Buzz
Happy employees bring significant value to a business. Today, there are countless opportunities for talented tech professionals, and many companies are pulling out all the stops to attract and keep the best talent. No benefit seems too extravagant. As millennials flood the tech industry, who knows what benefits will come next… Maybe even sponsored trips to outer space?
10. In-House Chefs
Maintaining proper nutrition is key to sustaining mental focus, and tech firms are increasingly aware that vending machines stocked with unhealthy snacks aren't the best way to optimize employee performance. They're also discovering that offering free meals creates a lot of happy workers. At Airbnb, employees enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals and signature drinks at no cost. The kitchen serves three meals daily, and the menu is always evolving.
Some tech powerhouses, like Google, offer full-scale dining experiences for their employees, and some are so popular that reservations are required! The food offerings at Google's restaurants and cafes vary, with options like Indian cuisine, sushi, and smoothie bars. SAS Institute, Inc., a software firm in North Carolina, features a 1-acre sustainable farm on its premises that supplies fresh produce for its staff cafeterias. Employees who want to take home farm-to-table meals can even request a 'leftover' meal, packed by SAS chefs just for them.
9. Paying Down Student Loans
In the U.S., many recent graduates are overwhelmed by the burden of student loans, a financial strain that follows them for years after they finish their education. Recognizing this, several companies are stepping in to help alleviate this pressure, understanding that doing so is a great way to retain employees long-term. For high-demand roles like software developers, helping pay off student loans is an excellent strategy for attracting top talent. CommonBond, a tech firm based in New York, contributes $100 a month toward its employees' loan repayments.
While this may seem like a small amount, it adds up significantly over time. After 5 years at CommonBond, an employee could have $6,000 toward their student loans. Unlike most companies (only about 3% in the private sector), CommonBond has no cap on the loan repayment benefit, meaning as long as you work there, you'll receive the monthly payments. With U.S. student debt exceeding $1 trillion in 2014, this benefit is incredibly appealing.
8. Housekeeping Services
Long hours often mean household tasks like laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping get pushed aside. Evernote, a popular note-taking app company based in Northern California, wants to ensure these unfinished tasks don’t distract their employees. To help, they offer to cover the cost of a professional cleaning crew that comes to employees' homes twice a month to tackle the chores.
Evernote’s CEO explains the motivation behind this benefit: He aims to get 'spouses and significant others on our side.' Since many people discuss their work with their partners, providing a perk that benefits not just the employee, but their entire household, is a real win. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy coming home to a fresh, clean bathroom with a hint of Pine-Sol?
7. Flexible Vacation Policies
Unlimited vacation might sound too good to be true, but for employees at some of the top tech companies, it’s a reality. At PaperG, an advertising tech company, employees enjoy unlimited paid vacation, taking time off as they see fit. Netflix pioneered this open vacation policy almost a decade ago, recognizing early on the importance of work-life balance for its employees.
Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group, took a cue from Netflix and introduced unlimited paid time off at Virgin. He plans to extend this benefit across all his company’s subsidiaries. While the idea of unlimited vacation might seem strange to some, consider that American workers are seriously lagging behind in terms of paid time off. Research shows that employees in the EU are guaranteed at least 20 paid vacation days annually, often more. Meanwhile, roughly one in four U.S. workers don’t receive paid vacation or holiday time.
6. Parental Benefits
5. Travel Allowances
While some tech companies pay for your time off, others cover your travel expenses! Airbnb, named Glassdoor’s Best Place to Work in 2016, offers a fantastic benefit: an annual $2,000 stipend for employees to use on travel, allowing them to stay in any Airbnb listing around the world. Whether it’s a treehouse in the Amazon or a villa on the Amalfi Coast, the possibilities are endless.
Loadspring, an IT company based in Massachusetts, encourages employees to explore the world and even rewards them for doing so. After two years of service, employees are eligible for up to $6,000 toward international travel, plus an additional week of vacation to fully immerse themselves in a different culture. Loadspring’s website states, '[If travel] helps us attract and keep top talent and adventurous thinkers, so be it.'
4. Reproductive Health Support
Apple has stepped in to support employees struggling with conception by offering assistance with fertility treatments. The tech giant now covers up to $20,000 for any employee undergoing infertility treatments, egg freezing, or seeking sperm donors. This is a smart move by Apple, as they’re making efforts to increase their female engineering workforce in a predominantly male industry.
3. Gender Confirmation Surgery
Fortunately, more companies and healthcare networks are embracing the importance of offering coverage for gender confirmation surgery. This includes financial support as well as counseling options. The growing conversation around gender reassignment is becoming more prominent in the corporate world, known as Transgender coverage. Accenture, a major IT company, fully covers all expenses related to gender confirmation surgery for its employees.
2. Unlimited Apple Products
It seems like Apple is its own universe, and the rest of us revolve around its brilliance. While personal brand preferences vary, there's no denying that Apple and Google products lead the way when it comes to sleek, intelligent design. At Pinterest, the photo-sharing platform, employees frequently visit the Apple Store to make purchases on the company’s behalf.
Pinterest believes that employees should have the best tools to stay productive. So, when employees feel the need for the latest gadgets, they can head to the Apple Store during work hours and choose whatever they need. The company even has a dedicated staff member who caters to employees' needs—from arranging fitness classes and testing out promotional office items to ensuring everyone’s favorite snacks are stocked. This person makes sure Pinterest employees have everything they need.
1. Personal Interests and Group Outings
To promote a healthy work-life balance, many tech companies are getting creative in supporting employees’ hobbies. At Zynga, a video game developer, employees have access to a relaxation lounge filled with various arcade games and video games. They can step in and take a break to hone their gaming skills. Meanwhile, at Insomniac Games, the company organizes movie days and provides popcorn. Their office also features on-site facilities for those who like to unwind with physical activities, including a basketball court, volleyball court, and putting green.
Dropcam, a tech company in the Bay Area, offers a distinctive way for employees to enjoy a hobby that’s close to the CEO’s heart—free helicopter rides. The ‘Dropcopter’ allows each employee a voucher for a ride with friends and family in the helicopter, with the CEO himself as the pilot. For those seeking a tamer adventure, Tumblr offers paid team outings to fun destinations like Medieval Times.
