<p>I wonder if the ultra-fabulous perks are a function of company size? I work at a very small company, 30 employees, and we couldn’t possibly have subsidized gym memberships, free medical care, or a video game arcade. I always thought our perks were pretty decent, until I started reading this thread. We have free coffee, tea, cocoa, and fresh fruit, easy free parking 20 feet from the front door, a monthly birthday party, and a half-day off in December for a Christmas party which is always at a very nice restaurant. We get swag at the party, sometimes really cool, sometimes really cheesy. But it’s fun, and we’re done by 2 at which point we get to go home.</p>
<p>I know the OP said these don’t count, but I’ve always thought of our benefits as the biggest perks. Good pay and bonus, and generous vacation/sick/holiday. We also have an actual pension plan. Defined contribution, but still, those are getting less and less common. Besides that, my employer has been very understanding and flexible when I need time off to tend to my aging parents, and that’s huge for me. In this economy, I feel lucky to have all of that.</p>
<p>I’m not sure my job has many perks as such (other than the odd cup of tea) but for the first time in my life I genuinely enjoy my job and I’m getting transferable skills that will help me in the future (public speaking, teaching, leadership etc.). </p>
<p>Much, much better than the random perks I’ve had in the past like heavily discounted lunches and free beer!</p>
<p>I go in to work at 9 and leave at 1, the campanile peals and I have all the benefits and huge gym, post office, free hot drinks, snacks, a lovely office and friendly co-workers and students and faculty. I work at a college library and am semi retired. It’s heaven for me.</p>
<p>I work as an independent contractor. I work virtually. Perks I give myself include allowing myself to work in pjs or sweats sometimes, all the coffee or tea I care to brew, exercise breaks, and only filling up my gas tank about once a month. There are the occasional afternoon walks with H also. </p>
<p>DD works for a smallish company (under 100 people I think). She gets a cell phone allowance for a new phone, up to $100 of her cell bill paid by the company, and gym membership for $200/year. They have 3-4 parties, picnics, gatherings a year.</p>
<p>dstark- admit that I always saw your name as ‘stark raving mad’.
Maybe that’s for another thread? :)</p>
<p>I work in healthcare also. There are so many perks but some I can think of right now:
Free legal consultations, elder and child care assistance, buyer discounts for appliances and furniture, discounted theatre/sports/movie tickets, subsidized gym memberships to many local chains, inhouse discounted pharmacy, credit union, numerous celebrations each year involving delicious food, annual anniversary dinners held at area hotels that include significant other, free onsite urgent medical care for minor illness.</p>
<p>Best, best “perk” is free medical care for services within our system. NO copays, no deductibles, no bill ever received. My family has saved tens of thousands of $$$ over the years. Salaries are fine, with this one addition, I might be overpaid!</p>
<p>I own a pet shop. My perk is EVERYTHING I need for my pets. Of course, there’s no paycheck coming on Friday – just what’s left over at the end of the year!</p>
<p>My employees get a discount on everything they need for <em>their</em> pets. I buy lunch several times a year, particularly at busy times. They get the occasional free sample from reps – toys, treats, etc. And sometimes there’s a special treat – like a beanie baby or chocolate bar or starbucks card in their paycheck.</p>
<p>We (DH and I) own a bike business that has two stores and also ships over the internet. We give our employees 15 paid days off a year (which they can use if they’re sick or to go on vacation but we do send them home if they’re sick). We pay 95% of the cost of their medical insurance (which includes vision). Dental is available, as is accident insurance. They can have free espresso drinks in our cafe. They can buy anything we sell for our cost plus 5%. If they compete in our logo clothing, we pay entry fees (up to a limit). If we ship an unusually large number of packages on one day, we buy pizza for lunch the next day. </p>
<p>Did you mean perks for us as owners? Well, we can take vacations whenever we want. And since we have amazing employees, we do.</p>
<p>DH and I have no real perks beyond his vacation days and retirement investment opportunities. He works for a utility company. People have asked us if we get a discount on our monthly electric bill. I wish!</p>
<p>S1 gets free life/medical/dental benefits, He earns 2.5 days of vacation per month .He has all government holidays off. He gets a housing subsidy as part of his compensation. After six years of service he is eligible for free college educational benefits that he can use or save to pass on to his future children. He gets to “see the world” and earn a tax free salary while doing it. S1 is a proud member of the U.S. Navy.</p>
<p>S2’s job requires a good bit of travel and often very long hours. He travels in a company vehicle and gets a nice perdium while on the road. He gets free medical insurance and 401K contribution. The summer months are slow in their industry but the company still pays them for a 40 hour week even if they don’t work a full week. They more than make up for it during the rest of the year.
All employees (it’s a small company) get a bonus based on a percentage of their salaries when company year end goals are met.
They are taken out to a nice restaurant and get a nice gift from the company owners at Christmas. This year it was Mortons and a 50" TV for each of them. He does contract work for power plants all over the country.</p>
<p>My last job had free food in our kitchen — for lunch or snacks. It was insurance broker/consulting firm, and the focus was on healthy food. It was nice not to have to pack my lunch every morning. We had an annual holiday party at a topnotch country club, and they gave us generous gift cards to a fancy mall. On my one year anniversary of working for them, I received a handwritten note from each partner, plus $100.</p>
<p>My current job has 3 floating holidays in addition to our generous vacation days. We get to pick the holidays, which can be just plain old days off … the idea is to help out those who celebrate holidays “most” don’t celebrate, but we all benefit. I get a lot of extra money each pay in exchange for waiving my health care … almost twice what I got for waiving in my last job (H has good health care). In addition, my office is really casual & we can come in late/leave early without using vacation time when we have appointments … and no one questions us or hassles us about what constitutes an appointment. It’s nice, because we really work hard - no one takes advantage.</p>
<p>My D gets her health & vision 100% paid by her company, plus unlimited time off. She gets a bonus based on the company’s performance, and they are quite generous.</p>
<p>I get to sit on my ass and listen to youtube music while I work. That’s about it.</p>
<p>And I get every other Friday off, which isn’t really a perk, but it blew my mind when I first heard of it. This week was a 4 day work week for me, and right now I’m like damit I have to work tomorrow. NO WAIT, it’s Sunday tomorrow! YES!</p>
<p>First crack at all the clearance items, lol. </p>
<p>I get free admission to almost all the museums in Chicago. Also, discounts on cell phone and new cars. We just free flu shots and free prescription savings club.</p>
<p>We are considered a full line shop with livestock! I don’t do dogs and cats, but lots and lots of stuff for them. I sell rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, hamsters, gerbils, chinchillas, cage pet birds, family friendly reptiles and a very limited group of fish, primarily bettas.</p>
<p>I also get to choose which trade shows to attend – and could extend my trip if I had the time. Destinations for this year include Orlando x 2, Chicago, Las Vegas, and the Connecticut casinos. Also Atlantic City.</p>
<p>Wow-I am amazed at some of these great perks, the quality and the quantity. Neither my H nor I nor my parents have ever worked anywhere with any of these! H gets an off-brand turkey every Thanksgiving and a cheap bottle of wine at Christmas. We don’t drink.</p>
<p>Thankful to have jobs and health insurance though.</p>
<p>I work for a public university so we get some subsidized benefits involving health care and pensions although the subsidy has been declining and I haven’t received a pay raise in 5 or 6 years. The best benefit on a daily basis is the free pass for the city’s bus system. I use that on a daily basis. The best perk over the last week? Our office associate buys Kleenix tissues with public money. With my seemingly never ending cold this is the best perk I have right now.</p>