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15 Companies With Work-Life Benefits Employees Dream About
Liz Taurasi on April 28, 2015 05:11 PM
From sleep pods to on-site doctors, concierge services and sabbaticals, leading employers are investing in work-life benefits as a way to attract and retain top talent, and some of the perks they are offering will have you thinking it's time for a career change.
Here are 15 organizations offering work perks and employee benefits that boost employer brands and work more convenient – and more enjoyable – for their workforce, while making those of us who work elsewhere quite jealous.
Are your employees dreaming about better benefits?
Obviously. The Internet giant is famous for its incredible perks. From on-site physicians and nurses to free lunches and dinners, massages and even car washes, Google's perks are off the charts when it comes to convenience and work-life integration. Additionally, Google offers up to 12 weeks of fully paid maternity and paternity leave -- time off to bond with your new child for all new parents, including dads, domestic partners, adoptive parents and surrogate parents -- as well as $500 in "Baby Bonding Bucks" for all new parents to use during the first few months of your child's life.
Learn more about Work-Life Integration
BCG lets employees take a Social Impact Leave of Absence for three to 12 months to allow employees to take part in social impact activities. In 2013, almost 900 employees participated in approximately 270 social-impact projects, while many more joined in a wide range of local volunteer activities. Additionally, the company issues a "red zone report" when employees are working too hard to signal it's time to stop working such long hours.
SC Johnson & Son
The maker of household brands has bevy of work-family benefits that offer flexibility and support to help maintain a healthy work-life balance or integration, including: flexible work arrangements, compressed work weeks, generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave, paid sabbaticals, concierge services, health and fitness programs, on-site childcare or child care vouchers. The works.
By now you've heard the story: Vodafone, a UK-based telecoms provider, noticed almost two-thirds of female employees who left after having a baby did so within a year of returning form maternity leave. To cope with this female retention trouble, Vodaphone installed an international policy of at least 16 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, followed by 30-hour work weeks (paid at full salary) for new moms in the six months after their return.
Read about Supporting Working Moms
The industry leader in audit, consulting, tax and advisory service offers its employees a sabbatical program that allows employees two options: one month unpaid and three to six months partially paid to allow employees to volunteer, pursue professional goals, take time to refresh or use as an acknowledgment of their hard work and dedication.
Dealer.com
The online automobile marketing company has locations in Vermont, Texas, New Jersey and California, all with different, but still enviable work perks aimed at supporting healthy living and productive work-life integration. Employees in Vermont get to take advantage of organic cafés, a full gym, an open-air CrossFit/Yoga studio, tennis, mini-golf, and sun deck. In California, employees enjoy state-of-the-art, collaborative workspaces with ocean views, surfboard storage, and employer-provided bikes and beach-fitness opportunities.
Because professionalism is a high priority at Umpqua, the company offers associates a clothing advance up to $500 to help build their business wardrobe. Another popular work perk: Umpqua employees get 40 paid volunteer hours annually so they can donate time during the workday to local youth and community development organizations of their choice.
Twitch Interactive Inc. (formerly Justin.tv): Employees at Twitch never go hungry, thanks to catered lunch and dinner every weekday and breakfast twice a week. Snacks and drinks are also readily available. Additional perks include: flexible time off and sick day policies based on manager approval, subsidized gym memberships and monthly massages.
HubSpot launched a sabbatical program in late 2014 which allows every employee, once they hit their five-year anniversary, to receive one month of paid time off with the security of knowing their job is there when they return. The program is also said to include a monetary bonus to enjoy while taking the time off. Additional perks include: unlimited vacation, free books and beers, a cereal wall and a sweet hammock for HubSpotters in need of a nap.
The Grasshopper Group
Summer Fridays, special December hours, fresh fruit, flexible hours and a $5 daily lunch allowance are just a few of Grasshopper Group's great perks Because the company says it believes happy employees are productive employees, they try to mix in fun as much as possible, installing a pool table in the office and setting up a room for employees to take PlayStation 3 or Wii breaks during the work day.
A few examples of Facebook's work perks include: free bikes to help employees easily get across the 57-acre California campus, an on-site bicycle repair shop for employees' wheels, vending machines stocked with free computer accessories if you forgot any at home, a candy shop filled with ice cream and a fresh bakery and candy, an on-site barber shop and a classic video arcade, just to name a few.
Campbell Soup Company
Employees who work for Campbell Soup not only have 100 percent health care coverage and subsidized healthy meal options in the company's cafeteria, but they also have the benefit of on-site fitness centers and day care centers as well as a full Kindergarten program and an after school program for children ages 6 to 12.
Learn How Child Care Benefits Can Limit Absenteeism
If you work for AOL and plan on starting a family, AOL has some great work-family benefits, like a Well Baby program rich with information about the transition to motherhood and eight fully paid weeks off for maternity leave. Adoptive parents get two weeks paid leave, and the company also has an on-site daycare facility.
Yahoo gets next level with its wellness benefits, such as on-site fitness centers that include yoga, cardio-kickboxing, pilates and even golf classes. The company also offers discounts to ski resorts and theme parks.
Read About Next Generation Wellness Programs
Pearlfisher
You know what they say about all work and no play … and you definitely can't have that at a creative agency. That was part of the inspiration behind Pearlfisher's installation of 81,000 white balls in its gallery space – to promote the idea that introducing play to the workplace can boost creativity and productivity. See for yourself:
Corporate Culture Employee Benefits Employer Brand
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