Leah Brewer, people development manager at the ecological attraction, says: "A working party of employees drafts the proposed reward package for the forthcoming year, working alongside me." She adds that by talking to staff to find out what is important to them, the organisation can then look into the potential advantages of introducing particular benefits. "If the team feel that they are being heard, they are more likely to accept something for what it is meant for," says Brewer.
The centre, which has 400 staff, offers a defined contribution pension scheme with a maximum employer contribution of 9percent, private medical insurance, childcare vouchers and voluntary benefits.
Alongside subsidised aromatherapy massage and physiotherapy, the Eden Project is also trialling reflexology and yoga classes for employees. Staff can also bring up to five friends and family to the park for free as many times as they like.
Brewer adds that keeping staff abreast of the perks on offer is the best way to add value. "We found that some people weren't returning their death-in-service expression-of-wishes form, which lets the employer know who they wanted to [receive] certain benefits if anything happened to them. We thought this was because people didn't understand how it affected their wills, so we brought in a solicitor to discuss the subject. Shortly after, we received several forms."