Massages and Pets and Beer, Oh My! Creative Perks for Improved Morale

Creative perks to offer employees

If you’re creating an employee benefits package, you’ll likely want to include desirable benefits. Such benefits include affordable health insurance, retirement savings plans, flextime scheduling and professional development opportunities. However, if you’re looking to spice up your offerings with some creative perks that can instantly boost morale, consider the following ideas:

1. Extended parental leave

Want to increase employee retention and reduce turnover? Give new parents a reason to stay long-term by offering increased paid or even unlimited parental leave. Extended paid leave will help reduce your employees’ stress as they manage the enormous life changes — and financial uncertainties — that parenthood brings.

Big companies are leading this trend toward supporting employees’ work-life balance and family needs. For example, Netflix offers eligible new parents six months of paid parental leave. Meanwhile, Spotify offers six months of paid parental leave that can be used over the first three years of a child’s life.

Even if you can’t offer extended paid leave, paying employees for a portion of a new parent’s 12-week Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) time is a start.

Source: Blinds.com

2. Unconventional paid time off (PTO) policies

Offering ample paid time off — and encouraging employees to use it — is an excellent way to attract top talent and boost employee happiness and morale. While your business’s PTO policy will depend on its unique needs and budget, being as generous and flexible as possible will pay dividends in employee appreciation.

Consider the following ways to modify your PTO policy:

Unlimited PTO

According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), only 8 percent of employers offered unlimited PTO in 2023. However, according to a 2023 Harris Poll, 66 percent of American workers say more time off would make them more productive. Additionally, 48 percent would sacrifice a higher salary if it meant more paid time off. Clearly, there’s a disconnect between what employees want and what employers are providing. If you offer your team members a valuable perk like unlimited PTO, you’ll have a competitive advantage.

In theory, unlimited PTO means employees can take as many days off work as they want. However, don’t let this scare you. Employees with this benefit are still responsible for completing their work and rarely abuse this policy.

Unlimited vacation and sick days demonstrate that you trust your team and respect their lives outside the office. You know they’ll handle their duties, and they know you care about their well-being.

PTO minimums

HR professionals agree that vacation time improves company culture, retention and productivity. Still, many Americans don’t use all their PTO. In fact, a report from fintech firm Sorbet says an astounding 62 percent of U.S. employees didn’t use all their PTO in 2023.

PTO minimums are a creative perk that may combat this phenomenon. With PTO minimums, employees are required to take a minimum number of days off work each year. You can couple this minimum with defined or unlimited PTO policies. In either case, though, it encourages employees to actually use their well-deserved time off.

Flex Fridays

While many companies practice “Summer Fridays” — closing offices early on Fridays in June, July and August — consider offering “Flex Fridays” all year round. Flex options will vary by business but can take several forms. Offices could close early on Fridays if this works for your business. Or, you could allow staffers to each take one Friday off per month to ensure no team member goes more than 30 days (give or take) without time off. A guarantee like this can make your organization an enticing place to work and help prevent employee burnout.

Source: Dropbox Tuc Shop

3. Family meals

Some companies provide lunch or free vending machines full of healthy snacks to keep employees fueled. At one point, data storage firm Dropbox took this perk a step further by offering complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner cooked by award-winning food maestros. Obviously, not every company can bring in a world-renowned chef. Still, you can take smaller actions like providing healthy snacks or having several periods in the day for “family meals”; the latter offers a time during which teams across the organization can eat together.

Other ideas include hiring a taco truck for Taco Tuesdays or delivering bagel brunches every Friday. This kind of perk brings workers together by building a community around good food and companionship. That level of connection can be tough to forge otherwise. Plus, it makes your workplace more appealing.

4. Mental health and relaxation services

Employee mental health is a top priority for employees and employers alike. Just as physical exercise and good nutrition keep your body healthy, your mental health requires support and nourishment.

Standard mental health benefits like health insurance and employee assistance programs are excellent starts; creative support options can genuinely make a difference, though. For example, you can provide your employees with access to an onsite or offsite therapist. You could even facilitate relaxation practices like yoga, in-house massages or meditation time. These efforts demonstrate that you care about your employees’ mental well-being and want to help reduce burnout.

