The Top 10 Work Perks Employees Actually Want

From a managerial standpoint, it’s easy to assume you know what employee perks your team wants — but do you really? We’ve taken the time to scour all the employee perks that companies claim their team wants to create the ultimate compilation.

To start, what exactly are work perks?

Perks are anything that extend beyond traditional work benefits and monetary compensation. They can range from items employees can purchase such as gym membership or spa retreats, to physical and program perks such as having a unique office space that offers healthy snacks and the ability to bring your pet to work. While it may sound like a lot of work to determine the employee perks you want to offer and establish in the company, it’s well worth the time and effort. Go Remotely claims that “57% of employees consider perks and benefits as the top factor to take a job.”

Alright, so what are the top 10 to consider adding to your roster?

Flexibility

Covid-19 moved numerous jobs from the office to the home, and as it turns out, many people really enjoyed it. Why? Work-life balance. One of the top work perks a company can now offer its employees is the flexibility to work from home, build their own hours, work from other places in the world, or have a hybrid home/office schedule. According to PwC, about 50% of employees would prefer to be remote at least three days a week. Help them get set up with a work-from-home stipend.

Family Support

Becoming a parent, or caring for family members puts a lot of strain on employees. Now they have two full-time jobs — one in the office and one at home. Considering that a significant chunk of the workforce is now made up of millennials, the likelihood of your team becoming parents is high. They’ll be looking for companies that can support them by having child care perks, or other family-oriented support.

Mentorship & Career Development

Employees want to know their companies care about them. There's no better way to show that than by investing in their learning and development. Consider a mentorship program for your business. Career development can also include career pathing within the company in terms of internal growth opportunities. After all, people want to know that they're progressing and growing; they desire purpose in their day-to-day lives and the opportunity to contribute to the company vision.

Mental Health + Wellness

Providing perks such as a mediation app subscription or discounts to the gym helps your employees put their well-being first. This will go a long way in helping to increase overall employee well-being and appreciation, especially since the pandemic brought mental health and wellness to the forefront of everyone's lives. Mindfulness perks will go a long way to improve overall wellbeing in the workplace.

Free Meals

Everyone loves a free meal — not just college students. However, with so many dietary restrictions and preferences these days, it can be tough to please everyone. By offering a meal perk stipend, everyone can pick and choose the type of food they want, all while thanking their company for it.

Community Engagement

The new generation of talent in the workforce cares a lot about giving back. However, it can be hard to sacrifice their hard-earned PTO to do so. Establishing a volunteer time off allowance lets your team give back to the community and causes they care about without taking away the time they need for their own wellness. You can also host community-oriented events, or provide stipends towards local businesses that help your employees give back.

Learning and Education

Besides career and skills development, employees also want to be recognized as humans outside of their job title. Everyone has interests away from the desk. Supporting your team by providing learning and education opportunities outside of the office allows them to continue to develop as a person and lets them know you see them as more than just a fixture at a desk.

Access to Technology

Modern businesses need to stay on top of their tech. However, it can often be expensive for employees to do the same. Providing coverage for cellphone bills takes that weight off of your employees’ shoulders. As an added bonus, it also increases communication, productivity, and connectivity within your business. Just make sure they take some mental health time to unplug every once in a while, too!

Paid Time Off

Another important employee perk identified is the desire for paid time off. This also includes paid sick leave. Employees want an employer who recognizes that hey — life happens. As far as PTO, this harkens back to the flexibility perk and the highlight of work-life balance.

The Chance to Choose

Finally, one of the things employees want as a work perk is the ability to get what they want. Everyone is different and needs different things! Perk stipends allow your team to customize their perk desires, be it money towards the best spin studio in town, a little bit of R & R, or a bit of help with covering groceries for a growing family. That's where PerkUp comes in. We let your team spend their perk money where they want and how they want with our carefully researched and catered categories. Check it out!

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