For the vast majority of us, happiness in the form of workplace perks boils down to a nice place to work at with proper lighting, a pantry, fresh and clean washrooms, and maybe a ref and a microwave.
Of course, there are the mandated perks like healthcare and social security.
But otherwise, we don’t expect much from where we work as long as we’re paid.
Many of us are also pretty cool with sick leaves and even vacation time as added benefits.
But did you know there are companies that are happy to give new parents a year off? One whole year off and it’s fully paid too. If that weren’t enough to get you thinking, we found 9 companies that give the best perks in the world (all these based on Glassdoor surveys.)
1. Netflix
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Already quite beloved by everyone looking to burn off a whole weekend or just looking to chill, Netflix received a pretty high rating on Glassdoor. That’s because the TV-streaming company is the one that offers the one year paid leave to all new mums and dads. They still have the option to work part-time or full-time within that year, but they’d still be able to take time out and away should they need it.
2. Spotify
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Another immensely popular streaming service, for music this time, and yet another company that’s kind to newly minted parents. Their package is half of Netflix’s at six months of paid parental leave, but it also includes flexibility in their work options when they come back as a way of easing parents back into the workforce. On top of that, they actually cover the costs for fertility assistance if it’s needed.
3. The World Wildlife Fund
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When working for a non-profit, you don’t expect much in the way of perks given that these organisations rely on external funding to keep going. The WWF is, in a way, no exception. To compensate, they give every other Friday off. These “Panda Fridays” might not seem like much, but ask anyone who has had to endure a week’s worth of stress and they’ll tell you that long weekends twice a month aren’t bad at all.
4. Salesforce
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While not a non-profit, this software giant is all heart. Its employees get six days out of a year that they can spend volunteering for the charity of their choice—all of that being fully paid for by the company. This, in turn, passes on the spirit of giving to their employees. If that wasn’t cool enough, Salesforce also gives their employees over USD 1,000 to pass on to their charity of choice.
5. AirBnb
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They say that the most effective way to work for a company is to fully understand how it works. AirBnb employees have the best possible way to experience first-hand the way their company operates. AirBnb gives their people USD 2,000 annually to let them travel anywhere in the world. The only condition for this unbelievable generosity is that they stay at a place listed on Airbnb—a small trade-off, really, all things considered.
6. PwC
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This audit, assurance, consulting, and tax service company is lauded for providing support for one of the United States’ biggest economic problems: student debt. Workers at this company get a USD 1,200 as part of their student loan debt reimbursement program. This goes a long way toward alleviating a heavy burden on most employees nowadays.
7. Twitter
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For all the perceived difficulties they say this social media giant has been experiencing, there’s no shortage of perks. Employees enjoy three free meals per day, for one. This certainly helps with expense management. On top of that, you can get on-site acupuncture to help fight off stress. They even offer improv classes if that happens to be your thing.
8. The Walt Disney Company
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Who would have thought that the happiest place on earth would, in fact, be the happiest place on earth for its employees? Apart from the expected discounts on Disney merchandise and discounts on hotel accommodations, employees actually get to enjoy the park they work in via free entrances. It might not seem like much, but they get high Glassdoor ratings (at 4.0) for all of that!
9. Facebook
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Without a doubt one of the biggest tech companies in the world today, the dominant social media company is another one that is kind to parents. Apart from the obvious leave time, Facebook offers employees with infants “Baby Cash” to the tune of USD 4,000. That’s a lot of money that goes a long way when you consider the cost of an infant’s many needs combined.
If you’re a company looking to up the ante when it comes to employee perks—but can’t quite go too far like these 9—then give Alsco a call.
We offer many products and packages that provide added benefits of comfort and better health. We can help you find the ones that provide your workers with the best they can expect.
For one, Alsco can make your workplace greener, healthier and safer. Those are not the perks that people take lightly, especially if they spend a big portion of their day at their office.
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