Adding employee benefits to your workplace should be anything but an afterthought. Work perks act as one of the many cornerstones of good HR strategies which can be used to boost staff morale, motivation and ultimately improve productivity. Sprinkling a few perks throughout the office, or in the working week, allows you to get the results you’re after.
Why work perks… work?
There are endless lists of benefits you could look into, but according to research, the perks people really care about are non-financial. Employees are looking for good culture in the office, ways to connect with other people and ways to look after their own health. Implementing benefits that align with this goal will help boost productivity levels in your office, while lifting your employee’s spirits.
It’s important to keep in mind there is no one solution that will suit all workplaces. If you decide to incorporate an employee benefits program, be sure to consider the complexities and uniqueness of your office. While implementing benefits offer an excellent short-term boost in productivity, ensure your long-term plan paves the way for further growth, and makes it a great place to work.
Creative work perks that will set you apart
A good work benefit doesn’t necessarily mean you need to throw a lot of money into it. Some creativity and dedication to a few varied benefits can be what you need to increase retention and help you stand out in the job market. Whatever your end goals are, here are some great employee benefits that are sure to make staff feel valued and appreciated.
Culture and community perks
Showing your staff you appreciate them and employee recognition are easy and achievable work perks that should be commonplace nowadays. Whether it’s acknowledging someone’s birthday, celebrating a big project drawing to a close or recognising positive individual impacts in your company, these are the perks that turn your company into a community.
- Celebrating achievements
- Acknowledging special occasions
- Recognising individual contributions
Flexibility perks
These are some of the most significant perks you can offer. Not only do they allow your staff to enjoy flexible working hours and working locations, but it means you recognise how important their life outside of work is.
- Work from home
- Remote working
- On-site daycare
Food perks
Food is a sure-fire way to bring people together. According to a survey, 41% of employees think the best corporate gift they can receive are food benefits. Not having to worry about lunch, coffee or offering a chance to de-stress with other staff is an invaluable benefit, that will set your workplace apart.
- Provide a staff lunch once a month to really bring your team together
- Provide a well stocked office kitchen; including snacks, coffee supplies and fresh fruit
- Fortnightly staff drinks encourage workplace connections and offer a chance to destress
Fitness and health perks
Exercising is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Supporting steps your employees want to take in looking after their physical and mental wellbeing is invaluable. Plus, the healthier staff are, the less likely they are to need sick time off.
- Gym membership
- Flexible working hours
- Mental health days
Professional development perks
Everyone wants to feel like they are continuing to learn and grow in their career. If you can offer employees the chance to upskill, extra mentoring or even the ability to pursue passion projects, you have the best chance of retention.
- Upskill support
- Time off for volunteer work
Entertainment perks
Keeping things fun around the office can make all the difference in people’s attitude about coming to work. Instead of feeling like they need to drag their feet every day, fun perks can help them feel energised about the day ahead.
- Break room games; like table tennis, board games, foosball table etc.
- Concert or sporting event tickets
- Organised social clubs
Monetary perks
Offering extra financial support may not be necessarily for all workplaces or all roles within your company, but they are surely appreciated by staff.
- Professional dress advance
- Unlimited paid time off
- Phone bill subsidies
Travel perks
These may not be the cheapest benefits to implement, but they are excellent if you want to encourage some growth of your employees. Spending some time overseas can be key in someone developing as an individual, which can in turn assist in opening new doors and opportunities for your business. Apart from that, encouraging some R and R for staff will never go astray.
- Free flight
- Travel abroad stipend
- Pre-paid vacation
- Birthday off
How to help employees make the most of your benefits
- Help them understand what’s being offered
Educate employees about the different plans available to them. Communicate the role of the benefits, and how each can help them as individuals. Detailing some of the benefits in your job description can also be key in attracting people to the roles, but ensure they are continually communicated throughout someone’s position at your company.
- Make plans customisable for each staff member
If you’re offering a range of perks, allow staff to choose what ones suit their needs the most. Whether they have the option to pick 2 out of 4, letting them have the power of choice will help them feel even more fulfilled in your workplace.
- Make perks easy to access
It’s important staff not only have the knowledge of what the perks are and how they are beneficial, but also how they can implement them for themselves. Having a streamlined benefits program means making them accessible and easy for employees to appreciate.
In the scheme of things, people just want to feel seen, appreciated and valued in their job, and benefits or work perks help achieve that. Taking on board work benefits that are suited to your workplace will help you see high retention levels and boosted motivation for existing staff. Soon enough, you’ll see that giving a little can get you a lot in the end.
