Keeping your employees happy is imperative to your company’s success. Apart from providing an above-average compensation package, one of the best ways to do that is to offer employees perks that make their job more exciting and inspiring.
However, we’re way past the pizza parties and free donuts on Tuesdays. Here are some unique yet worthwhile job perks that you can offer to your employees to keep them happy, productive, motivated, and loyal.
1. Free music lessons
Engaging in a hobby is one of the best ways to maintain a positive work-life balance. Offering, say, free or subsidized professional guitar lessons to your employees may be just what they need to start spending more time on themselves outside of work. Music, after all, is an excellent stress-reliever that can help your team avoid burnout and stay on top of their game at work.
2. Care packages
What’s a better way to express your care for employees by sending them care packages? And who doesn’t like getting a basket full of goodies? Thoughtful gifts like care packages make employees feel recognized, appreciated, and cared for. Inciting these feelings also become more important for teams that are working remotely wherein there is no in-person bonding, as is the case for many companies during this pandemic.
3. Spa perks
Massages, facials, saunas–everyone likes getting pampered every once in a while. Offer a sponsored spa day to your employees as either a regular or one-time perk. Either way, spending a day at the spa is one of the best ways to relieve stress and get some much-needed ‘me time’. You can even make a free spa day a part of your regular incentives program, where employees who excel get a full spa package in exchange for their hard work.
4. Healthy snacks
Being overweight or obese is a common woe for many office workers, thanks to the minimal physical activity and presence of dietary temptations everywhere. Help your employees stay healthy by replacing your regular vending machine fare with healthy snacks like trail mix, high-protein bars, kale chips, and vegan biscuits; and perhaps swapping out free donuts in the break room for free whole grain bagels instead.
5. Ergonomic furniture
Another common problem in the workplace is body pain caused by poor posture and staying in one position for too long. As a result, employees get in bad moods, are uncomfortable working in their stations, and become stressed–all while not knowing what the root cause is, which is work-related body pain.
An easy solution to this problem is providing ergonomic furniture for employees, particularly chairs. Unlike regular office chairs, ergonomic chairs provide adequate lumbar support to keep the back in the correct position, helping prevent body pain from sitting for extended hours of the day. Adjustable tables are also essential because they allow employees to raise or lower the height of their desk perfectly, depending on their physical stature.
6. Gyms
Exercise is essential for a healthy body and mind. Unfortunately, many office workers fail to get adequate exercise on top of being stuck at a desk all day.
Providing a place where employees can work out for free helps keep them physically active, and thus, healthy. It’s also another way of saying that you care about them, and so you care about their health and are willing to provide the means to help them achieve physical fitness.
An office gym doesn’t have to be elaborate. An open, well-ventilated space with basic workout equipment is enough to inspire people to get some exercise before, after, or in the middle of their workday.
7. Office pet
Jump in on the trend of having an office dog. Having a furry friend walking around the workplace is known to increase productivity, stimulate communication, and just plain cheer people up throughout the day. If you want to incorporate that kind of positivity in your workplace, it might be time to look into adoption centers for your next employee.
8. Travel funds
Many employees spend their vacation days traveling. Thus, offering to subsidize part of their travel funds make it a useful and highly attractive perk. You can do this by offering to sponsor a specific expense, such as the hotel, airfare, or food; or by giving them a certain amount to spend as they please. Either way, it’s a nice perk that will have employees looking forward to their time off.
Outside of the salary and traditional benefits, these unique perks can make your employees’ jobs more motivating and satisfying. Not only do you get increased productivity in return, but you may also get to keep your best talent for years to come.
