In last week's article, we covered Top 25 Remote Companies to work for globally and this week, we are back with a new list of 25 best perks provided by remote companies.
Wellness initiatives
A healthy mind only collaborates when a healthy body wants it to and that’s why wellness initiatives are substantial in keeping your employees attentive even when they’re working from the couch. Microsoft is often considered to be a quintessential benchmark as it offers annual fitness club memberships to all its employees—remote and in-office. This practice has become highly dominant and has proven to deliver results especially in case of remote employees. Xoxoday, in partnership with CureFit, offers its employees free membership to its health centres, encouraging them to guard their physical wellbeing.
Lifestyle spending accounts
Your remote squad is working as a single unit even when the unit is fragmented into geographic dimensions. They miss out on post-work happy hours; lunchtime talks and coffee breaks. But it doesn’t mean that they don’t have a personal life of their own that they want to take up. A crucial perk or remote employees are dedicated accounts for remote employees to spend on lifestyle. A prominent real-life example of the lifestyle spending account is Airbnb, which offers every remote employee a $2,000 yearly stipend to travel anywhere in the world.
Workstation Upgrades
The split between work and personal life is rather blurry and it comes down to a very primitive point of difference—the place of work. Most remote employees lose purpose in drawing the line between work and personal life—something that’s a huge cause for employees frying their mental circuits. InBev—the Belgian liquor giant sent out office chairs to their 400 Indian employees who recently transitioned to remote work after the pandemic arose.
Remote Work Stipends
Unlike workstation upgrades and lifestyle spending accounts, remote work stipends are monthly, quarterly, or sometimes bi-weekly release of payments towards remote employees for their basic expenses while working remotely. Webflow - an organization with more than 70% of its workforce on remote, offers a $250-a-month incentive as remote work stipend.
Child Care Assistance and Parental Perks
Remote employees juggle between work and personal life at the same time. Child Care assistance should be synonymous to remote employee perks if they have kids. Facebook is pioneering in family perks that are unequivocally directed towards kids, with a $4,000 baby cash reward and maternity/paternity leave(s) to new parents.
Points for Perks
A points-based rewarding system proves to be substantial in cases where employees have to be regularly rewarded for all the good work done. Cash payment brings a lot of hassle along with it and when the points-based system has a formidable redemption structure, it can drive engagement and flexibility through the freedom that employees have when it comes to getting their perks. Luminous India catered to their six-thousand-plus employee base by taking up Xoxoday’s end-to-end reward and recognition program by driving their culture of collaboration.
Subsidised Insurance Plans
It’s important to have an insurance plan, this will give a sense of financial security to employees. Responsible employers can help their employees by providing subsidized insurance plans.Include health, life, disability insurance for your employees’ reassurance and sense of stability. Besides the usual health insurance, make sure that you give them a proper retirement plan and financial aid.
Learning and Development Opportunities
One of the effective and useful employment benefits is providing learning and development opportunities. Today, employees are now even more curious about acquiring knowledge on new technologies while enhancing skills to grow professionally. And as remote employees are mostly isolated, there aren’t casual chats with coworkers, leaving their minds wanting the stimulation with new lessons and courses.
Subscription Benefits
Subscription benefits are actually one of the most wanted benefits remote employees look out for. With a clear mind that’s been well-rested, the better they can work. You may also offer various subscriptions, including magazines, newspapers, access to any paid online forums, among other things.
Travel and Adventure Perks
We’ve heard about digital nomads, those who work from home or anywhere around the world! Why not give your employees similar benefits, such as more vacations and experiential perks. These are benefits no one can get anywhere else, and one of the best that will help attract and retain top talent. Another great perk is to provide unlimited paid time, which more companies are now offering. You can join this bandwagon for your remote employees to feel well-rested and inspired once they are back at work. Some companies would provide one whole month off for every three years of employment, though the duration of the leave and type of leave can vary based on your company’s needs. One tip is to also create a travel-based rewards program. You can bring up travel plans to your employees and let your employees enjoy their next vacation with travel-based rewards programs, which companies can prepare for you and your team. Or, plan out the perfect company-wide team retreat together, which includes team-building activities and time for relaxation, which improves team and work culture.
Mental health support
Start providing mental health training and sessions virtually. Corporate mental health training should cover more practical topics that help remote workers prevent stress, anxiety, and burnout. You can onboard experts to organize mental health information sessions. The goal of mental health training should be to open conversations about mental health and equip people with tools to create a safe, engaged, and productive workplace.
Workout classes
Want to ensure the overall health and productivity of your employees? Offer them free workout classes. With fitness classes led by a certified instructor, your employees will be able to fit an exercise break into their busy schedules. You can also offer fitness center passes to your remote workers.
Internet reimbursement
When your employees are working from home, it is natural that Internet costs will add up. Make sure you reimburse these as a responsible and caring organisation.
Virtual happy hours
After a project is well done, a virtual happy hour may just be the reward your employees are looking for. Happy hours will help them beat the stress and catch up on some extra talks with their best buddies.
Flexible working hours
Allow them flexible work hours (let them decide their working hours). It will establish the boundary between work life and home life. It allows employees to work when they accomplish most, feel freshest, and enjoy working.
Paid time-offs
A paid time-off from work can help workers refresh their mind and bounce back with new ideas.
Investment programs
Companies can encourage employees to acquire ownership in the form of shares. These shares are allotted to the employees at a rate considerably lesser than the prevailing market rate.
Employee Referral program
Have a great employee referral program and offer attractive incentives to employees when they recommend candidates to open positions.
Free legal advice
Once in a while, it will be beneficial to offer free legal advice on matters troubling your employees. If you know someone going through some kind of trouble, take the first step by offering help.
Discounted stays at hotels
Another great perk of being associated with your organization can be discounted stays at hotels. Partner with a hotel chain and let your employees save money and enjoy at the same time. You can also consider offering Airbnb credits.
Remote work has been prevalent even before the pandemic, however, the difference is the gradual increase in the positive perception regarding it. The pandemic has made the employers, as well as the employees, realise that their work can be done, targets can be effectively and efficiently met while working remotely as well. More and more companies are adapting remote culture now. Growremotely's Newsletter is a good place to start with and stay tuned with remote jobs.