Oct 11, 2023

We may earn a commission from links on this page. For several years, workers had the upper hand in job negotiations. The labor shortage spurred employers to increase pay, beef up bonuses, and expand their benefits packages to compete for talent. But even in a slowing job market , funky benefits aren’t likely to disappear. Talent retention is now a top operational priority, higher even than revenue and lowering operational costs, according to a 2023 survey by consulting firm Gallagher. Advertisement Employers often see novel benefits as a good way to recruit talent—many are attention-grabbing—and retain workers, too. Many consider them a way to signal their commitment to company values and their investment in employee well-being. Here are some of the most out-of-the-ordinary employee benefits currently on the market. Out of office 🗓 Pre-PTO Hospitality company SevenRooms gives all new hires a vacation before they walk through the door. The first two weeks of every new employee’s tenure, regardless of seniority, is paid time off. “We want our new team members to be excited about joining SevenRooms and mentally refreshed coming into their new role,” a representative for the company told Quartz. In addition, SevenRooms requires that workers take five consecutive days of PTO in the first half and the second half of the year. Long-tenured employees are expected to take 10 consecutive days twice a year. 🏝 Island escapes Last year, the UK-based Yolk Recruiting took all 55 of its employees to an all-inclusive resort on the Spanish island of Tenerife for a long weekend. No one was expected to work—they set up voicemails to collect calls while the team was away, and everyone put up an out-of-office message. Advertisement “Our staff had gone through a lot of ups and downs and different work structures from fully remote through to hybrid and back, but their hard work didn’t falter,” says the company’s group head of marketing James Cheetham. “The trip to Tenerife was a big thank-you for the previous two years and everything [we] achieved post-pandemic.” All in the family 💍 Marriage bonuses Employee engagement platform Reward Gateway offers $1,500 to employees who get legally hitched. They call it the marriage bonus. 🐣 Baby bonuses For workers at women’s health app Flo, a new addition to the family means a cash bonus. To incentivize parents to stick with the company, companies offer “baby bonuses,” or cash payments upon return from parental leave. Employees at Flo get $5,000 if they return from parental leave within 12 months of the child’s arrival. At Medela, a company that manufactures breast pumps, workers get $500, and at telematics company Geotab, workers get $2,000. Advertisement 👴🏽 Grandparent leave Companies including Fannie Mae, Booking.com, and SentinelOne are expanding their family leave programs to include grandparents. Cybersecurity firm SentinelOne gives employees five days of paid “grandternity” leave to take care of a new grandchild. Furry family, too 🐾 Pawternity leave and bonuses Pet friendly workplaces are growing in popularity, and it’s about more than just letting workers bring their pets to the office. In 2023, Nationwide Insurance partnered with WUF , a community of dog lovers, to form the Best Pet Workplaces . The partnership launched with a day-long conference to further pet-friendly workplace practices; the organization reports that 100 executives attended. When employees adopt a new pet, robotic litter box company Whisker employees get one day to welcome their new buddy home. Meanwhile, Reward Gateway offers $250 to employees who adopt a pet from a shelter, and workers can request the benefit up to twice per year. 🐶 Pet bereavement leave Whisker also offers a day of paid bereavement leave to mourn the death of a pet. “We treat pets as important members of the family,” says CEO and president Jacob Zuppke. Advertisement