Small businesses often have a difficult time matching large corporations on salary and bonus packages. So how can a small company compete with big business for top talent? The answer is to get creative. As a small organization, you can offer all kinds of creative perks that large companies cannot match. Padgett Payroll Services®, an expert in small business payroll services, has created this guide to small business perks.
The first perk you have to offer as a small business is also the most powerful: meaningful work. A recent Gallup® report found that engaged workers lead healthier lives. An engaged employee is one who has well-defined goals and knows that his or her work contributes to the business’s overall goal. Employees at large corporations often feel like a cog in the machine – they feel replaceable and do not see that they make any difference. As a small business, each of your employees is essential. Show employees that they are needed and their work contributes to the health and growth of the company. Employees will be happier, healthier and more likely to stay at your company. For more information on engaging employees, read our blog post.
After meaningful work, most employees seek work life balance. As a small business you have the opportunity to create flexible benefits packages to meet each employee’s needs. Employees do not all want or need the same thing; by offering different choices, you can provide perks that will make each employee happy. For example, some employees may need flexible working hours, while others would prefer to work from home. Others may be willing to work set hours in the office in exchange for unlimited vacation time. Offering employees choices will help them create the best work life balance for themselves.
Contributing to the community or doing something meaningful for the world is something that everyone can see the value in. Many small businesses are giving employees paid time off to volunteer or participate in a cause. You could also ask employees to vote on which local causes or charities they would like to support and create a company fund raiser or volunteer day for that cause. Not only will this make your employees happy, it will also increase your engagement in the community and promote your business.
Finally, you can offer creative perks that fit with your company’s culture and increase employees’ interaction with each other. For example, having free pizza for employees not only provides a free lunch, it also creates a gathering place for employees to socialize and exchange ideas. Other creative perks you could offer include company picnics, company yoga classes, gourmet coffee in the office break room, or even games during the day, such as an in-office putt-putt tournament or a Nerf dart war.
Small businesses may not be able to compete with the large corporations on a direct salary comparison, but they can offer the kinds of benefits employees truly want. Padgett Payroll Services® has payroll specialists to streamline and improve your employee payroll. Contact us online or call us at (706) 548-1040 today to talk about your payroll needs.