fbpx

Why you need to offer employee perks, and how to do it on a shoestring budget

by | Nov 28, 2018 | NatHERS

PwC has a Lego room, Commonwealth Bank has an onsite wellness centre, Deloitte offers free cooking classes, and Rio Tinto gives discounts on diamonds.

With some of Australia’s biggest employers offering impressive perks, the pressure is on for smaller businesses to raise their game if they want to keep workers happy and attract talented candidates with the skills of the future.

Keeping current employees happy is a definite advantage for smaller businesses – especially when you consider that a recent study found two-thirds of employees rated workplace benefits as a very important factor when choosing whether or not to stay with their current employers.

Think about any recent exit interviews you might have conducted – would things be different if you offered employee perks?

The good news is motivating employees with perks doesn’t have to cost you diamonds. What your small business may lack in corporate advantages, you gain in flexibility and a more relaxed work environment.

Rather than trying to match the expensive perks of larger organisations, stand out with employee perks that are one-of-a-kind and will be valued by your team members.

Here are some inexpensive ideas to get you started:

Flexible working: According to a recent SEEK survey ,59% of Australians see flexible working and the ability to work from home to be the most appealing benefit a company could offer. Allow your team to work remotely, or be flexible to appointments, school pick-ups and life in general.

Birthday treat: Give employees a paid day off on their birthday. This simple gesture can mean a lot to your employees, who can then spend their birthday how they want.

 

Free experiences: Movie tickets, footy tickets, restaurant vouchers – everyone loves a freebie. Partner up with local businesses to offer discounts in your area. For example, you could arrange an employee discount at a local café.

 

“Doughnut” days: Ever noticed how quickly the mood lifts when someone brings treats into the workplace? Bring happiness to your office once a week or fortnight.

Free healthy food: Healthy workers are productive workers, so consider offering a selection of healthy snacks and drinks for free. A weekly fresh fruit box and SodaStream (for sparkling water) don’t cost much but will be much appreciated. You could also host a healthy brekkie once a week.

 

Pet-friendly workplace: Australia has one of the highest rates of pet ownershipin the world, with almost two in three households owning pets. So, if it makes sense for your business, let your staff bring their furry friends to work. Dogs help create a friendly, homelike atmosphere in the office and encourage people to interact. As a bonus, you could see stress levels in the office decrease too.

Invest in training:In the same survey, one in four Aussies see professional development as a top perk. Talk to Transformed about how you can invest in professional development, education, and training opportunities for staff. Your business will reap the benefits of higher skilled staff, so it’s win-win!

 

Well-being day:Take your cue from one of Australia’s Most Innovative Companies, Lendlease. The company gives staff one “well-being day” per quarter (in addition to their annual leave allowance) where they can choose from a number of activities from cookery classes to martial arts. 

 

Summer Fridays:What could be better in summer than ditching work early to enjoy the warm summer evening? Productivity takes a natural dip on Friday afternoons anyway, so you might as well make it a perk! Give your staff the opportunity to leave work early one Friday a month during summer. 

 

The ideas above show you don’t have to spend lots to attract and reward staff. Take some time to work out what your employees would value the most, then get creative! You could even make it one of your business goals for 2019. Keep in mind; you may need to pay fringe benefits tax depending on which employee perks you offer.

Are you hiring staff for the first time? Read about the formula for growth in this article.

 

Recent Blog Posts Testimonials

“My assessor was absolutely fantastic and I couldn’t have achieved this without her encouragement and guidance’.

Simone
Cert IV in Procurement & Contracting - March 2022

“Easy to deal with”

Laura Lace

“Thanks for your support over the years and I look forward to doing more courses at Transformed in the future”.

Gerard
Cert IV in HEES - March 2022

“I am very satisfy with the study”

Eric Lam

“The course is really well organised, your videos and zoom meetings were extremely helpful, the platform functions perfectly, your response time to queries and questions is always prompt and overall it is just been a wonderful experience”

Melanie
Cert IV in HEES student, July 2021.