Source: WebpageFX

5. Group activities

Company-sponsored activities outside the workplace are a great way to practice team-building and ensure employees experience the fun side of your company culture. These outings can reward exceptional individuals while spreading cheer and relaxation among the rest of your workforce.

This perk’s possibilities are endless, so be as creative as you want. You can organize functions like game nights, escape rooms, bonfires, art classes, beer tastings, sporting events and more to keep employees engaged and camaraderie flowing.

When planning get-togethers, focus on the local businesses or public parks unique to your company’s hometown. You can also survey employees to see which activities most appeal to them. For example, your team might enjoy a hike on a nearby trail or may prefer a catered dinner from the best restaurant in your city. Ask your staff which days and times work best for them so they can participate.

6. Charity support

Millennials and Gen Zers comprise over half of the U.S. population and represent an increasingly significant portion of the workforce. Workers from these generations want to support causes that positively impact the world and see their contributions as part of a collective effort among people who share their values.

If you don’t already have a corporate giving program, consider supporting a local nonprofit. You could even choose a charity to partner with, match employee donations to specific causes or start a charity tied to your enterprise. The latter approach worked for TOMS, a shoe company famous for matching each pair of shoes sold with a donation of a second pair to an impoverished child. (TOMS has since restructured its charitable efforts and now commits a specific percentage of its profits to help certain causes.)

Source: The Next Web

7. Pet-friendly days

Think beyond the fish tank. Having an animal at the office doesn’t just mean having a cute and cuddly pet to love on (that’s just a bonus). Dogs in the workplace have been shown to reduce stress levels and increase morale. They don’t even have to be an added expense: Let your employees know they can bring their four-legged friends in on certain days and at specific times. As long as these pets don’t become too distracting or create too many messes, this can be an easy way to make your team members feel more at ease.

More creative benefits to consider

Here are some more creative benefits that can help improve employee morale:

• Perks for prospective and new parents, such as fertility assistance, a basket of goodies for new families, and a private room for breastfeeding or pumping breast milk
• Onsite childcare or a negotiated discount on nearby childcare options
• Employer-subsidized pet insurance
• Personalized employee recognition notes or posts on social media to help employees feel appreciated
• Discounts on (or free) products and services offered by the company
• Onsite health and wellness center (or total or partial reimbursement for healthy choices, such as gym membership, buying home exercise equipment or biking to work)
• Onsite preventative health measures (mammograms, immunizations, blood screening)
• Low- or no-cost professional development and higher education
• Free smoking cessation program
• Free healthy snacks or lunches
• Employee recognition for reaching company goals, work anniversaries and birthdays
• Discretionary bonuses
• Team or company social events or retreats
• Companywide day of service to volunteer
• Company sports teams
• Half-day Fridays
• Reserved parking spot for Employee of the Month
• Paid or unpaid sabbaticals
• Company swag (T-shirts, water bottles, backpacks)
• Office parties
• Assistance with student loan debt
• Home office stipends
• Standing desks, ball chairs, and ergonomic workstations and desk accessories
• Bonuses for new hires referred by an existing employee
• Asynchronous work (work on your own schedule)
• Mindfulness app subscriptions

Benefits of offering creative perks

Creating a desirable and competitive benefits package is crucial whether you’re a cash-strapped startup or a booming enterprise. You can always start small and add benefits as your budget allows.

Although employee benefits often cost money, your workers aren’t the only ones who reap the rewards. Employee benefits play a sizable part in forming your company culture and can significantly impact an organization’s success.

In addition to company morale, creative perks can enhance and improve the following. Employee:

• Recruitment
• Engagement
• Productivity
• Health and well-being
• Loyalty and appreciation

Additionally, creative perks can reduce the following. Employee:

• Burnout
• Illness and injury
• Absenteeism
• Turnover

These results equal happier, more satisfied employees and give business owners a higher return on employee investment. If you need more encouragement, employee attrition due to a lack of incentives can come at a high price. Replacing an employee can cost 30 percent of that employee’s salary or more.

Investing in your workforce is a smart business move for longevity and sustainability. If employees are excited to come to work every day, you’ll see that enthusiasm reflected in their work. Plus, you’ll reap the rewards while your staff enjoys the benefits of working for your company.

Jennifer Dublino contributed to this article.