Free breakfasts, ping-pong tables and chair massages - all commonplace in the office pre-pandemic. Now the workplace looks a whole lot different, many are repurposing their office budget for unconventional perks to really stand out from the crowd.
Not sure where to start? We’ve hand-picked some of our favourite alternative benefits (and awesome providers) to give you some inspiration to properly, meaningfully look after your team, in turn nurturing your company culture along the way.
1. It’s not barking mad to add dog benefits
Whether they barge in on Zoom calls or make regular feature in your #random Slack channel - the happiness of our four-legged friends is just as important as the rest of the family. Puppy school, pet sitting or some extra paid leave for new pups joining the family are great ways companies can paw-sitively reassure employees that they’ll have everything they need for their furry additions to settle in (and you might see some cute pup pics land in your inbox too!).
🐶 Who to partner with? Some brands you could consider include Borrowmydoggy for budding dog walkers, Waggel for pet insurance and Butternutbox for tasty dog treats.
2. Some perks for the (very) juniors
There’s so much you can do to help employees with kids lighten the load, from offering childcare services to giving a pocket money budget, or even just giving the parents a night out. Offering perks that support their families gives you a great opportunity to ensure that work/life balance remains strong, so your team can bring their best well-rested and happy selves to work.
👶 Who to partner with? You could use GoHenry to provide pocket money, Koru Kids to find trusted babysitters and Peppy to support new parents.
3. Scoot to work (no, really)
The renaissance of scooters - who saw that coming? Nobody, because they’re so quick. But if Gary from Accounts wants to whizz into work in style, we say let him. Companies up and down the country already offer railcards and cycle to work schemes - so push for a greener commute and branch out to e-scooter (as well as e-bike and e-vehicle) rental!
🛴 Who to partner with? You could think about Citymapper for travel passes and Lime for electric scooters.
4. Support the environment with carbon offsetting
Fighting global warming should be at the top of everyone’s agenda - and one purposeful way companies can do this is by carbon offsetting. By using a scheme to calculate the carbon emissions of your employees and then planting trees to help offset the carbon for your team, you can set the standard in environmentalism for your team and make a real difference.
🌱 Who to partner with? Both Earthly or Ecologi help companies offset carbon - or you could make a company donation using a site such as GoFundMe.
So, whether your team has got kids dangling over their shoulders, pups to groom, an e-scooter habit they just can’t quit (or all of the above) - thinking outside of the box keeps the team winning, and so do you. Admin-free, delight-heavy benefits are just a click away.