater empathy for others.