Enchant Your Employees and Attract New Talent
Working remotely on occasion, time off, and nice medical and dental benefits are common ways that companies have attempted to lure new talent and keep their rock stars. But some tech companies are taking it even further. Consider these great perks that top tech companies are using to attract and retain their employees.
Fuel for the mind, body, and soul: Google has become something of a legend when it comes to feeding its employees. People working for the company enjoy organic food, healthy meals, and other delicious treats—for free. Just how epic is Google’s stance on food? Well, for one, there is such a thing as the Google 15, which makes reference to the fifteen pounds new employees often gain after joining the company. Too famished to make it to one of the eleven gourmet cafeterias? That’s OK—Google aims to make it only a short walk to the nearest snack room.
It's speculated that Google annually spends more than $72 million feeding its employees, which may be out of your company’s budget, and that’s understandable. Some companies offer free food one day each week. Creative ad agency Overit celebrates Pizza Fridays with its employees.
Game on: A room dedicated to relaxation or gaming can pay significant dividends when it comes to work creativity, team camaraderie, and overall production. Check out some of these offices where the companies have decided that all work and no play can make their employees dull.
Experience the experience: Companies that offer tickets to sporting events and other local company retreats can boost morale in the office. Often it is about creating an experience rather than offering a material gain that keeps employees excited to produce at the top of their abilities week in and week out. And if you are trying to set the bar, then consider Quinn Emanuel, a law firm, which announced at the end of January that it is going to start paying its employees to go away—literally. The firm aims to allocate up to two thousand dollars for an employee to go anywhere in the world and work remotely for one week.
Stuff for your stuff: It isn’t unusual for companies to give workers their products for free or at extreme discount, or garb them in clothing and accessories decorated with the company’s logo. What is unusual—and can go a long way in improving employee satisfaction—are freebies in the form of one-off perks. They can be as big as giving the entire office iPods or as small as busting out Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go subscriptions.
Perks are a great way to expand an already great work environment. However, it’s not a solution to internal issues or faulty business plans. Making employees excited to come in each day and produce with great results should be the aim of adding any perk. The aim shouldn’t be to cover up mistakes or try to make up for poor working conditions. Remember, despite all the perks that many companies offer, the top-cited reason for employees leaving a company is a lack of job satisfaction.
How does your company retain employees and attract new talent? What are some perks you wish your company would adopt? Tell us in the comments below.
