Employee Incentives

Employee Benefits and Incentives

Famed for the generosity he displays towards his employees, Virgin boss Richard Branson has once again gone above and beyond when it comes to offering employee perks by granting new fathers at Virgin up to 12 months paternity leave on full pay.

Generous and innovative employee benefits are a significant part of the attraction of the Virgin brand and many other employers have followed suit. We examine the best employee incentives on offer and why they are so popular to employees and jobseekers.

1. Unlimited holidays – Virgin and Netflix

Virgin and Netflix are just two companies that have opted to offer employees unlimited time off. Research has shown that giving employees the option to take as much time off as they like actually results in staff taking 30% less time off as well as attracting top talent to apply to the business. Ultimately, flexibility and choice is valued by employees and this is one way to give workers this personal responsibility.

2. Recognition – NetApp

The Vice Chairman of NetApp ensures that employees receive credit where credit is due by asking managers to notify him when they “catch someone doing something right”. He then proceeds to call 10 to 20 employees every day to thank them for their efforts.

3. Offsite employee activities – GoDaddy

Each month, GoDaddy sets money aside to take its employees on out of office expeditions including white water rafting, trapeze lessons, and gold panning. This gives staff something to look forward to each month and gives the company increased kerb appeal to those thinking of a career move.

4. Family benefits – Google

Once again, flexible working is an offering highly valued by employees. Google offers new parents time off with extra spending money, and pet owners can bring their dogs to work if they are struggling to find a sitter. Additional amenities include gym access and fitness classes as well as free transport to and from work.