You know how when you look for a job, you instantly start looking for the benefits? Well since everybody has been in a crazy hunt to hire millenials, priorities when it comes to Employee benefits have changed and firms have not shied away in offering the newcomers what they needed:

Discounts at Gyms, Beauty Salons, Restaurants or Cafe’s

Admit that you would like to be able to go and take care of yourself or eat with maybe a 20% discount. In all fairness, who wouldn’t? This is how you can easily become such a regular client at Starbucks for instance that one day the guys give you a personalized apron, your own name tag and invite you behind the counter to make the coffee you were going to have “to go” yourself. Wouldn’t you be proud arriving at work with your own personalized Starbucks gear? The answer is yes if you love the brand.

Pet Insurance

Considering the fact that women over 40 give birth more often than women of the millenial generation this shouldn’t come as a surprise. If people choose to turn their love and care towards pets then why not offer them a helping hand? The pet insurance packages often include medical benefits for your pet, while some work places have special events such as “Bring your Dog to work “day.

Extra Credit

Yeah, you read right. Companies like Weebly, asides from providing breakfast, lunch and dinner at work and other benefits such as massage and yoga sessions, also give their employees an extra credit card. Employees ca u se this to for any extra expenses during work hours, cleaning companies or even hire a personal planner when they feel overwhelmed and extra-busy.

Free Tickets to Events

If you work for an FMCG company that usually sponsors music events and concerts, they usually offer free tickets to the employees who would like to go. Obviously, it is a pretty fun initiative since music is a great experience to have along with your friends and co-workers. We all know nothing else matters when those loud sounds make your blood pump faster and cause your smile to widen.

Flexible Schedule

While some companies choose to give their employees intervals in which they can arrive (for instance any time from 7 till 10), there are companies like Netflix that don’t even have a schedule. As long as work is done in time and the company doesn’t have to suffer because of this, employees are free to come and go as they please. Obviously, those who abuse of this rule will leave the company sooner than expected, but that is simply a case of common sense.

Caring About Their Families

Netflix not only offers a flexible schedule but also gives one paid year of maternity and paternity leave for new parents, allowing them to return part time for as long as they need. Also, they allow them to leave work whenever needed throughout the year so they are able to better care for their children.

Forced Time Off

Companies like Renault and Adobe have entire weeks throughout the year in which they shut down the company and send employees of a forced vacation. Who can complain about that when you want two weeks of relaxation and gladly realize you only have to spend 10 days off on not two but 3 weeks.

Loans for Shopping

If you work in a respectable bank, you need to dress for the occasion. This turns out to be pretty expensive though and in order not to pressure employees financially companies like Umpqua Regional bank offers leans to employees of up to 1000 dollars to change their wardrobe so it’s more appropriate to the business environment.

Travelling Green

There are companies that offer employees up to $6 a day (extra) if they come either walking, by bike or by bus to work, choosing less polluting means of commute. Also, there are companies that offer subsidiaries for their employees to purchase hybrid cars, thus encouraging a better care for the surrounding environment.

Paid College or Masters’ Degree

Many companies choose to pay for their employee’s education if they sign a 3 or 4 year commitment plan with the company. This benefit is particularly nice since it helps reduce the number of student loans which are a rising problem in the US nowadays. This is great since it allows not only the professional but also the academic development of young employees.

Money to Travel

Airbnb offers its employees $2000 with the condition that they travel and stay in Airbnb listings anywhere around the world. Imagine how great it is to work for an airline company, have endless possibilities and the cash for it and simply point and go on a new adventure.

Monthly Activities

Many companies offer monthly activities for employees at their suggestion. This includes everything from yoga, writing and horseback riding classes to mandala, painting and even cooking courses. You would be surprised how much it helps to use a couple of work time hours during a busy week to learn and try something new or simply relax through one of your hobbies.

So What Is Yet To Be Invented?

Well, beyond having a flexible schedule, more and more companies are cutting costs by allowing employees to work from home permanently (with the small exceptions of certain meetings or team buildings that help to create a bond between people and lower the risk of alienating the teams). This is preferred by the new generations as they are free to make their own schedule and breaks. This could have benefits for the employer as well since working in a controlled and more silent environment at home could boost performance by enhancing concentration.

This means that beyond the 1 or 2 year paid maternity leave, employees are free to spend time with their children because yes, the first years of a child’s life are important, but so are the next 14 till the independence factor kicks in and they start exploring and taking matters into their own hands. I personally think that this would make for a better world. Don’t you?