How do non paymasters attract the best employees?

/By Nitten Nair/All of us have that one friend who manages to live a “privileged” life without working in some large MNC known to dish out huge paychecks. I, for one, have quite a few whom I regularly interact with. The gross pay of these friends or acquaintances might not be on par with the industry in general but they love working there and have very little intention to move.

I realized that the main reason for this phenomenon is the fact that these companies manage to attract employees by providing them with non-monetary benefits or perks that are probably unparalleled in the market. Even if not out of the world, these small perks tend to make the employee overlook the size of the monthly paycheck.

I talked to a few of my personal friends and connections on LinkedIn to get a feel of what perks they felt were most essential to offset their income. The answers I received ranged between basic and outlandish. I was, even more, surprised to learn that a few companies out here in Dubai actually offer these freebies to ensure that they retain their best employees.

Some of the common ones:

Free Parking spot – Extremely popular and in demand for employees working in and around Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City, where parking facilities are rare or other parking cards do not work.

Work from home – Slowly growing in popularity as employers allow their staff to avail of this facility a couple of days a month; no questions asked.

Flexible working hours – Many companies are shifting from the factory mindset allowing employees to come in to work according to their convenience as long as they clock in the minimum work hours every week. This is very popular among employees who have to regularly work late to meet client deadlines.

Free snack bar – This policy of having unlimited free snacks in the office is slowly gaining momentum.

Power nap break – Offices with the luxury of space are now allowing employees to catch a few winks during their lunch break or otherwise. Sleeping at their desk is also not frowned upon as this short break is scientifically proven to enhance focus and concentration at work.

Family insurance – With the high costs of medical facilities in the country, this one was a no-brainer.

Some of the uncommon (to die for) ones I came across are:

Free gym membership

Education allowance for up to 3 children

1st Class flight tickets for business travel

New company car every 2 years

36 working days paid vacation in a year

Reduced work timings for expectant or new mothers

I agree that some of these perks depend on the seniority level within the company but hey… It’s really cool to have them.

Do you have any perks that you are proud of?