Summer Fridays and other offers for small businesses

What are the benefits?

Perks are cash or non-cash “benefits” that employees receive as part of their job. For small businesses, offering non-cash perks can help you promote your company more effectively and attract talent who may be considering joining a larger company. For perks to be effective in retaining employees in the long term, they must be closely aligned with your company's culture and values. We asked several small businesses what perks they offer to their employees. Below are some of the more creative answers we received, as well as some suggestions you can use as inspiration when developing your company's compensation strategy.

More vacation time / flexible schedule

One of the biggest employee benefits small businesses are currently offering is some form of flexible work schedules, from attendance frequency to unlimited vacation time. Here are some options to consider as part of a broader discussion about employment policies and non-cash benefits for employees.

While most employers have adopted hybrid office work schedules in the wake of the pandemic, some have chosen to move to 100% remote work as a new way of working. However, it’s important to note that fully remote work often comes with complexities of employment responsibilities across multiple states that small business owners may underestimate.

“We close at 2pm on summer Fridays, turning a three-day summer weekend into a four-day weekend. My team loves it” – Kate Kelly, CEO, Chelsea Capital. One business owner told me they introduced a 3pm summer Friday policy a few years ago and that their office staff loves it. They added that it's not available to all of their 100+ employees because of different job roles and schedule requirements.

One fully remote organization offers three days of paid leave after adopting a pet.

Another organization reported offering two paid days off dedicated to contributing to the community, which aligns with one of the organization's core values: community involvement.

Learning Opportunities

“We are thrilled to be working with such a diverse team of doctors and nurses to help support our patients,” said Dr. Scott Mesch, CEO of Los Niños Services.[Our number one] Benefits include professional development, with optional lunch and study sessions. [sessions]Attendees join our presenters for 30 minutes; we provide the pizza. We also offer our award-winning workshops and webinars for free and open these events to the public, further building our brand as an employer of choice within our industry.”

Continuing education has long been a requirement for many professional services firms, but one commercial contracting company says it has implemented a full learning curriculum for its employees, standardizing its service delivery model and increasing efficiency. It also provides employees with learning opportunities that it has used effectively for employer branding, helping it attract top talent ahead of competitors.

Work environment

Creating a work environment that attracts people to your organization and gets them to come to the office more often is good for both employee retention and productivity.

One CEO reported that he would provide lunch for his office staff on payroll Tuesdays. This started because there just wasn't enough time for everyone to eat lunch. Years later, advances in technology eliminated the time constraint, but the perk remained as a tradition and a team-bonding opportunity.

A pet-friendly office environment is a great way to engage employees in an office-first work culture, but be sure to keep office lease restrictions and general liability insurance policies in mind when implementing it.

Scott Mesh adds that while it's not a perk, per se, heartfelt, spontaneous, public appreciation of colleagues is key. “We do this in meetings, and for years I've been told it's the most meaningful aspect of working at our organization. Years of research have validated the phrase 'praise in public, criticize in private.' We don't do 'employee of the month' praise because it's seen as inauthentic or unrealistic. We find that when appreciation goes through layers of bureaucracy, it loses its value.”

In addition to our US office, we also have an office in the Philippines. Our staff in the Philippines are selected through an annual visa lottery system to provide legal assistance, and selected staff who qualify come to New York and stay for three to six months, depending on their preference. We provide housing and additional compensation during their stay in New York. – Richard Levitin, CPA, CGMA – Galeros Robinson Partner

Find what's right for you

With all of compensation and benefits, one thing is certain: it's a one-way street, meaning that once you put something in place, it's very hard to go back. So feel free to list everything you want to introduce that aligns with your values ​​and is valued by your employees, but do so carefully. It's much easier to start slow, introduce one or two new perks, see how they're received, and add more later.