For employers to attract and retain the best talent in their respective industry, they need to bring their A game and stay ahead of the competition. There are lots of ways for companies to do this; one way is to offer a good mix of both traditional and unconventional employee benefits.
Here are some unique employee benefits you might want to consider offering to your prospective employees.
Pet-Friendly Office
Some employers are beginning to open their doors to the four-legged friends of their workforce. While some might host an occasional Bring Your Pet to Work Day, others are welcoming the furry companions on a regular basis – weekly or even daily. Other pet-related perks might include pet insurance or an on-site dog park.
Health & Wellness Perks
More and more companies are embracing the fact that a healthy worker is a happy worker. For those that don’t have onsite wellness facilities, employers are offering complimentary local gym memberships or annual stipends for health-related memberships. Others participate in rewards programs – employees can log their wellness activity for opportunities to earn points redeemable for credit to places like Amazon.
No Official Work Day
That’s right – for some companies, tracking an employee’s work hours and vacation days is a thing of the past. Netflix is just one example of an organization taking this approach. Instead of measuring hours and time off, they’re measuring what their employees accomplish. But termination is swift for those who abuse the policy or don’t perform their job duties.
Sabbatical
Taking a sabbatical was once considered something that only people in a few select professions could take advantage of – like the clergy, doctors, scientists or teachers. But according to one Society of Human Resource Management benefits survey, perks like sabbaticals are becoming more desirable among employers and employees in many industries.
Continuing Ed Reimbursement
Employees appreciate employers that invest in the ongoing development of their workforce, which is why a benefit like continuing education reimbursement is so valuable. Some employers will reimburse part of or all tuition costs for college, grad school or continuing education classes. Another education-related perk is offering college scholarship programs for children of employees or offering a student loan debt reimbursement program.
Service Opportunities
For many employees, especially the Millennial generation that makes up the majority of today’s workforce, giving back to the community is a very important aspect of a potential employer’s company culture. So employers are finding many different ways to give back. Some offer paid time off for employees who want to engage in volunteer activities. Others might have company-wide volunteer work days. And some let employees contribute to their favorite charity through payroll deductions.
What unique employee benefits does your organization offer? Share with us!