Working at WalkMe, I have come to be accustomed to certain perks. I enjoy the espresso, the free lunch, and always available snacks. I lounge on the couch (where I’m writing this blog post from right now) and join the 30 minute guided meditation – in the meditation room – every Monday and Wednesday at 3:00.
I’d like to think that WalkMe is just so generous to provide perks aplenty, but deep down I know that these all serve a purpose.
Here’s a list of workplace perks that are more than worth the investment. Not only do they sweeten the deal and assist in employee retention, they also significantly boost daily productivity.
1. Caffeine
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Coffee makes the world go round, or so the saying goes. While you aren’t responsible for the planet’s orbit, for your business, keeping things moving is top priority.
For the many employees addicted to caffeine, having access to the stimulant is a must. If you don’t have it in-house, employees will take time away from their desk to run to the local coffee shop.
A plain cup of joe is fine, but you can also show your appreciation by pampering your employees with an espresso machine, a variety of milk and creamers, and a fancy tea or two as well.
2. Healthy Snacks
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Along the same lines of having a steady supply of caffeinated drinks, having snacks in the office can boost productivity too.
USA Today reported that companies providing free snacks in the office have happier and more satisfied employees than those who do not.
WalkMe keeps our office stocked with fruits, vegetables, crackers, and all the works to make a quick sandwich. You can catch employees coming in and out throughout the day to satisfy their hunger.
But be weary to stock your kitchen with unhealthy snacks that cause drowsiness or sugar crashes. The purpose here is to satisfy hunger, not indulge.
3. Varying Work Environments
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Did I mention my couch? My couch gives me perspective. It allows me to leave my desk when I have hit a wall on my productivity in that particular position. It gives me a fresh setting for my sometimes tired brain.
Having these kinds of nooks and rooms around the office give employees some much needed variety to spur creativity. The resulting pleasant atmosphere fosters increased productivity in the workplace.
4. Nap Friendly
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My mom is always telling me that I should get more sleep. As usual, she is spot on. It’s old news that catching enough “Z’s” is paramount to both physical and mental health, however, a new
study by non-profit organisation RAND Europe examined the economic impact of sleep deprivation on businesses.
They estimate that $411 per employee are lost every year in the US due to lack of sleep. Let this number sink in. If your employees look anything like the above bunny pre-tumble, you might want to considering offering a safe space for power naps. While doing this might seem counterproductive, it can pay off big time in the long run.
5. Headphones
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Gone are the days of the isolating cubicle, and in its place employers are providing noise cancelling headphones.
The open layout trend is great for collaboration, but there are many times when employees will need to tune out their collaborating colleagues to focus on the task at hand.
Headphones are a perk that should be just as normal as providing employees with a mouse. This tech is well worth the investment to boost employee productivity.
Going one step further, employers can provide subscriptions to music streaming service such as Spotify or Google Play Music to treat workers with commercial free tunes.
6. Physical Exercise
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Exercise has a long list of benefits extending far beyond the numbers on a scale and miles logged on your fitbit. Employees who exercise on the regular are likely to be more alert, have more energy and be less susceptible to stress than their non-exercising counterparts.
Not only that, but engaging in regular physical activity can also reduce the risk of developing certain types of illness and disease. Less sick days means more productive days.
Not every office has room for a gym of its own, but it might be possible to partner with a nearby gym to offer your employees discounts. Some companies offer a stipend that can be used for an exercise membership of the employee’s choice.
Another option is to host weekly classes on-site – activities such as pilates, yoga, and TRX require minimum equipment. Plus by keeping the activities close, your employees won’t even have to leave the office.
7. Errand Center
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Although many mundane tasks have gone digital, there will always be errands which cannot be completed through a desktop or mobile screen. There are stamps to buy, documents to notarize, and dry cleaning to drop off.
The more of these errands that can be taken care of in-office, the less trips out of the office mid-workday. Not only is your employee delighted to check off his to-do list in one place, he/she now has more time to focus on work related tasks. That’s what we call win-win.
Bonus: WalkMe
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I would be remiss to not mention WalkMe.
In the digital workplace, having the best software training pays off. Invest in a Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) to simplify using software and as a result see a bigger return on your digital investments.
WalkMe is like having the tech-guru of the office available to everyone, all the time, providing
step-by-step guidance exactly when it’s needed.
