When you think of the employee-employer relationship, the most identifiable bond most consider is the salary of payroll. We know as a professional firm with a full range of outsource payroll check printing and mailing services.
That financial bond can mean everything from company profits to company production. If the employee isn’t paid enough, maybe the work less or quit. If an employer pays too much, maybe it doesn’t fit into the P&L. But being singular in this thinking could be the worst approach. In other words, why not try to make it not all about salary or pay? Be a savvy hiring manager and learn what perks increase employee retention.
Employees are attracted to businesses for more reasons than just pay. Adding in some unique and awesome perks can help you keep employees inspired and excited even if they feel they aren’t paid as much as they should be (that’s kind of always going to be the case no matter what you pay). Perks have been shown to keep people happier and encourage longevity. So let’s look at some of them now.

Concierge

You can have monthly manicures in the conference rooms, you can have massages and even yoga. These are things people want to do but sometimes simply don’t have the time. When you provide them during work hours, you give employees a great reason to always want to be at your company!

Lunch

Some companies hire a chef to cook meals, others allow food trucks to park in the company parking lot to serve food. If you have a smaller company, serving lunch to employees can be a lot cheaper than paying everyone more, but it may go a lot further with people than more salary. It’s convenience, that has been proven to increase productivity.

Tickets

Look into suites or tickets to sports or entertainment events. Give tickets out on a weekly or monthly basis. Tickets to baseball games can be super affordable and people really love being able to take their family to a night at the ballpark, or to a show. Movie tickets are another really easy perk.

3 Great Ideas For Corporate Outings That Can Challenge Employees.

Healthy employees are productive, creative and energetic employees. When people feel better, they work better and play better with others. But the truth is, you can’t force anyone at your company to join the gym. On the same note, activities that challenge the mind serve great value as well, particularly in teams. Team building is the key to intracompany teamwork
So here are a few good ideas for your company’s next outing that don’t cost a ton but can offer an enormous reward.

Escape Rooms

This is a really trendy corporate outing these days. If you don’t know what escape rooms are all about, then get ready, because they are pretty darn cool. In an escape room, your staff put into teams of 2 to 12, are placed in a room and asked to figure out how to get out. They have to find keys, solve puzzles and gather/combine clues. They are timed, so this can be a great way to challenge other departments. You can google for local escape rooms, they are pretty affordable and are popping up everywhere these days.

Paintball

This one’s pretty well known these days, but you can’t say enough about how much fun it is. You can put employees in teams, or your company can go against other companies. The idea of shooting other people with blobs of paint bullets is just the most exciting thing I can think of. Everyone will love this. And there are no shortages of paintball places to choose from.

Softball

I know, you don’t always hear about this, but if your company is big enough, you can get together in a field and play a game. If you want to be a little more serious about it and do it more frequently, join a league!

A Holiday Party Employees Actually Want To Attend

 
It’s hard to believe the Holidays are just around the corner. If you haven’t started planning your company’s holiday party and you assume you are having one. You might just want to get on that…and with some speed. There are many options for gatherings and parties. There is something for every budget and every style. Most importantly, you want to have something that your employees will actually want to attend. Holiday office parties can be the best time a person has in the entire year. And then there are some who dread the event. Let’s discuss some ways to make it fun for everyone and every budget!

Healthy Budget

Wouldn’t it be nice to give your employees a night out on the town after a long year’s work? People love getting dressed up and going somewhere fancy, but it doesn’t always work out that way due to personal finances, having children or maybe not having a loved one. Bring everyone together in a formal environment. Set the date early in advance so people can coordinate their schedules. Allow a ‘plus 1’. If the singletons want to come solo, so be it. Those with significant others, bring them along. Hire a photographer to capture all of the fun and perhaps do portraits as well. Hey, it is not every day that people are dressed up in their finest. A sit-down dinner and then dancing is always a big hit. Hire a band to rock the night away. This also will boost company morale and break the inner office ice. Keynote: Send out a save the date a couple of months in advance so everyone has a chance to attend. A super hit would be providing door-to-door driver service. Another goodie could be on-site child care for the employees who cannot find a babysitter.

Small to Medium Budget

Treat the entire company to a meal out. This stays structured and keeps everyone together for the meal portion of the afternoon or evening. If some want to carry on to the bars afterward, then they can! If the budget is really limited, this option can be used for employees only and not a ‘plus 1’. Just be sure to personalize it! For an even smaller budget, provide a catered lunch (with or without alcohol). Have everyone stop working around 1:30 Pm and do lunch, mingle and maybe even have games.

No Budget

Some companies and offices might not have a budget for these kinds of things. That’s ok! Have someone coordinate a pot-luck. Everyone brings a meal. You can divide it up to have someone bring paper plates, plastic ware, and cups. What makes it personal is that everyone is giving and taking part in the planning of the event. This could be a fun one with or without a budget. This is a much better option than everyone meeting out and having to pay their own way.
Remember the part in the movie Bridesmaids when all of the girls tell Annie they want to go to Vegas, not the Lake House. That is pretty much what you are dealing with when planning an office event. There are many personalities to squeeze in one room and without the distraction of work (Computers, telephones ringing etc.). So it has to be something fun and entertaining. I know it is a bit early, but all of this talk makes me want to shout “Happy Holidays!”.

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