Employee benefits - what should you offer?

Go beyond health insurance and paid vacation - here are some unique benefits you can offer your employees.

Employee Benefits – What Should You Offer?

We’re all familiar with standard employee benefits packages offering health and dental insurance, 401(k) plans, and vacation time. Businesses pay significant dollars to offer these HR benefits – roughly $6,000 for each full-time employee. But are there other avenues you can explore to stay competitive in the job market without spending a small fortune?

Here are some example benefits you can offer at little-to-no cost that can help you in recruiting, hiring, and maintaining the best staff:

Happy birthday…now go home! What’s better than going into work on your birthday and receiving well wishes from colleagues? Why, not going in at all of course! By treating birthdays as an extra personal or flexible day, you’re allowing employees to celebrate their birthday as they see fit.

Credit where it’s due. Employee credit unions provide great savings with competitive rates and favorable loan terms free of cost to you and your employees.

Save money on the road and from home. You can obtain monthly public transportation passes for employees at a reduced price. If your employees drive to work and you don’t have a parking lot, explore group discounts with local garages in the area. Telecommuting can also save employees a ton of cash and doesn’t cost you a cent. If employees with home computers and Internet access can’t make it into the office, they’ll appreciate being able to occasionally work from home and call into the office as needed.

C’mon get healthy! Many health clubs offer corporate memberships at lower rates than individual plans. This is an optional benefit for your staff so you need only pay for those who take advantage of it – some employees may already belong to a health club or not care to join one.

Have a drink on the house. Provide complimentary coffee, tea, and cold drinks for employees to enjoy at any time. You can purchase various beverages and supplies from vendors or wholesale clubs for the entire company to enjoy. Some services make it simple to arrange for monthly deliveries so you never have to leave your office to restock the shelves. In fact, BuyerZone.com can help you find a coffee services vendor for your office.

Nice outfit! Who wouldn’t welcome losing the business attire in favor of a favorite polo shirt and comfortable pair of jeans? If your company stresses a formal dress code, increase employee comfort by allowing them to dress “business casual” on occasion. Your staff will thank you, and you can’t beat the cost – it’s 100% free!

Use your imagination. Not all company benefits have to be the standard fare. There are all kinds of creative perks you can offer:

• A recreational area with foosball or ping-pong and a few board games.
• Monthly or quarterly events like a pizza party, scavenger hunt, or barbecue.
• Regular awards and incentives for outstanding performance.
• Rotating use of the best parking spaces in the company lot so everybody gets a turn.
• Exclusive employee discounts with local businesses.
• An on-site concierge for dry cleaning, laundry, and mail services.

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