Companies often pretend that keeping employees happy is as challenging as rocket science. “I just don’t understand why workers keep quitting!” CEOs cry as they deny everyone raises, refuse to provide maternity leave and expect workers to commute to the office even when they’re ill.

It’s really not that complicated. And we have a list down below to prove it. Redditors have been discussing the perks that can go a long way in making employees feel appreciated, so we’ve gathered the most popular replies. From paid vacation days to letting staff head home early if all of their work is finished, enjoy reading through these benefits that every company should offer. And be sure to upvote the ones that you’d love to see your boss implement!

#1

My dad was dying and my mother was losing her mind and I needed to be by his bedside. They said, take all the time you need, don’t worry about sick time, don’t worry about vacation time, don’t worry about any aspect of your job, just focus on your family.

And they paid me for it.

Image credits: GodOfLostThings

#2

If you work late on a Tuesday, feel free to take off early on Friday.

Image credits: TummyDrums

#3

Unlimited sick days with managers that encourage using them. Why force people to come in sick and work and get the rest of the team sick?

Image credits: spitfyre

#4

A generous PTO policy. I’m a much better employee when I get time to rest my mind outside of work. Far too many do not give people suitable flexibility.

Image credits: JustaRoosterJunkie

#5

Letting them go home early for a half good reason.

Image credits: Insulator13

#6

Good health benefits with low premiums because the company pays most of the insurance costs.

Image credits: Kaiser-Sohze

#7

Cash.

Image credits: Big-Strong-Dumb

#8

A proper salary.

Image credits: ColumbusMark

#9

…it sure isn’t a pizza party.

Image credits: 67fishyguy

#10

Including miscarriage as a valid reason for paid bereavement leave.

Image credits: Avogadros_plumber

#11

The company that I worked at gave you a week of paid leave if you adopted a dog from a local shelter. It was to help you bond. They called it Paw-ternity Leave.

Image credits: harrychen69

#12

Flexibility with WFH, generous bonuses, and consistent raises. Keep the pizza and donuts.

Image credits: MINXG

#13

Back when my dad was still working, he paid 100% of the costs for healthcare and daycare for his employees.

Image credits: r0botdevil

#14

Don’t make people beg for time off or ask intrusive questions. Believe what people tell you.

Image credits: nobleheartedkate

#15

I’m a pilot for a big global charter company. Last May, my dad was hospitalized and it wasn’t looking good. I called the on-duty manager to notify them that my dad was having issues and I may need to leave my 8 day tour shorter in a couple days. 20 minutes later they called with a rental car to denver (I was in the mountains at the time), airlines to tampa where my dad was, and then a rental car in tampa for the rest of the week. All covered by the company, no manager calling me to tell me to make up the time, they just let me go.

Without that cooperation and arrangement, I would not have been able to see my dad in his last few days here and I am forever thankful to my company for doing that.

Image credits: fflyguy

#16

My mom and I worked together at a restaurant, at the time I was 13 years she was 12 years working at the same place. She unexpectedly passed and the company paid for the funeral, they closed the restaurant the day of her passing and the day of the funeral, most of the workers including 2 corporate managers came and some were even pallbearers. The company told me to take all the time I needed (I only took a full week off because I felt like I was going crazy if I didn’t go back to work to take my mind off it) and gave me that weeks pay. When I came back they handed me an envelope with $400 in tips everyone saved up for that week.
The more I tell people this the more I realize how unusual it is for companies to even think of such a thing let alone do it.

Image credits: Cmarieh2288

#17

I know a company that gives a $500 allowance every year for “healthy lifestyle expenses” like gym memberships, dog food/grooming, athletic clothing, etc. .

Image credits: Symnestra

#18

Not fighting a union’s existence.

Image credits: t-rex-nom-nom

#19

Generous PTO that’s easy to use.

Image credits: tface23

#20

Good maternity leave. Employer has 6 weeks paid, non consecutive, for new fathers, fathers adopting, and mothers adopting as well. Mothers giving birth get 12 weeks. Time for bonding, appointments, etc to be used within the first year with the kid.

Image credits: jimfish98

#21

My old workplace had a ‘summer Fridays’ policy. Every Friday during the summer months the office closed at 1pm so we could make the most of the nice weather.

Image credits: Queen_Banana

#22

The way things have been lately… just a simple check in “how are you doing, what can i help with?” from management or leads. it just feels like everyone is going at it alone these days, no team building, no onboarding, no mentorship, no compassion.

Image credits: timmhaan

#23

I work in software start ups so I’ve been a bit spoiled, but **minimum** vacation time taken. Requiring employees to rest and recharge

That and profit sharing is one I’m still hunting.

Image credits: arieljoc

#24

2-ply T.P.

#25

401k match.

Image credits: someguyonredd1t

#26

My company throws parties for peoples’ birthdays. They’ll buy lunch for the office and cupcakes/ a dessert of the persons’ choice.

Sodas/ tea/ drinks and snacks provided for free

Very loose PTO and remote work policy.

Image credits: OuroborosOfHate

#27

This always stuck out to me: my mom was the janitor at a company during my childhood. And every year for Secretaries day, she’s be included in the big luncheon the ladies were thrown by the big wigs running the show.

I always thought that was really nice.

