Perks and benefits now come in a variety of shapes and forms, from free food to paid “team building” holidays, some of which are more effective than others. Some companies, like the perk-rich Google, offer crazy perks, like free food for every meal and trained massage therapists, but what can a small business or startup offer their employees. Perks don’t have to be grand or expensive for them to be meaningful. Here’s how to get creative and offer thoughtful perks for your employees.
Free Food
A 2013 survey found that 60% of employees said that having food at the office made them feel more valued and appreciated. While Google employees can enjoy a wide variety of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, you don’t have to blow the bank to offer a similar perk.
At the end of the day, it depends on your budget, but something as simple as healthy office snacks and coffee at the office can go appreciated. If you want to provide a bigger perk, consider a lunch for your staff every Friday.
Parking
Parking, especially in big cities is becoming increasingly difficult to find. Many city offices don’t have parking for employees, or parking fees are so high that it’s not worth driving into work. However, there are ways to offer employees parking if you’re willing to get creative.
Parkhound is a community sharing site that connects people with empty parking spaces to those looking for a spot. If your office is in a major city, it’s likely you can find at least a couple of spots nearby. Offer the spaces as a reward for employees who work the hardest, or reach a goal at the end of each month.
Flexible Vacations
Vacation time is constantly referred to as one of the most important perks for employees. Everyone values a healthy work-life balance and an employer that can offer this shows that they truly care about their staff.
There’s really no limit to how you can offer this perk. You could set no maximum for vacation days, or have no blackout periods. Some bigger companies even pay their staff to take vacations, but simply letting people take time off work when they need it is a great way to show your appreciation towards your staff.
Commute stipend
An alternative to the parking idea, a commute stipend will be greatly appreciated especially if employees work in a busy city. Pre-tax commuter benefits can save your employees a lot of money, while also making it easier for them to commute to and from work. One that includes Uber rides can be even more useful to your employees.
Relaxed dress code
Depending on your industry, relaxing your dress code can be an effective perk which employees will love, and best of all, it’s free. If your company is used to stricter dress codes, you can begin by relaxing the dress code on Fridays only, or on days when employees don’t have client meetings, for example.
Events
Event perks can mean a variety of things. For one, you can offer employees the opportunity to attend industry events and conferences, which many will appreciate as it gives them the chance to grow professionally.
Alternatively, you could host an end of the week dinner and drinks event, or every so often, go all out and put on a big party. This works well when the whole team has reached a new goal, or won a new job. If you’re on a small budget, hosting an event in the office can be much cheaper but just as fun. Supply some drinks and food, let people bring their own, clock off early and have some fun!
Office perks don’t have to be expensive or fancy, they simply need to provide something that’s useful to your staff. These perks are cheap and easy to implement, and are sure to make your employees valued.
