45 Ideas for Employee Perks

Studies have shown employee perks can improve employee retention and engagement. But with so many benefit options to choose from, how do you know which ones are best for your organization?

You can narrow down your options by considering which benefits are most important to your employees. You can implement an anonymous employee survey to take the pulse of your organization and learn what your employees want. Additionally, consider which benefits will make your organization stand out to job candidates. For example, every company has a policy for taking time off, but what about offering something different than your competitors, like adding mental wellness days and paid time off?

We’ve compiled a list of 45 employee perk ideas to help elevate your employee experience.

Wellness Employee Perks

• Gym membership reimbursement or on-site gym facility
• Bike-to-work reimbursement
• Free health trackers or stipend
• Convertible or standing desk options
• Free ergonomic desk accessories
• Free Smoking Cessation Program
• Healthy vending machine
• Free healthy snacks and lunches
• Preventive doctor visit incentive
• Health screening on-site
• Incentives for meeting personal health goals
• Premium reduction for wellness participation
• Biometric screenings
• Stress management – you could offer free courses, on-site yoga or massage, or a relaxation room.

Family-Friendly Employee Perks

• Maternity and paternity Leave
• In-office daycare or childcare reimbursement
• Employee and family summer picnic
• College scholarship/saving program
• Rent out a movie theatre
• New mom or dad welcome back package

 Assistance Program Employee Perks

• Tuition reimbursement
• Student loan assistance
• Home-loan assistance
• Adoption/fertility assistance
• Gender-reassignment assistance
• Hybrid/electric car incentive
• Pet insurance
• Cell phone stipend
• Wellness stipend – set up a monthly allowance for the categories you select, such as gym membership reimbursements or mobile wellness apps. Your employees request reimbursements for the wellness expenses they want, giving them more freedom over their benefits.
• Mileage reimbursement

 Culture Building Employee Perks

• Flex time
• Work from home or work from anywhere options
• Bring your pet to work
• Lunch & Learns
• Department rotations
• Free logo wear
• Volunteer hours
• Engagement games – Some examples include office Olympics, spirit week, or a step challenge. Read more about employee engagement in our previous blog post: Tips to Improve Employee Engagement
• Costco membership
• Flexible holidays
• Gift cards for positive Google reviews
• Vacation bonuses – offer a bonus that goes towards employee vacations. Maybe the company books the hotel for them!
• Start a book club
• Surprise trips

Ultimately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to employee perks or benefits. But by taking the time to assess your organization’s needs and goals, you can develop a benefits package that will help you attract and retain the top talent you need to be successful.