Something for the weekend…
From paid surrogacy leave to non-medical egg freezing and unlimited holiday, there are some unusual employee benefits lined up for workplaces in the future.
According to an American study by the Society of Human Resources Managers (SHRM), many US-based employers are likely to introduce quirkier benefits to attract and retain staff.
For instance, Facebook and Apple already pay for their employees to freeze their eggs.
The study also looked at trends for the more established benefits in the market. It found that contraceptive coverage has grown since 2011, as has the use of standing desks and telecommuting.
The research found that the ten most unusual and lavish perks bestowed on the American workforce are:
- Organised fitness competitions.
- Fitness bands (such as FitBit or the Apple Watch).
- Electric vehicle charging.
- Reimburse medical travel abroad.
- Free shuttle (to and from the workplace).
- Student loan repayment.
- Non-medical egg freezing.
- Paid surrogacy leave.
- Free on-site hair cuts.
- Unlimited vacation policies.
Perhaps these benefits and even quirkier ones will become widespread in workplaces sooner than we might think.