The flexibility and convenience of remote work are undeniable. This has given employers access to an endless pool of talent from around the world. But these days, remote jobs and timing flexibility alone aren't enough.
Some remote working companies have an incredible retention rate of over 90%. So, how do they do it? The companies with top retention rates have one thing in common – they offer incredible employee perks and benefits.
Giving your work from home employees additional perks pushes them to walk that extra mile. Mental and wellness programs, daycare access, workstation upgrades, and streaming service subscriptions are among the perks that show your employees that you value and care for them.
One thing is for sure. The investment you make today on these perks is going to curb productivity losses and reduce turnover rates for your company in the future! So, check out our list of perks for employees and this could potentially transform your company for good.
There are several reasons why people choose one job over another. Various factors such as compensation, growth opportunities, time to commute to work(weird about true) play a part in a professional’s decision to take up a job opportunity.
These days, all competitive companies and employers offer lucrative benefits to lure talent. So, how do you stand out when it comes to attracting staff? Well, the answer is perks. Perks are typically incentives that motivate the professional to deliver better performance.
Earlier, when the concept of WFH didn’t exist, employers offered perks like company cars, discounted travel fares, and gym memberships, to name a few. However, now that things have switched to remote, the model for employee perks has also transformed.
Many people confuse perks and benefits. However, the two are pretty different. You already know that bonuses are auxiliary. But, benefits are a part of an employee's salary.
Most employers and HRs assume that WFH is a significant perk in itself. But, look around you – hundreds of other companies and employers are offering the same advantage.
Moreover, with your complete workforce working from a different location and in isolation, it becomes essential to introduce additional perks. After all, you want to make sure that they get the perfect working and productive culture even when not in office.
These perks are goodies that can make your staff's lives easier. There are several reasons why your company should offer bonuses for remote employees. For starters, these perks are a sign that you care about the well-being of your people. These perks are also what sets you apart from your competitors, and build a strong remote culture for your team.
Moreover, by offering perks such as health insurance, charitable matching, gym memberships, and wellness sessions, you can enhance your employees' physical and mental being. Ultimately, employee perks ensure high productivity and a low employee turnover rate.
There are a gazillion ways for you to treat your employees with perks. Moreover, with your teams working remotely, you have to get creative in incentivizing them. Remember, team-building activities and bonding meets are a significant perk for any remote workforce.
We understand. It’s hard to understand what perks best motivate employees. Worry not! Here are more than 30 ideas for perks that every remote employee would cherish!
Your remote squad is pulling off pro-like teamwork despite working from fragmented geographical units. They miss out on coffee breaks, lunchtime talks, and post-work happy hours with remote work. However, remote work doesn't mean they have to devoid themselves of a good lifestyle.
One of the crucial perks for remote employees is a dedicated lifestyle account. One of the best examples of companies that offer lifestyle spending accounts is Airbnb. Airbnb offers its employees $2,000 to spend on travel and leisure.
One of the setbacks of working from home is reduced physical activity. Moreover, with your staff’s schedule brimming with scheduled tasks, it becomes tough to focus on wellness and health.
You can introduce wellness initiatives as a part of employee perks to break their sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, a healthy mind quickly translates to enhanced productivity at work. You can offer free membership access to wellness and fitness clubs.
You might have decked up the workplace with top-notch and comfy work furnishings. But have you ever thought that your staff might not have access to the same due to remote work? Giving your employees the perk of workstation upgrades is a lucrative perk.
You can start by assigning them a budget for workstation upgrades. What’s more, an office vibe at home can boost their productivity and set the correct working tone.
Do you want to take your employee perks system a notch higher? Well, the best way to do that is to introduce a point-based reward system. An employee recognition program is a great solution where you regularly reward your employees for their outstanding contributions.
These days, cash payment is more of a hassle and involves minimal engagement. An employee recognition platform is more interactive and fruitful. You can build a wide range of reward catalogues where your employees can redeem their points for gift cards, branded swag, and other custom rewards. The catalogue can include box office tickets, cleaning & laundry services, and so much more!
Another way to keep your employees happy is taking care of their mental health. The past couple of years haven't exactly been a bliss. Moreover, adapting to working from home might have put unnecessary pressure on your team. As a result, many people fall prey to mental disorders. You can devise a virtual wellness package that comprises of the following:
You might consider this perk recommendation to be a tad vague. But think about this – your team might have to divide their concentration and time while working remotely. Being at home also means increased chores.
This type of perk can eliminate the extra work from your employee's life. You can introduce this perk as a part of your points-based reward system. Include deep clean house fumigation, vehicle cleaning, and other chore assistance services.
Working remotely instils the habit of munching on assorted snacks, munchies, and lots of Nutella and peanut butter! A significant perk for your remote team is to send them snack boxes. You can include a little message from yourself to greet them.
