Job perks and employee work choice

Job perks are playing a bigger role in employee job selection decisions. One of the main reasons most of us work is to earn money – aside from the self-fulfillment, satisfaction, and sense of accomplishment, working for a living eventually comes down to the Rands and cents.

But that said, work is never just work and isn’t always just about the money – it’s about the experience, the vibe, your colleagues, the working environment, the office space, and of course, the perks!

It’s no longer about just the salary; it’s about the package

Work at Google HQ
Google is the be-all and end-all of dream workplaces.

An article in the New York Times recently looked at Silicon Valley and the growing trend where the focus on benefits is shifting from the traditional ‘same old’ medical aid and pension fund contributions that the majority of companies offer, and moving towards more practical ideas that make a real difference in the lives of employees.

Besides making employees lives easier and a little cushier, offering unique and very real benefits helps put companies ahead of the competition, and offers a competitive edge when looking to secure top talent!

This industry is cut-throat and everyone is after the best candidates for the job. So, like dangling carrots in front of a horse, companies are realising they need a little more than just money to entice prospective employees.

Actions speak louder than words

I think the perks and benefits a company offers its employees says a lot about the company culture and what the business stands for. Looking at DigitLab, the old school rule of being at your desk between 8am – 5pm was tossed out ages ago. It’s more about the end product and the fact that we focus on doing great work for great people – not clock watching.

Of course, not all companies offer crazy new age benefits, many in fact hardly offer anything at all, but that doesn’t make it any less fun to take a look at some of the way-out benefits some companies are offering to make us all slightly envious… Here are a few job perks to make you green with envy!

This list of new age benefits is split up in categories; looking at some of the more interesting perks and moving towards the more exciting ones. Eat your heart out!

Family
-friendly

Clif Bar open work space
Clif Bar’s open work space.
  1. Airbnb offers a dog-friendly office
  2. Genentech will help you find a last-minute babysitter
  3. 
Deloitte offers backup senior care, as well as marital counsellors
  4. Facebook pays up to $3,000 for child care expenses and $5,000 in adoption assistance
  5. Google’s death benefits include five years’ salary for your spouse spread over 10 years.

Putting food on the table

  1. Jetsetter offers a running tab at the coffee shop
  2. Genentech gives their employees take-home dinners
  3. Parse offers catered meals daily
  4. Facebook provides free meals for employees and visiting family
  5.  Google’s meals are all free and provide unlimited snacks.

Employee entertainment

  1. Airbnb HQ
    Airbnb HQ.

    GetGlue gives their employees movie gift certificates

  2. Exec offers green dinosaur hoodies
  3. Google has high-tech toilets and on-site ball pits
  4. Thrillist gives their employees a paid birthday off
  5. Weebly offers access to secret tunnels reached by movable bookcases, as well as unlimited vacation days
  6. 37signals partially pays for hobbies
  7. Google’s guest speakers range from President Obama to Lady Gaga
  8. Burton has a free skate park, snowboard park, and ski slope
  9. ZocDoc offers performance-based paid tropical vacations
  10. Google has metal, wood, welding, and electronics workshop rooms
  11. Thrillist offers free beer, vodka, tequila, and whiskey.

Show me the money

  1. Evernote pays $1,000 cash for “real” vacations
  2. Clif Bar offers $1,000 toward home energy improvements
  3. Facebook gives $4,000 cash for new parents
  4. Asana offers $10,000 cash toward your office setup
  5. Fab does $500 weekly cash raffles
  6. Google offers Tuition reimbursement
  7. 37signals has a discretionary credit card for employees.

Services

  1. 
Google gives free haircuts and dry cleaning
  2. Evernote offers free housecleaning twice a month
  3. Coloft offers discounts at other startups
  4. Google gives automatic travel insurance and free legal advice
  5. Asana offers skill and life coaching.

Tech
 and gadgets

  1. Weebly provides free noise-canceling Bose headphones
  2. Sweetgreen gives their employees a free iPod Nano Touch
  3. GetGlue offers free iPads
  4. Parse gives employees their choice of computer.

Health and wellness

  1. Airbnb offers yoga classes
  2. Deloitte provides personal trainers and nutritionists
  3. Google has on-site lap pools
  4. Clif Bar offers loan bikes, on-site massage, and paid on-site gym time
  5. Google has on-site doctors and chiropractors.

via The Huffington Post.

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