Move over free coffee and discounted gym membership fees. Companies today go all out to ensure that their employees feel valued while working with them. Like, really, really feel valued. While most of such companies have deep pockets, they also use innovative and creative ways to ensure that employees are happy, and therefore at their productive best. Here is a list of some of the best company perks that have made some serious noise!
By freebies offered:
- Airbnb: All staffers at the organisation get an annual $2,000 stipend to travel and stay in an Airbnb listing anywhere, and if you have seen the spots listed at Airbnb, you know youre in for a treat!
- Reebok: Reebok has taken its commitment to health and fitness to a new level altogether, and encourage its employees to walk the talk. While onsite gyms are not uncommon, what makes them unique at Reebok are the free Crossfit classes, and spending some time during the day to work on your personal fitness goals is the norm.
- Genetech: Imagine not taking a leave for about running errands like car servicing or going to a dentist because its all available at your office! Genetech does exactly that and much more, like haircuts, spa treatments etc.
- Facebook: This list wont be complete without Facebook featuring in it a few times. While interns in some sectors are used to no wages (journalism and entertainment) and some have to actually pay to get an internship (like in psychology), the facebook story is vastly different. Interns at the social media company get free housing and healthcare coverage, AND a salary of over $7,000 a month.
- Google: Like Facebook, Google too is indispensable to the list. The office in California serves three gourmet meals a day absolutely free of cost! There are options for all types of eaters, and the citys favourite dessert places offer their products as well. And theres also free workout classes and cooking classes as well.
- Twitter: Like Google, Twitter also offers three catered meals a day, alongside on-site acupuncture and improv classes.
By leave policies:
- Netflix: The video streaming company offers some of the most liberal parental leave policies. Along with unlimited parental leave, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings takes six weeks of vacation every years and sets an example for others to do the same.
- Ikea: With six months of paid parental leaves offered to new mothers and fathers both full-timers and part-timers Ikea has some of the most enviable policies for new parents. Whats more, the benefits extend to surrogates, single parents and adoptions as well.
- American Express: New mothers and fathers get five months of paid leave, and birthing mothers can avail an additional six to eight weeks of paid medical leave. That, with all-day access to a lactation consultant and an option for travelling moms to send their breast milk home.
- Deloitte: One program at Deloitte includes a month long unpaid sabbatical that can be availed for any reason, whereas another program allows for a 3-6 month break that can taken for personal or professional growth with 40% pay.
- Amazon: Amazons parental leave policies allow parents to share leaves with their partner in other organisations, and also allows new mothers greater flexibility over easing back into work.
- Salesforce: Employees are given six days of paid volunteer time annually, along with a $1,000 a year for donating to a charity of their preference.
- Pinterest: Three months of paid leave, an additional month of part-time hours, and counselling sessions to help the employee re-enter the organisation.
Everything else:
- Goldman Sachs: Since 2008, Goldman Sachs offers coverage for employees who undergo the gender reassignment surgery. Accenture also offers the same.
- Starbucks: Full tuition reimbursement for employees who pursue further education, and covering an online bachelors degree program through Arizona State University, Starbucks has made a name for committing itself towards employee growth and learning.
- PwC: $1,200 dollars are on offer for student load reimbursement, helping employees with the massive education loans they continually pay-off years after leaving college.
- Facebook: Like mentioned before, Facebook has to recur on this list and this time, it offers $4,000 in Baby Cash to employees with a newborn. Looks like the company gives the biggest and fattest greetings envelop among all well-wishers and relatives.
- Google: Death, an eventuality not explicitly covered in many organisational policies, finds place in Googles comprehensive coverage. The surviving spouse or partner of an employee gets 50% of the salary for the next 10 years, in case of the demise of an employee.
- Adobe: For two weeks in a year, once in December and once in summer, the company shuts down completely and employees have to take a break.
- Asana: The online project management firm provides access to executive and life-coaching services outside of the company.
Sources:
http://time.com/money/4972232/12-companies-with-the-most-luxurious-employee-perks/
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-20-employee-benefits-perks-for-2017/
https://www.fastcompany.com/3056205/these-are-the-best-employee-benefits-and-perks