Corporate perks are an important part of your company’s benefits package. Done well, they improve the employee experience and increase job satisfaction. Great perks also help you stand out from other employers, giving you an advantage when it comes to hiring and retaining workers. First, however, you must choose the right perks and implement them in a way that increases employee engagement.

1. Talk to your employees

The best corporate perks are the ones employees actually want. Before you establish a new program or revamp your existing offerings, ask the team for their preferences. Anonymous surveys are a great option, but you can also hold meetings and speak to people individually. You might be surprised at what you discover; company leaders’ assumptions may not match employees’ actual needs and wants.
The secret to success? Take your team members’ feedback seriously. It’s a surefire way to develop a set of perks that have a measurable impact on engagement, retention, and recruitment. Plus, you can avoid spending money on things employees won’t use.

2. Investigate competitors’ corporate perks

Spend some time browsing your competitors’ recruiting materials and job postings to see what perks they’re offering. You’ll develop an understanding of the local industry standard, which makes it easier to understand the baseline expectations for professionals in the area.

As you explore different perks programs, look for ways your company can provide a better experience. If competitors put out free snacks in the break room, for example, you might order lunch for the team every Friday. When all else is equal, better perks can give you the edge when it comes to hiring and retaining top talent.

3. Think outside the box

Corporate perks can go beyond wellness initiatives like free gym memberships and student loan assistance. Depending on your industry, your location, and the size of your team, you can try out creative perks such as:

  • Time off for volunteering or birthdays
  • Periodic in-house health screenings
  • Free same-day laundry service
  • Office decorating budget

Consider your specific employees’ needs and choose perks that work for their unique situations. One universal issue is work-life balance; it’s a priority for 61% of professionals. If you have regular travelers in your workforce, consider offering a generous remote-work or flex-time policy, or if you have pet owners consider covering pet insurance.

4. Promote your perks

Don’t stop once you have a list of great corporate perks—promote them regularly. Bring them up during onboarding, talk about them in meetings, and encourage team members to take full advantage of each one. Ask your managers to lead by example. When their supervisors are enthusiastically and openly embracing perks, employees might be more comfortable doing the same.

Other ways to get the word out include:

  • Messages on the internal communication platform
  • Emails to employees
  • Posts on break room bulletin board
  • HR information sessions

Promotion is critical; it helps boost participation, which is crucial to maximizing the return on investment. The more employees take advantage of perks, the easier it is to track engagement and refine the program to the most effective options.

5. Include food

Food is always a welcome perk at work. Everyone enjoys a free meal, especially if it means they don’t have to spend their lunch break driving or walking to a restaurant.

There are many ways to provide food for your employees. You can keep the office kitchen stocked with snacks, for example, or give everyone an ordering budget with a food-delivery service such as Grubhub. If you’re looking to boost camaraderie and provide opportunities for team bonding, however, group meals are your best option. Employees can eat and get to know each other in a relaxed setting.

No matter how you decide to provide food as a corporate perk, Grubhub Corporate Accounts can help you manage the ordering process. Set up group orders, allow workers to choose their own meals, or schedule catering. You can even set up rules and budgets to accommodate remote workers and smaller team lunches. Everything runs through a single account on the Grubhub platform, so you have access to a wide range of local restaurants and caterers.

If you’re interested in streamlining your corporate ordering, get started with Grubhub Corporate Accounts today.