There are many reasons why the modern employee is not as loyal as their parents were a few decades ago. For one, they are more informed and they know more about the world around them. Thanks to the world getting smaller, they also feel that there are far more options on the horizon. Finally, the average employee has become aware that their employer probably does not feel too much loyalty to them, so why should they feel anything in return.
In any case, the employees are far more likely to look for another job today than they were before and retaining the best employees has become a huge part of the everyday functioning of the majority of smartly-run companies.
In order to make their employees happier and to attract new talent, a number of companies from around the world are offering incredible perks to their employees and today, we will be looking at the absolute coolest among them.
It’s All About the Education
There are quite a few companies out there which understand that they will only benefit from their employees becoming more educated and adopting new skills. This is why, for instance, Texas Instruments provides formal training for all of their new employees. Moreover, they offer financial support and workplace flexibility to employees who are also enrolled in college. Oshkosh Corporation also excels at employee training and education, helping their employees get promotions faster.
Children Are Our Future
A number of companies have gone another way and they decided to provide the parents among their employees with the best perks imaginable. For example, the famous Campbell Soup Company boasts an on-site kindergarten and after-school programs for older children. In addition to this, they have lactation rooms for new mothers. Microsoft is also widely lauded for their extensive maternity and paternity leaves that are fully paid. Adobe has the same approach, giving new birth mothers half a year of paid time off.
Fun and Games
When it comes to fun and games, there are also more than a few companies that know how to party. For instance, Google headquarters features basketball courts, a bowling alley, a gym and even a game room. The J.M. Smucker Company organizes softball games and bowling nights for their employees while Chesapeake Energy has a 72,000-square-foot fitness center that has an Olympic-sized pool, a rock climbing wall and a sand volleyball court.
Traveling Made Easy
Some companies understand very well that many of their employees love traveling and that is why they make travels so much easier for them. For instance, Southwest Airlines gives free flights and discounts to employees, their family and even friends. Moz gives $3,000 to each of their employees for vacation purposes. Airbnb does the same, only providing $2,000.
Keeping Their Employees Healthy
A healthy workforce is a happy workforce and there are plenty of companies out there that understand this very well. For instance, 3M Company offers a smoking cessation program, stress management coaching, as well as a weight management program. Hershey encourages their employees to take advantage of their fitness centers which are also available to employees’ spouses. Cisco Systems also boasts a fitness center which provides physical therapy and acupuncture on top of everything else you would expect in a fitness center.
All The Delicious Things
While it is important to stay healthy, most people also enjoy a nice meal or a snack during the work hours. Because of this, more than a few companies have gone out of their way to provide their employees with mouth-watering possibilities. For examples, at OpenDNS, they have Waffle Wednesdays and during the summer, ice cream truck parks in their lot. At Facebook, employees can enjoy gourmet meals while at Airbnb, they get three healthy, organic meals a day.
Closing Word
While it may not be possible to replicate such amazing employee perks in every company, business owners need to be aware of the fact that the modern employee wants more than just a half-decent pay and a birthday card once a year.
This is a good thing.
