Benefits and paid vacation time are routine. To make a stronger impression on prospective employees, you need to provide them with perks that reflect your business culture and identity. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

I imagine you have read plenty of pieces on the jaw-dropping perks offered by companies like Facebook and Google. Those businesses probably seem like they operate in a completely different dimension. You’ve likely flirted with the idea of offering similar perks, but assumed it’s not possible. 

It is possible.

It’s not money that makes a workplace great. It’s the atmosphere. It’s how well you treat your employees. It’s how well your benefits mesh with the established identity of your business.

It’s entirely within your power to provide awesome, unique perks that make employees look forward to waking up for work each morning. I’ll provide you with a few ideas to get you started. Adapt them to your own culture, values, and identity as you see fit. 

Health and Happiness

People want to know they work for a business that genuinely cares about them. They want to know their organization has a stake in their well-being. Healthcare is key to this.

You need to go further. To really delve into employee wellness with initiatives dedicated to helping staff be happier and healthier, you need to start with where your business is situated. 

Are you across the street from a gym? Reach out to the owners and see if you can set your staff up with memberships. Are you near a spa? See about bringing in some massage therapists. A cleaning service? Reach out to them and see if you can bring them in to clean employee homes on a monthly basis. 

These are all perks offered by top companies, by the way, and they’re entirely within your reach if you’re willing to make a few phone calls. 

If you have the budget for it, you might even consider setting up on-site fitness equipment, providing healthy meal options and meal planning, or investing in mindfulness training for your employees. 

Fun and Games

Work is not typically associated with fun, but that does not mean your workplace should be dour. While it should never interfere with their productivity, your staff should always feel like they’re in a place they can let loose and enjoy themselves.

Do away with the office dress code. Consider providing board games and video games in the breakroom. Host outings to nearby bars, restaurants, and cafes. Reach out to nearby recreation centers and set up an employee discount. Think of ways to “gamify” typically boring activities like security training. Allow office pets. 

Personal Betterment

An organization that clings to its best employees and tries to stifle their advancement does not deserve to have them. 

Give your staff the chance to better themselves. Embrace their growth and work with them towards their future. This could take many forms depending on how far you want to go.

Maybe your business pays for an employee’s college tuition or provides them with certification courses. Maybe you host regular events to help employees unleash their creativity, like hackathons or team-based competitions. Maybe you simply offer them the opportunity for advancement through your business’s hierarchy or that of your partners.

Just show that you’re willing to help them improve through the benefits you provide. 

Be Awesome, Hire Awesome People

You don’t have to be Google or Facebook to make your employees feel wanted and at ease in the workplace. You can make your office an amazing place to work all the same. At the end of the day, all you really need to do is focus on what’s most important:

Your people. 

About the Author:

Brad Wayland is the Chief Strategy Officer at BlueCotton, a site with high-quality, easy-to-design custom t-shirts.