7 Office Benefits You Haven't Thought of Yet

If you were asked to name your best brand advocates, you’d probably rave about your customers. While buyers certainly play a role in driving your company’s positive reputation and growth, they’re not your only cheerleaders. In fact, some of your biggest supporters are on the payroll. They’re your employees, and they deserve your time and attention.

When employees feel engaged, satisfied, and included, they work hard for your business. They contribute to projects. They collaborate with colleagues. And they make such awesome impressions that even the grumpiest of clients can be turned into lifelong fans.

So how do you boost your workers’ spirits in ways that matter? Beyond generating a stellar workplace culture and hiring thoughtfully, try adding some of these unusual benefits.

1. Give team members monthly fitness funds.

Can you spare $50, $75, or even more monthly for each employee? Distribute the funds as a special bonus intended to go toward their fitness. Workers will appreciate having a little extra cash to pay for a gym membership or update home athletic equipment.

You may even want to go a step farther and underwrite the cost of fitness courses. If you’re near the water, host training for different water sports such as paddle boarding or water skiing.  If mountains are down the road, offer to pay for safe rock climbing or skiing classes.

Not sure how to help employees stay healthier and reach their wellness goals? Send out a survey. The feedback you receive will help you figure out how to give them a path to the workouts they want.

2. Get rid of vacation and time-off restrictions.

You’ve no doubt heard about the proliferation of businesses offering unlimited vacation time. While you might not be 100% sure it’s right for your crew, you shouldn’t dismiss it out of hand. Not only does unlimited time off look good on job descriptions, but it’s rarely overused. Quite the contrary, most companies say that allowing employees to choose their preferred vacation lengths offers positive results.

Before implementing an unlimited paid time off policy, be sure to speak with your HR and legal consultants. You’ll want the transition to go seamlessly. Plus, you’ll need documentation and clarification so your employees understand how the system will work.

3. Help employees cover the cost of pet ownership.

Want to stand out as one of the most forward-thinking brands in your industry? Don’t just offer healthcare, life insurance, and retirement options. Offer pet insurance plans, too. Only a small percentage of companies provide the opportunity for workers to get pet insurance. Yet the practice makes perfect sense.

Today, many younger people stay single for long periods. When they get married, plenty decide to wait to have kids—or not have kids at all. However, lots of adults become proud pet parents. As anyone who has ever paid a vet bill knows, pet parenting isn’t cheap. One surgery bill for an ailing pooch can easily run into the thousands. With pet insurance, your employees will feel less financially and mentally stressed about paying for their furry friends’ medical treatments.

4. Allow workers to choose their seats.

Everyone deserves a change of scenery from time to time, and that includes your workers. Instead of assigning everyone a specific desk or office, you may want to rearrange your layout to accommodate hoteling. When employees “hotel,” they get the opportunity to sit wherever they want. This allows them to feel less like they’re doing the same thing day-in, day-out.

To be sure, some of your team members may have too many personal or professional items to carry around. This means they do need a spot to call their own. Nevertheless, encourage them to work elsewhere from time to time. Shade your patio furniture with umbrellas for outside laptop work. Promote walking meetings around your building or neighborhood. Arrange comfy living room furniture in a communal area. Do what you can to make it possible for people to switch up their views—and recharge their imaginations.

5. Put money toward workplace clubs.

Have you ever noticed that thriving college campuses have tons of clubs? Book clubs. Social clubs. Knitting clubs. They’re not just fun little gatherings, either. They’re meant to get students involved in and engaged with the community so they don’t want to leave prematurely.

Your company can foster this same sense of camaraderie by starting clubs onsite. You’ll need to create parameters so the clubs remain open to anyone. Nonetheless, putting your support behind on-the-job clubs could add new energy to your workforce. Additionally, employees who don’t get to work together everyday will have the chance to get to know each other. That’s highly beneficial in strengthening morale.

6. Incentivize employees to use your products or services.

You ask your employees to become brand ambassadors for the products and services you offer. When feasible, give them free use of those goods. For instance, if you manufacture and sell energy drinks, make sure all team members receive free samples.

If giving away your merchandise doesn’t make sense, you can always give employees branded swag. Similarly, you might want to partner with another company and purchase items for your workers. Be sure to choose items they can actually use. (Hint: No one needs another cheap logo pen that runs out of ink after three tries.)

7. Increase the benefits you offer parents.

It’s no secret that parenting is one of the toughest jobs in the world. Show your employees you understand by expanding your parent perks beyond the norm. For example, you might want to give extra flexibility to parents of newborns. You could even bump out your paid time off for maternity and paternity leave.

Obviously, you want to be fair to people who aren’t parents, too, but have familial obligations just as important. Work with your HR specialist to come up with creative benefits for everyone with family commitments. The more supported your employees feel, the less likely they’ll be to leave.

Your company is one-of-a-kind thanks to the people you’ve amassed to do your work. Show employees that when you say you care, you mean it. As a thank-you, they’ll bring their best selves to work.