12 Companies with the Coolest Perks

Lyft is a company that’s revolutionizing the personal transportation industry. You can download the app, request a ride, and get picked up by a driver in mere minutes. Employees benefit from being given US$100 Lyft credit every month – perfect if you’re running late for work or need to get to the airport for a weekend vacation. The company also provides free lunch five days a week, plus their traditional Bagel Wednesdays with free bagels for all employees.

Entertainment streaming service Netflix is one of a growing number of companies across the world offering employees an unlimited holiday allowance. That’s right, employees aren’t constrained by a holiday cap per year, they’re trusted to manage their time and projects efficiently and take breaks when they need them. This encourages a great work/life balance and is a particularly attractive perk for working parents or international employees who wish to visit their family and friends in their home country.

The outdoor clothing manufacturer Patagonia tends to hire employees who share a love for nature and staying physically active. Their California headquarters has great fitness facilities onsite such as volleyball courts, bikes, and yoga classes. Employees are also encouraged to take a surfing break in the workday, with the reception desk posting daily surf reports and making company announcements on particularly good surf days.

Publishing house Penguin Random House has some perks that are perfect for bookworms. Their free books program allows employees to order multiple books and e-books free of charge from a regularly updated list of 100 books throughout the year. Employees are also encouraged to join or form book clubs with their co-workers to discuss the latest releases and foster team-building and collaboration.

Another highly regarded company by business school students, professional services company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have a great perk for graduates worried about university debts. They provide US$100 a month (US$1,200 a year) for employees with student loans solely to help pay off this debt, with the benefit available for up to six years, helping employees knock around a staggering US$10,000 off their debt (factoring in inflation). This perk is particularly useful for business masters or MBA graduates who have higher education debt than most.

London based global energy, engineering and infrastructure recruitment specialists Spencer Ogden have found a brilliant way of rewarding hard work to keep employees motivated. When an employee meets their targets three months in a row, they have the chance to go on a working holiday – but this is no conference center in an anonymous city. High achievers will go to the company’s beachside office on the party island of Ibiza, giving them a chance to top up their tan – and get paid for the privilege.

Workplace design company Steelcase counts ‘treating people with dignity and respect’ as one of their core company values, something that is reflected in their onsite health services for employees. Their ‘Wellbeing Hub’ offers appointments with a massage therapist or registered nurse. Plus, they have healthier home meal prep stations in their cafeterias, where employees can pick up ingredients to make a fresh homecooked meal instead of picking up unhealthy fast food on their commute. The company doesn’t only help look after employees’ bodies, they also help look after their minds, with a series of lectures – Curious Minds – on topics such as elder care and personal wellness.

Mortgage lending company United Shore is probably the only company in the US (and maybe the world) to have an in-house ‘escape room’. A novel and fun way of training, team members must find clues and solve puzzles to escape the room in a certain amount of time, testing their mortgage knowledge and team collaboration. The company also has a fitness center and their own Starbucks for employees.