What are job perks?
On top of core employee benefits, job perks are additional little “fringe benefits” if you like, that can be added onto more substantial employee benefits to help improve staff motivation. Having a good, additional offering of job perks can help when trying to attract new staff and retain existing employees. Many things can be considered as job perks that your staff may not have even thought about, so it is also a good idea to ensure they are communicated clearly.
Why are they important?
Offering benefits and perks to your employees is important for a number of reasons:
- It helps you to attract new staff and retain your existing staff, by offering something above and beyond a standard salary.
- A good benefits package shows that you care about your employees and their wellbeing.
- They can help to boost staff morale, which is likely to have a positive impact on productivity.
- Benefits and perks at work can help staff to create a healthy work-life balance and take control of their schedules.
15 ideas for job perks to keep your employees happy and motivated
There are of course more than 15 perks that you could offer to your workforce but adding a few to your benefits package is a great place to start.
1) Recognition and reward
We start off simple, and with something that can be completely free. We all know that a little “thank you” can go a long way towards making employees feel valued. Anything that makes employees feel happier at work can be considered a “job perk”, and a little really does go a long way in this regard.
If someone goes above and beyond to help get stuff done, make sure they understand your appreciation. A recognition & reward programme tied to your company values helps you promote the right culture and means your staff will not feel undervalued.
2) Mental wellbeing support
Employee Assistance Programmes can be a great place to start. By offering 24/7 access to confidential help and support, you would be giving your employees a way to deal with any stress or anxiety, without them feeling pressured into asking for help from you directly or feeling judged. Preventing mental health issues before they develop into something more serious can avert potential financial and productivity issues that may ensue.
3) Salary Sacrifice scheme
Perhaps a smarter benefit than others; salary sacrifice schemes can have a positive financial impact on both employer and employees. Staff agreeing to use a portion of their salary towards benefits such as a green car leasing scheme or Private Medical Insurance, offers a tax saving to both parties. This will also go a long way towards a more positive employee-employer relationship, whilst encouraging staff to take control of their own personal and financial wellbeing.
4) Learning & development
Having higher skilled staff is beneficial to any organisation. Having a budget available for learning and development not only encourages your workforce to increase their own skillset and improve their personal development – but it also adds to their engagement with you and motivation to do well – which is always going to help you achieve your objectives. The return on investment is likely to be high here.
5) Discount platform
65% of employees now stress the importance of financial wellbeing to help combat the rising cost of living, housing, travel, childcare, and inflation
Source: https://www.cipd.co.uk/knowledge/strategy/reward/surveys
It goes without saying that most people love a bargain. Offering a discount platform for weekly grocery shops, retailers, days out and more goes a long way towards helping your employees through the current cost of living crisis, and beyond by helping them save money on everyday purchases.
6) Flexible working
The modern employee tends to seek out a position that offers them flexibility. Whether that be the option of remote working, flexible hours to fit around their life or a mixture of the two. Working from home is particularly important for many parents, who are tackling numerous responsibilities as well as juggling school holidays or childcare challenges.
Employers who offer this flexibility ultimately prove they want to allow their employees to create a sound work-life balance and offers more long term value than any monetary bonus ever could.
7) Discounts for company products or services
Depending on the kind of business that you operate, company discounts can be an exciting and appealing perk for your staff. It will help your staff feel included and valued; and in turn more likely to recommend you to friends and family because they will know they are being genuine, having used your products or services themselves!
8) A day off on your birthday
A simple yet effective perk – a day off allows people to focus on their nearest and dearest on their birthday – rather than that looming deadline. It demonstrates that you value your employees’ time and will encourage your staff to take the day to do what they truly want to do – even if just to buy cake.
9) Monthly free breakfast, lunch, or dinner social
Another relatively low-cost option for additional job perks is a monthly meal on you. Whether it’s breakfast in the office, a lunch social or dinner and drinks – it will encourage bonding amongst colleagues and allows you to engage with your employees outside the normal boundaries.
A free lunch will persuade people to step away from their desks, bond with one another and improve their morale.
10) Free drink Friday (or any day)
We all get that Friday feeling – when the weekend is calling, and you can see the finish line for the working week. It would be good to encourage your employees to relax after a week of (hopefully) hard work, by having a little treat available.
It may seem small, but a token gesture such as popping a Prosecco cork or offering a tasty, refreshing soft drink on the boss could be the little lift that people need to get them through to clock-off time, and could be the little lift that staff need after challenging tasks are completed.
11) Time savers
Run, shower, breakfast, commute, work, pick up the kids, grocery shopping, cook dinner, wash the car… Adulting is hard. We all have many chores to do but often the time to do them is just not at our disposal. This is where you can offer a little helping hand to your employees, by giving them some of that time back.
Having a car wash available in the office car park once a fortnight, paid gym membership at a gym local to the office, allowing people to bring dogs to work, or having personal deliveries possible all help to give a little of that precious time back, which people may appreciate more than they first thought.
12) Office perks
Simple things like casual dress in the office, free fruit in the break room or free parking for those commuting to the office can all be perks of the job that can help lift people’s spirits and boost their morale.
13) Free books
Another simple benefit that does not need to cost you much – if anything at all. Whether you buy a stash of books or encourage people to bring in books that they have read and no longer have a need for; books being available for staff to read on breaks or even to take home with them will show that you care and is a little gesture.
Reading for just 6 minutes a day can help to reduce stress by up to 68%!
Source: https://www.anxietycentre.com/research/reading-reduces-stress-by-68-percent/
14) Cycle to work schemes
Cycle to work schemes are a great to encourage employees to stay fit and healthy, and it also helps to reduce their carbon footprint. Salary sacrifice schemes were mentioned previously; but this is worth highlighting on its own due to the numerous benefits that providing one to your staff can have.
15) Dedicated quiet space
This is another benefit that doesn’t necessarily need to cost you anything! If you have a small ‘box room’ side office that never gets used, or some extra space from where you got rid of all your space hogging filing cabinets – or even if you do need to create the space. A dedicated quiet space for employees to use when they need some time out, to take a personal call or even just to give themselves a minute to breathe is hugely beneficial.
Providing such a space will prove that you care about your employees’ mental wellbeing and will also encourage them to step away from their desk when they need to the most.
How to get started – this is where we come in!
Once you have decided to offer more job perks and/or employee benefits to your workforce – you’ve already taken the first step. It goes without saying that offering job perks will boost morale and go a long way toward improving employee wellbeing – making you a more attractive employer which massively benefits you.
Whether you are looking to start from scratch, or are considering the benefits & perks that you can add to your existing program, or you would like some information about the benefits that companies like yours are implementing – Broadstone are here to help you.
Get in touch to take the next step in your journey towards an attractive employee benefits & perks package that your staff will love.