Image credits: MJsLoveSlave

#28

When my cat was diagnosed with cancer, they let me work from home for over a month (pre-Covid) so that I could be around him as much as possible. He didn’t make it sadly, but that flexibility at a time when it was much less common gave me so much more time to be with him and to take care of him than I otherwise would have.

Image credits: GenericFatGuy

#29

Paying a living wage.

It’s truly the one perk to rule them all. Corporate hates this one little trick to get employees to feel valued.

Image credits: Ko-jo-te

#30

High pay. Don’t care when you work, rather you hit deadlines/results. Don’t care where you work. Let mistakes slide.

Image credits: Travel_Dude

#31

Money. I don’t care about parties or swag. Give me a raise. Period.

Image credits: TrainingBid3238

#32

Work from home as an option if your job doesn’t require you to do it in an office. Granted MY company doesn’t provide that option, but it definitely would be a perk to me if they did. (Three years of surveys in a row that WFH has been the #1 request and they still ignore it).

#33

4 day work weeks. Having Fridays off has been amazing.

#34

Chinese finger cuffs, fun caricatures of you in a work setting, waffle party.

#35

It’s extremely disheartening to read these comments from what I assume by context to be mostly Americans so far stating ”perks” that are literally the bare minimum legal requirements in most European countries.

#36

Stock options*, and the highest pay for that type of work in the area. You get people who have a vested interest in seeing the company succeed, and you have people vying for a position with you. They will feel lucky to be your employee.

Become known for being good to your employees. Celebrate their successes, even in their private lives, like giving new parents and newlyweds an extra bonus, celebrating birthdays, helping out when someone is sick or injured, etc.

That’s the kind of company I’d like to work for, whether they make cars or sell ice cream or build skyscrapers or anything else. It’s possible to treat people well *and* succeed in business, you just have to want it.

*Or profit sharing, if it’s not a publicly traded company.

#37

Profit sharing.

#38

The owner of the company I work for decided that no one who works here should have to pay more than $1500 for a single hospital stay—whether they have insurance or not. I haven’t been here long (4 months after being laid off from my previous job of 17 years…), and haven’t personally experienced this situation, but man, it really blew my mind when it was brought up during my benefits questions while being onboarded. The pay here is 33% less than what I was previously making, but I feel valued in a way I haven’t before.

#39

Generous PTO, ability to earn comp time. WFH if someone wants.

My last job I had a wardrobe stipend we got as well as a small business professional clothing loan with a limit of $500. We could buy work clothes and they would cover the cost and then took $25 out of every paycheck till it was paid off. It was a nice option that I used to really build my closet.

#40

Money. I have never been interested in a single thing that a company has to offer me other than cash.

#41

We give 15 days vacation, 12 paid holidays on top of that, 12 sick days a year, 3 personal days, fully employer paid health, dental and retirement benefits, competitive wages with 5-10% annual raises (though we could only do 2% 2020-2023). Remote work where possible. I’m bumping it up to 20 paid vacation days next year. We only have 28 employees, but we’ve only had 1 person quit, 2 people retire, and 1 person I had to let go in 15 years. Admittedly most of our staff are less than 5 years on the job as we grow.

#42

My wife was suddenly admitted to the hospital related to her pregnancy. I called work on the way to meet her there and told them I’d be out for at least the next day and had no idea what else to expect.

We had our son two months early, and he was admitted to the CCN until his due date. When I came back from several days of leave, my supervisor had put together a baby shower where everyone gave prepaid debit cards to cover travel to and from the hospital as well as any meals we’d need.

The admin team pulled me aside and set up my parental leave for when we expected my son to come home, and most of my leadership reached out regularly to check on me, my wife, and our boy.

When leave time came my supervisor checked in on my tasks and made sure nothing came up that would interrupt my leave.

Due to my boy’s early birth, he had lots of health issues that required random days off without warning to deal with. Every time, every single time, they told me to take care of my family and worry about work later.

Those people have my absolute loyalty.

#43

Survivor benefits for the employee’s family should they pass away. Half salary for 10 years, immediate RSU vesting.

Edit: The schedule is over 10 years, but starts at 100% ramping down to 25% at the end giving the survivors time to adapt.

#44

I work for a small brewery that is unlike anywhere else I’ve ever worked…We get paid for 40 hrs whether or not we work 40 (usually we’ll put in anywhere from 33-45, just varies with the work) and we also get OT if we go over 40 hrs. Our boss also puts $200/month towards our health insurance premiums, bringing individual insurance plans down from about $280/month to about $80/month. We are also provided a gym membership, we just have to use it 4 x’s a month. Our company also pays for 6 cognitive therapy visits a year. Occasionally the boss breaks out the grill out back and throws down on some burgers and dogs. Even my worst days are incredible and I will forever be thankful I found this place.

#45

My wife has ‘life days’ along with her 25 days of PTO during the year. She’s turning 40 this year so will get a day off if she requests. First day of school for the kids, my birthday last year etc.

She used a lot of time off during my illness in 23/24 and she took tons of PTO and they reimbursed her the days citing ‘family emergency’.

That’s the kind of company that you want to work for.

#46

They have dental and vision insurance available.

#47

Employee discounts on what ever they sell.

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