What Are Employee Perks?
Employee perks are extra incentives and rewards that are offered to employees, usually in addition to a traditional benefits package. While employee benefits may include more substantive offerings such as medical and dental insurance that act as non-wage compensation, perks are extras that contribute to a positive work environment but are not necessarily a form of compensation. Though they are not “necessities,” employee perks are crucial in recruiting and retaining top talent in a competitive labor market. Companies that wish to stand out to acquire the best employees should strongly consider implementing employee perks. The good news is that many perks are easy to implement and won’t cost a fortune.
Types of Perks
When deciding which employee perks are best for your company, it is helpful to consider which aspect of your employees’ lives they will help benefit. Below are a few categories that can improve employee motivation and help to create a better work/life balance.
Fitness
Fitness perks include many possibilities aimed at aiding employees in their physical health. These perks show that employers care for employees beyond the work that they are able to produce – they are also interested in helping employees become healthier versions of themselves.
Mental Health
As the cultural conversation surrounding mental health becomes more open, more employers are implementing perks to help employees with their own mental health. Perks designed around mental health could reduce stress and may contribute to higher productivity.
Family
Most employees will agree that taking care of their families is their number one priority and that the work they do is a way to help provide for their families. Knowing this, it is important for employers to include perks that recognize the time employees spend outside of the work environment, caring for and spending quality time with family.
Community
Adding perks that focus on bettering the community may resonate with employees who have a heart for serving others. Not only can this attract good people to your business, but it can also enhance your company’s reputation in your local community as an organization that prioritizes giving back.
Employee Development
Employee development perks are those that companies can implement to enhance the overall office experience. These typically come in the form of small events or luncheons with added elements meant to inform, inspire, recognize, or motivate employees.
15 Easy-To-Implement Employee Perks
Now that we’ve discussed the importance and types of employee perks that employers are implementing, let’s take a look at 15 specific perks that you can easily implement into your own organization.
1. Free Healthy Snacks
Providing healthy snacks to your employees is an easy perk to add to your organization that employees will appreciate.
2. Stand-Up DesksSitting for hours while staring at a screen can be painful for some employees. Offering stand-up desks are more ergonomically friendly and could encourage employees to be less sedentary throughout the day. It can also relieve aches and pains attributed to sitting all day.
3. Gym Membership Reimbursement
Encourage physical fitness in your employees by offering membership reimbursements to local gyms.
4. Flexible Scheduling
Allowing some room for flexible work schedules for employees can help with their work-life balance, which may also positively impact their mental health.
5. “Mental Health” Days
Mental Health days are PTO days that employers may offer to let employees decompress and focus on their mental well-being, if they are feeling especially stressed or not quite themselves.
6. Employee Assistance Program
An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) helps employees with personal or work-related problems that may be impacting their wellbeing, mental health, and overall work performance. It offers access to counselors, psychiatrists, and other resources, and is completely voluntary as well as confidential.
7. Extended Maternity and Paternity Leave
The typical maternity leave is 8 weeks, and many companies don’t offer paternity leave at all. Employees who are considering starting or extending their family will appreciate the extra time spent with their new addition with additional leave.
8. Remote Work Options
Remote work has become increasingly commonplace in the workforce, so companies that do not offer this as an option may be overlooked by potential candidates looking for a job.
9. College Savings Program
Employees with young children are probably already thinking about their post-high school plans. By offering a college savings program, you can offer these parents peace of mind.
10. Company Service Days
Taking the whole team out for a day of giving back to the community can act as a great teambuilding experience as well as a positive face-to-face interaction with the local community.
11. PTO for Volunteering
A unique perk that also contributes to a community-oriented mindset is offering PTO for volunteer days for employees, allowing them to choose the type of service that they want to perform.
12. Charitable Donation Matching
Is there a cause that your employees are particularly passionate about? Support their passions by offering a matching donation or contribution to a charity or nonprofit organization of their choice.
13. Lunch and Learns
Lunch and learn programs are a fun way for coworkers to interact with one another in a different way. Designate different employees in a rotation to teach the rest of the organization about a topic they find interesting over a catered lunch.
14. Office Book Clubs
Gathering the office together to talk about a book can add some depth and stimulation to the average workday conversation, allowing for relationship building and overall teamwork within the organization.
15. Professional Recognition Events
Recognizing employees for their hard work may sound like a simple act, but it is something that goes a long way. Hosting a yearly event where employees are recognized can pay dividends when they feel appreciated by the company.
Employee perks are essential for companies to have in order to recruit and retain the best talent. In a competitive job market, it is important to do things to stand out, and offering unique perks such as the ones listed above is an excellent way to stay attractive to potential employees. They are easy to implement and relatively inexpensive as well, making them a no-brainer option for many organizations.
