Some companies take their new hire perks a step further than the rest — as hiring is in a full frenzy as the business world gears up post-COVID — and if you are hunting for a new role, these are the four most insane perks you can get just for being hired.
Before deciding to pivot careers and shift jobs, consider these incentives.
1. A paid vacation
While companies like Amazon and Google haven’t hopped on this trend just yet, some smaller businesses like restaurants are offering employees travel incentives for joining their teams.
The NYPost reports that a restaurant owner in midtown Manhattan is now offering employees a “free week” at her oceanside resort located in Costa Rica, Igloo Beach Lodge. As long as a new hire stays on staff for at least a year, they’ll be eligible for this mostly all-inclusive vacation; the employees’ stay will include food, lodging and drinks, but not airfare.
The Wall Street Journal also reports that finance giant PwC is interested in giving staffers the opportunity to travel as an incentive to unplug, but this perk is earned after at least a year of dedicated work.
Their reasoning is that over the course of the pandemic, they’ve noticed that employees have a hard time “unplugging;” to help increase the urge to take a tech-free break, they’re now offering employees a $250 stipend for every vacation they book, which amounts to $1,000 a year in total earnings.
This perk will only last through the next year, however, so employees have to be quick to take advantage of it.
2. Learning to fly
If going on vacation isn’t enough for some new hires, taking travel into your own hands and hopping into the cockpit of a plane might be. Inc.com reports that United Airlines, which has been struggling to hold onto long-time pilots seeking retirement, is now incentivizing new hires with a completely secured job as a pilot on any UA flight, in addition to having your pilot schooling entirely paid for.
In February of 2020, UA acquired a flight school that they’re now using to train future pilots, and they intend to spend up to $1.2 million total on scholarships for up to 5,000 potential students of flight, particularly for economic demographics who have not previously been able to afford their dream of flying.
The school, called Aviate, will provide students with “coaching and development,” “a job offer within United,” and “access to senior leadership, site visits and tours, and certain travel privileges” according to the United Airlines website.
3. Managing your money
Rather than just giving new employees some money, some companies are teaching new hires how to use it. For instance, Philadelphia’s Cuba Libre is offering tuition reimbursement for personal finance courses worth up to $200.
These courses can be personal finance courses, family finance courses, or other permutations. Integrity Data notes that this type of perk is on the rise, as 77% of medium- to large-sized companies are worried about their employees’ financial stability, and as a result, how that stability will impact their work.
Cuba Libre in particular states that they want to offer this perk to new hires serving as food delivery drivers who may be young, inexperienced, and require some guidance on financial matters that they never received from traditional schooling.
In general, financial planning courses help employees understand financial security, saving money, reviewing bank statements, income taxes, and much more.
4. Whatever you want!
If none of these perks feel personal enough for your employees, don’t fret — there’s an entire company devoted to finding out exactly what your employees want and giving it to them.
Blueboard allows employees to make Pinterest-like inspiration boards driving their personal long-term goals and needs. Those boards then get sent to their bosses at work, who pick a perk to reward their employee after an accomplishment, like a certain number of days on the job or a promotion.
Founded in 2014 with 4 worldwide offices and over 30,000 clients, Blueboard provides catered perks for employees new and old to enjoy rather than just receiving cash. Employees can pick from a list of experiences like glamping or learning drone photography and are free, just as long as the company they work for agrees to sign off.
The rewards come in the form of employee referrals, work anniversaries (yes, even for three- or six-month anniversaries), and wellbeing incentives. A concierge will book their travel, reservations or other arrangements, leaving the employee to have fun without worrying about logistics.
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