5 Best Employee Benefits & Perks You Should Add in 2013

An estimated 20 million U.S. employees
will be changing jobs in 2013. While that’s a 1 million-person
decline compared to 2012, it still accounts for a large majority of the U.S. workforce. What is your company planning to do to retain valuable employees? Getting pay right is a big part of the equation, but benefits and perks are important factors too.

Employees from across the country enjoy
benefits that run the gamut from a three-month working sabbatical or an on-site
masseuse, to even a vacation in Greece. For companies with specialized and highly trained employees, like green energy companies or new technology startups, excelling
in the area of company perks and benefits is crucial to staying competitive.

Here are 5 employee benefits and
company perks that could help you to retain current talent and lure new
candidates to your company in 2013.

Unlimited
Vacation Policy. Taken from the playbook of Netflix CEO
Reed Hastings, the unlimited vacation policy has worked for Netflix among other
top companies. The VP of Corporate
Communications said in a statement “If you hire adults who practice adult
behaviors, you don’t need requirements like dress codes and vacation policies.”
This benefit will be seen as a must-have in upcoming years.

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Sick
Pet Pay. We are able to take time off for our
kids, spouses, and even extended family when they are sick, but why not our
pets? Man’s best friend is just that, our best friend. Mourning the loss of a
pet can take a mental toll on someone, especially if the animal has been around
in the family for years. This benefit seems like a no-brainer and
something that could be implemented with ease.

Onsite
Catering. No arguing here. Food is one of the
best perks a company can give its employees. Most startup tech companies have
been catering lunches, desserts, and snacks since creation. Why can’t older
companies jump on this bandwagon? Not only does it increase employee health,
but it is also said to boost
productivity.
Considering the substantial cost of an un-engaged
employee, a lunch for each employee would end up
benefiting the company in the long run.

Onsite
Daycare. With moms entering the workforce at an
all
time high in 2012, onsite daycare is something that will
soon be a necessity in the workplace. Being able to drop off your child and
then work brings flexibility to women. The number of women sitting on the board of directors and helming
Fortune 500 companies is on a steady incline as well according to a
study conducted by Catalyst.

Flexible
Work Schedule. Flexible work schedules allow employees
to meet family needs, personal obligations, and other life responsibilities
outside of the 8-5 schedule. It reduces burnout and increases the feeling of
personal control over work schedules and environment. Where it’s applicable, having flex days 2-3 times a week empowers employees which could potentially increase their productivity
level.

Pay is no longer the only priority job
seekers look at when accepting a job. Job seekers are opting out of the mundane
corporate route in order to explore the startup community and edgier companies because of their
benefits and perks. Creating an enticing benefits package is a great way to
retain valuable and intelligent employees. If you want to
continue to recruit and retain top talent you might need to get creative with such perks as a way to close
the deal.

What perks and benefits have you added
in the past that you found important when retaining valuable talent?

Jessica Miller-Merrell, SPHR is a workplace and technology strategist specializing in social media. She’s an author who writes at Blogging4Jobs. You can follow her on Twitter @blogging4jobs.