Besides, you can shoot up their happiness and contentment with the company by delivering their favorite snacks.
Pro tip: Using a custom gift box builder like Caroo.com can help automate and simplify this process.
Unlike lifestyle spending and workstation upgrade, remote work stipends are bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly releases of funds. These funds help your team pay their phone and internet bills.
These are some costs that your employees do not have to take up if they work from the premises. This perk is increasingly becoming common as it ensures that the staffs have everything they need.
One negative aspect of remote work is that it snaps the personal touch that bonds a team. Your squad might feel that they don’t share anything beyond an employee-employer relationship.
Send some branded merchandise to make your employees feel that they are part of a work family. The branded merchandise typically includes pens, notebooks, coffee mugs, and key rings with the organization’s sigil. It’ll make them feel like they belong to a closely-knit team.
It's no secret that remote employees simultaneously have to perform the part-time roles of a work professional and a parent. Meeting deadlines and taking care of kids is no less than having a havoc-packed schedule. If your employees have kids, child care assistance is a no-brainer when it comes to perks.
Alongside, if any of your team members is expecting a child, treat them with maternity/paternity leaves. You can take the example of how Facebook is mastering the family perks department!
One thing that most WFH employees feel is that their workload is never-ending. Many people complain that remote work is more tedious and packed than the regular nine-to-five work at the office.
To allow your hard-working team to blow off some steam and have some "me-time," you can consider the possibility of a shorter week. Provided your squad meets the deadlines correctly, this perk can be pretty useful.
There might be members of your team that might have been a part of your team for a long time. You can reward such long-term employees with monthly sabbaticals as an employee perk. Approving sabbatical leaves would significantly lift your old employees and encourage them to stick with you.
Another reason why you should consider offering sabbaticals is because it makes your employees feel more rejuvenated and motivated when they’re back. Sabbaticals can improve your organization’s image and also boost employees’ productivity.
You might be wondering how you could run a virtual mentorship program as a perk for remote employees?
By kicking off virtual mentorship programs with senior organization personnel, you could better communicate with your employees. On the brighter side, this will also reduce employee grievances.
Often, remote employees feel disconnected from their professional peers. Offer a perk to prevent this, and you’re on your way to building a great team.
Whether you have worked with millennials or a group of seniors, you know that a good television program excites everyone! A great perk for your remote squad would be to set them up with a streaming service.
You can send a subscription discount code or pay for their entire streaming service membership. Either way, watching their favorite movies will help employees break from their work life.
After all, who doesn’t love an offer and a great discount code! Discounts and offers are some of the most delightful perks for employees. Besides, knowing that these codes can help them save a chunk of money makes the reward more valuable.
You can issue discount codes on leisure, necessities, and even gifts. Since they come from the organization, perks involving discount codes positively impact attrition and productivity. Once every month or two, you can drop an awesome discount in your employees’ mailbox and surprise them!
Many of your employees would be interested in reading texts that help their intellectual growth. However, most organizations rarely see the importance of knowledge banks and open libraries as a perk. You can offer access to or set up a knowledge bank.
A collection of texts and books can be great for personal growth and productivity. The HR can share a folder with the remote team that contains copies of e-books. What better way to enhance your workforce’s wisdom and deliver something valuable?
Do you know that 70% of employees in the US prefer leaving their current company and accepting an offer with a new employer known for investing in employee learning and development? You don’t want your company to receive the shorter end of the stick, do you?
Well, if you want to deliver value to your employees through an office perk, consider offering development programs or online courses. Online courses and such programs will interest employees and are a great tactic to enhance the productivity and skillsets of your workforce. You can also pay up for their subscription to a learning center.
Every employee wishes to bond and connect with their fellow workers in-person. You can make this a possibility to remote employees by organizing an all-paid town hall meet at the company’s HQ. It helps them build a personal rapport.
In this intra-company town hall, you can host seminars, dinner events, and other engaging activities.
One of the best perks for remote employees would be to cover their medical expenses. You can also consider including virtual healthcare services. Moreover, with medical facilities getting pricier day by day, your employees are sure to find this perk valuable.
There are many other valuable perks, but nothing beats healthcare. These days, many workplaces offer a comprehensive medical insurance plan that includes vision, dental, and general healthcare.
Most remote employees work for extended hours and are less likely to set clear time boundaries. A great way to ensure that employees don't overwork themselves is to offer paid vacations.
These perks will set a good impression about company culture and prevent employees from burnout at work. Moreover, it'll show your employees that you care about their work-life balance.
Equity benefits are non-cash pay that comes as performance shares and restricted stocks. In simpler words, equity benefits refer to offering a "slice" of your business to valuable employees. Equity benefits are becoming increasingly popular as a perk.
Equity benefits allow the staff to feel that they have a tangible investment in the company. Additionally, it instills the idea of “belongingness & ownership.” Most companies can witness improved employee retention and commitment by offering such perks.
