Every entrepreneur fantasises about offering the kind of mouth-watering workplace perks that Google offers its employees. The problem is a little tiny thing called money. It’s not so much that you can’t afford to offer amazing company benefits, it’s more that you can’t afford to offer all of them and so, well, you’re kind of left tapping your chin wondering which perks are the best value; you’re left wondering which perks will open the most eyes on a job description.
The reason you’ve been wondering this is simple: people no longer prioritize a salary; they want to work somewhere that feels amazing, somewhere that creates a positive environment and gets those creative juices flowing. That is what some of the more modern-day perks offer.
So, without further ado, here is a list of benefits so cool you may have Google employees leaving their current jobs behind in order to work for you:
1. Forever Flexible
Nowadays, schedules and routines are more redundant than the Spinning Jenny. They make employees feel suffocated. It makes people feel like they don’t have control over their lives. And that is why flexible working benefits are so popular among the top talent out there. It is about letting your talented employees work when they want and from where they want and, apart from the right software, all that takes is a renewed attitude; it means measuring employees on performance, not hours.
2. Feed Their Appetite
The way to a talented individual’s heart is through their stomach. It’s as simple as that. Now you may not be able to go down the Google route of having thirteen free cafeterias that serve lobster thermidor on a daily basis, but you might be able to bring on someone that specialises in catering for businesses. Of course, if that’s a stretch too far as well, then try out one of the new trends and hand out donuts at meetings, have a snack pantry, offer meal discounts and have bowls of fruit dotted around. Happy bellies, happy employees.
3. Are You Not Entertained?
You may have noticed that offices have started to look more like playgrounds than places of business, and that’s because entrepreneurs have come to accept that an overworked and unhappy employee is a far cry from a productive one. If you want to go down the whole basketball court route, then feel free. However, something as simple as a few comfy sofas, a pool table and having a local band coming to play a live gig once a month could be all you need to make smiles appear and top talent start knocking.
4. You’d Be Mental Not To
According to some serious scientific research, 50% of people will experience mental health issues at some point in their lives, while 25% already battle them. That is why so many companies are doing all they can to improve their environments and boost their hiring processes. Some are offering incentives to help people quit smoking, others make free gym-membership part of their perks package and others simply try and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in their office spaces. Whatever you decide is best, you’ll find top talent starts to approach you as a result, while the performance of your employees improves, and dramatically too.