“Phenomenal course to understand contract management in the best way possible. I am working as a Procurement Manager and never understood contract part completely but this course helped me to understand key points of contract management. Thanks to author for creating this wonderful course. ”

Nitin
Student - Introduction to Contract Management - August 2021

“All round I’ve been really impressed with how professional everyone at Transformed has been”

Anna
Diploma of PM

“Just wanted to say thanks for putting up with me and getting me over the line!! Which I know was a bit difficult with no background in the industry!! Thanks very much and I look forward to starting my business and conquering the world as an Energy Rater!”

Laura Lace

Completing my CPP41119Certificate Home Energy Efficiency & Sustainability course has been a significant step in my professional journey.
Thank you for your support and guidance and every single subject in this course you have taught me

Amir
Cert IV HEES student - April 2024

“I found the course easy to follow and navigate through. I would recommend this course to others”

Ekan
August 2018

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank you for all your help during my studies. I think your training company is very professional and I would endorse you and Transformed to anyone looking to study distance learning”

Doug Madarovski

“Always good and prompt feedback from Michael”

John Logan
Draft Comps Services

“I engaged Michael Young from Transformed to assess me for the Australian Institute of Project Management Certified Practicing Project Manager. I wanted to be certified as I wanted to verify that the skills and knowledge was in line with industry best-practice. At first it seemed a bit daunting, however, Michael made the process very easy, providing templates for references and self-assessment as well as providing a list of the project management documents I would need to provide as evidence. The assessment interview was very relaxed and more like a conversation than an assessment, which brought out the best experiences to evidence my capabilities. Because of Michael’s current government security clearance, we were able to look at specific of particular projects, rather me than having to spend a heap of time sanitising documents. Since the assessment, I have been successful in gaining a promotion..”

Mike McCarthy

“Working at my own pace online and the response time to emails and responses were always great”

Ekaterina Sidorova
Lend Lease

“Ease of delivery, completing from work”

Simone
Qld Health

“Just wanted to say thank you so much for offering such a great course, I have really enjoyed studying my Certificate IV in Home Energy Efficiency and Sustainability with Transformed”.

Melanie
Cert IV in HEES student, July 2021

“Learning – I have now fine-tuned my existing skills”

Brian Peterson
Moreton Bay Regional Council

“I think everything worked very smoothly”

Susan Mariott
Quality Home Design and Drafting Service

“I am so appreciative of you and Transformed for your flexibility and support- THANK YOU”

Louise Anderson
Cert IV in P & C student - May 2020

“I’m extremely impressed by The Cert IV in HEES delivered by Transformed. It is a fantastic, relevant, and interesting course with great content. The study materials and assistance have been exceptional. Thanks again to Transformed for their support”.

Matt Wade
Cert IV in HEES Student – April 2022.

“…I originally enrolled in Transformed’s Diploma of Project Management on the basis of their flexibility. ..As I subsequently discovered, Transformed’s approach extends even further to include ‘one on one’ coaching sessions… and adjusting the training to fit in with the client..”

Michael Irwin
Austrade

“I want to thank you for providing that encouragement and feed back at appropriate times. You make me and I’m sure all students, feel special and like we are getting personal assistance, which I have received. I don’t know how you manage all that you do but you do it well. Thank you”

Darrell
Cert IV in NatHERS Assessment student

“The excellent and prompt communication from my assessor”

Cert IV in NatHERS Assessment student

“The most practical and well organised course I’ve been involved with, perfect for anyone with a demanding full time career and family commitments. My facilitator was extremely helpful and being part of the construction industry applied a very focused approach to the course content which assisted me in completing my studies, Would strongly and have already recommended Transformed to those looking to complete their Cert IV and Diploma in Building and Construction. Thanks for all your efforts and support.”

Aleks Petrovic
Cert IV and Diploma in Building and Construction Student

“Don has been a terrific teacher and very prompt with feedback throughout the whole diploma, which has been great!”

Anna
Diploma of PM

“The self-paced learning it allowed me to work whilst studying”

Haylea Edwards
Efficient Living
Archives