Since your employees are working from their personal space, they might not have access to all the technology. For instance, they might not have quality microphones for office calls and discussions. Similarly, they might require an upgraded desktop to keep up with the work.
Start by discussing with your team what they need the most for their home office. Upgrading technology can make it easier for your employees to adjust to remote work.
One of the challenges for a company whose employees are working remotely is bringing them all together. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations introduced the concept of virtual meets. These monthly meets allow you to get the team together and let them engage and interact. There are dozens of things you can do to make these meets more fun. Here are some ideas for fun virtual meets:
Helping employees stay on top of their fitness and wellness schedule is an excellent way of showing that you care! Organizations can roll out free subscriptions for workout, wellness, and meditation apps.
Also, you can launch virtual yoga classes for your team members! You can also set up monthly challenges to bring your remote squad together.
You might have heard your employees discussing how other companies offer special rates and discounted stays on hotels. Companies can also consider offering a family discount on travel and outdoor adventure.
Adventure and travel perks to theme parks or vacations encourage staff to take some time off work and come back with more energy.
You can introduce an array of insurance plans as perks for your remote employees. For instance, there is disability insurance, life insurance, and even retirement benefits. These days, subsidized insurance plans have become a standard part of perks for most companies.
These insurance plans act as a safety net for your employees and their family. On the other hand, retirement benefits offer peace of mind to your staff. Besides, you can entice talent by offering really good 401(k) contributions.
Even minor changes around you can go a long way in improving your mood and enhancing your productivity. Small work perks might seem insignificant now, but they eventually add up to make employees happy. Studies suggest that having plants around your workstation culminates in a better work environment.
Since plants are great stress-busters, you can offer plant subscription or houseplant reimbursement to your WFH squad. This perk will enhance the employees' productivity and help them upgrade their workstations.
With your staff working most of the time from home, they might have to go grocery shopping more frequently than in general. Regular grocery delivery arranged for by the company is a significant perk that encourages employees to cook and eat healthy! The best part is that finding grocery box delivery vendors has become easier than ever before.
Besides, they also tend to be cheaper than grocery shopping at supermarkets. However, if you think it involves complicated logistics, you can reimburse your employees for the same instead of arranging for it yourself.
WFH professionals juggle deadlines and try to keep up with their laundry schedules. You can take some burden off their head by introducing laundry service assistance as a part of the company’s employee perks.
A laundry service subscription or reimbursement is a thoughtful way to support your busy remote team. Laundry service assistance can be an optional perk. Taking this chore off their schedule can be super handy and time-saving for professionals.
This might be uncommon, but career guidance services are a hugely profitable perk for remote employees. The company’s senior HR leaders can conduct it or take the help of external trained professionals.
Career development can be a daunting process for remote workers. So, setting them up with career guidance services can positively affect employee retention and motivation.
One of the less popular remote employee perks is pet insurance. Offering pet insurance can show that you care about your employee’s family and not just their work.
Pet health insurance can help your remote employees meet the cost of their pet’s regular checkup and other treatments needed. Offering this benefit to eligible employees can positively impact employee retention and attract great talent as well.
Most of your staff would probably forget to get some “me time” amidst all that workload. Now, you don’t want your team to feel overburdened and produce poor work quality, do you? In that case, consider dispatching self-care kits as a part of your company's perks!
Showing that you care about the wellness of your employees can boost their morale. You can adopt this practice as a recurring gesture or one-off for work anniversaries, important milestones, or birthdays. Self-care kits can include anything from spa stuff to grooming products!
Who doesn’t love gifts on their special days and achievements? It is essential to celebrate the special days and milestones of your employees. You can treat them to a birthday gift or work anniversary with some paid time off. Alternatively, you can introduce work anniversary and employee birthday gifts/vouchers as a perk for remote employees.
A voucher to their favorite stores is one way you can make their day more memorable. What’s more, if you are doubtful about their store preferences, be on the safe side and give them an Amazon voucher!
This perk might be niche, but it sends a strong message about your company’s culture. It is one of those perks that might be more effective than a monetary benefit.
On the other hand, you can also include fertility benefits in the package. This office perk can be thoughtful and supportive for remote employees who have trouble adopting or covering expenses for fertility treatments.
These additional employee perks will make great talent choose your company over your competitors. Moreover, if you have been struggling with a high turnover rate, adding in a few employee perks might give a ray of hope. After all, nobody wants their hard-working and well-trained employees to bid farewell.
Companies that do not offer perks to remote teams are putting themselves at a considerable disadvantage. Without these perks, you might lose out on new and experienced talent and struggle to retain your employees.
A comprehensive list of perks can help you create a flywheel effect. You’ll notice enhanced productivity and high engagement levels from your existing employees. So, are you ready to be the company that offers the best-in-class perks?
