What 'healthy' company benefits would you value most?

cmayos

I agree with heretolearn. Child care vouchers, I work at a small company but they have set the scheme up for me. It saves them a little bit of money but probably not worth the hassle for them but for me and my family the benefit is massive. We save a chunk of cash. I think they've done it through a not for profit organisation and it's all handled on the internet. I make my first payment this month...

highguyuk

Also, do you get eyecare? At my last company, we used to get eyecare vouchers every 2 years FOC and then support towards glasses if we were to need them. Some/all of this will fall under VDU regulations, but it's not something you've mentioned.

These vouchers will probably work out a cheaper way to organise free eyetests as I'm sure they don't purchase the vouchers at cost price. Same principal as the cleaning/dry cleaning vouchers (not sure they are a healthy benefit though!)

[Deleted User]

For 'healthy' benefits, my firm provides:

Private dental plan
Private health plan
Gym subsidy (i think it was 200 off a year)
Bike-to-work scheme (http://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/)
Free annual eye tests (we all work on laptops)

We also have:
EAP - Employee Assistance Programme - free councilling for all sorts of issues
Occasional there will be 'at your desk massages' - not free though

Free fruit seems nice, but it'd be better to swap 'snack' vending machines for healthy ones. No point subsidising people's lunches.

Vader123

All my staff get :

1) Full private health insurance after 9 months service (excl pre-exisiting)
2) Christmas Bonus (approx £1000 in high street vouchers)
3) On site subsidised creche
4) Flexible working

Feedback is 1) and 2) are the most liked!
Vader

DKLS

Decent healthcare cover and a very decent pay scale would suffice, I tend to respond to financial incentives rather than other perks like gym membership or cycling schemes, they wouldnt hit my radar.

Owain_Moneysaver

In terms of health, reducing stress is probably the best thing, and will have the best bottom line in reducing absenteeism.

Free gym will probably benefit those who'd use a gym anyway, and not anyone else.

JCP

My friend works for a subsidiary of Halliburton, and following a trial of the free fruit at one of their offices, they rolled it out to the entire subsidiary.

It surprised me, but it seems they discovered that having free fruit encouraged even the most unlikely people to indulge, and the end result to the company was a statistically significant drop in their sickness rates, such that the initial cost of the free fruit was more than offset by the savings in sick pay, covering for staff absence etc. Everyone was happy

Personally I'd do the cycle to work scheme.

lincroft1710

The only "benefit" I'd want from any employer is more money in my wage packet. Some employees may not need healthcare, childcare, stop smoking incentives, free fruit etc, but they all need money.

JammieDodger

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. The health plan, bike loan and gym are all provided already, as is the stress counselling and employee assistance programme.

The only idea we can come up with so far that might actually be used by people, is straightforward and can be beneficial from the desk is the fresh fruit idea.

However, we're looking for novel ideas too!! I thought the free fruit was a good idea, but anything 'outside the box' would be more like it. We are thinking about installing a Nintendo Wii on each floor, but we think this will end up being misused?

JD

sammyjammy

Proppo wrote: »

This is the best idea in my eyes.

I've recently bought a bike and have been cycling everywhere, not only does it save on fuel etc, it's green for the environment and it is a very good way to keep fit. So it's a perfect idea!

Ahhh that'll be that government scheme that my government Department DWP won't sign up to :think: