Some Fun Perks Companies Offer

Nancy Anderson
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Companies offer increasingly personalized employee benefits as a way to draw top talent. As much as 57 percent of employees believe perks and benefits are some of the top reasons they consider one company over another. A full 80 percent of employees want more benefits instead of a pay raise, according to Glassdoor. Discover some of the interesting and fun perks of working for some well-known companies.

Travel Stipends

Airbnb gives employees an annual travel stipend of $2,000 to stay at any Arbnb listing anywhere in the world. The travel company was rated as the best place to work in 2016 by Glassdoor. These employee benefits are the gift that keeps on giving for both the worker and employer.

Improv Classes

Twitter employees receive three catered meals per day, but they also have on-site acupuncture and free improv classes as part of a benefits package. You can reduce your pain and laugh a lot in the same day.

Sabbaticals

Deloitte gives employees an unpaid, one-month sabbatical to take for any reason, while the three- or six-month program is an educational sabbatical that increases a person's pay by as much as 40 percent. Employees with at least five years behind them at Epic Systems receive a four-week paid sabbatical to pursue creative talents. Employee benefits like sabbaticals give workers a chance to enhance their development or simply take time off to recharge their mental batteries.

Employee Benefits for New Parents

Ikea offers all part- and full-time employees up to four months of paid parental leave as long as they have at least one year of experience with the furniture company. Netflix started unlimited parental leave in 2015, and then upped the ante with one-year paid maternity and paternity leave for new parents. The streaming company lets parents take off time as needed throughout the year.

American Express and Zillow pay for shipping breast milk home to infants when new moms are traveling. American Express goes so far as have a 24-hour lactation consult for employees.

Gender Reassignment

Goldman Sachs and Accenture both cover costs of gender reassignment surgery. Goldman began its benefit program in 2008, while Accenture's coverage comes from the corporation's commitment to LGBTQ rights and a diverse, inclusive workplace.

Fun Classes

Evernote has a macaroon-making class through its Evernote Academy that serves as a team-building exercise, while Asana provides access to executive- and life-coaching classes from experts outside of the company, and Reebok has fun fitness classes on-site that occur during the workday.

Creative Health Initiatives

Eventbrite offers workers a $60 wellness stipend per month. This money can go toward dues for the gym, healthy ingredients for foods or as part of a high-tech fitness gadget. Stipends give employees freedom of choice, which is important for workers seeking customizable perks and employee benefits.

Free Admittance to Disney Parks

Walt Disney Companies gives all of its employees free admission to its theme parks. On top of that, workers get discounts on hotels and merchandise during their vacations. Working and playing for Disney buys into the "Happiest Place on Earth" slogan.

Companies offer fun and interesting employee benefits to cater to the needs of a wide range of workers. What are the most important benefits your employer provides?


Photo courtesy of ARC GIS Online Labs at Flickr.com

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