Highlighting employee wellbeing is beneficial for all parties with increased employee retention, higher work quality and positive company culture.
Most workplaces offer employee benefits such as paid vacation days, parental leave, sick leave and superannuation accounts. Some of these benefits are legally required, while others are not. Perks are the extra things on top, those nice-to-have incentives that show employees that they matter and are an important asset to the business. Employees’ who have perks tend to enjoy their time at work more and feel cared for.
68% of employees believe that perks are just as important as other job benefits. While some large companies seem to be forking out extravagant perks every other week, perks don’t need to be lavish to make a big difference. It may take some time to implement, however, the long term benefits of employee perks are worth it, including a reduced employee turnover and raised performance rates.
Perks can look like many different things, from business specific perks to some things you might not have even thought of, the opportunities are truly endless. Below is a list of some different perks, from bigger investments to small gestures:
- Transport or parking subsidies
- Free food and drinks
- Flexible work options (eg: working from home)
- Fitness perks (such as a subsidised gym membership)
- Quarterly/monthly happy hour celebrations
- Cafe discounts
To conclude, corporate perks go a long way. While employees don’t need perks to enjoy their jobs, they do make a big difference. It shows that companies care about their workers well-being and are committed to boosting employee experience. Next time you are on the job search, ask prospective employers about their employee perks to get an indicator about what you can expect if you work there.