It’s that time of the week again, where we investigate some of the wacky and wonderful work perks that employers are offering their staff around the world.
It’s not enough to simply offer employees free coffee and snacks. Here are just some of the companies going above and beyond to attract and retain the best talent.
4 day work weeks in summer, Basecamp
Do you like long weekends? Then you’ll love project management software company Basecamp’s extensive perks. All of their staff members receive a fitness allowance, a holiday gift at Christmas plus a massage allowance. But our favourite perk has to be their 4-day working week in Summer.
Basecamp Founder and CEO, Jason Fried, explains the benefit further:
”May 1st through August 31st, we work a Monday-Thursday 8-hour day work week, aka ‘summer hours’, for a total of 32-hour weeks. Brand new employees may have to complete a training programme per their team lead to be eligible.”
Time on the company yacht, iCracked
iCracked is a company that makes repairing, selling and protecting Apple devices easier. The company’s main California office is situated right next to a communal dock. So naturally, they have their very own company yacht (How very Wolf of Wall Street!).
Employees are welcome to relax on the water and enjoy the lush views of Redwood Shore anytime. The company also provides catered meals for employees. What more could you want?
Free tattoos, TINSEL Experiential Design
While some employers frown upon tattoos, others celebrate them. Tinsel, an event design and planning company, offers tattoos, concert tickets and massages to reward high performers. They also have a dog-friendly office, team beach days and staff karaoke nights. Why do they have these quirky perks? Erica Taylor, Co-Founding Partner and Chief Marketing Officer explains:
”Unique perks feel more thoughtful, meaningful and valuable than their actual monetary value (e.g. average price of a tattoo is $500; the ability to work from home in priceless. A $500 bonus cheque only goes so far, especially once taxes are taken out but walking away with permanent ink is a gift someone will enjoy and appreciate forever). Our goal is to be able to express our gratitude for our team’s hard work as often as possible. We do that with frequent, small or free ‘Gives’ for our team members.”
Competitive fancy dress, PetPlus
Are you a costume DIY-er or a store buying expert? If you work at PetPlus then you should definitely take Halloween seriously. Each year the company hosts a fancy dress competition with the winner taking away an impressive cash prize. They also have a huge Christmas party and ”Worksgiving” dinner in November. We can definitely get on board with free turkey dinners!
