The Ultimate Office Perks

Back in the day, it felt like a real treat when you could pinch a few biscuits from a meeting and be allowed to leave fifteen minutes early on a Friday afternoon.  Nowadays the top firms are so determined to hire and keep the best staff that they are offering outrageous perks that wouldn't have even been dreamt of years ago. Here are some examples of the most extravagant office perks:



Massages

These seem to be all the rage at the moment with a surprising number of firms in both the UK and US offering their staff regular massages to help them relax in a stressful environment.

Helter Skelter

An office complex in Sheffield has installed a three story high helter skelter right in the middle of the building.  Best to avoid the skirt suits in that office.

A barge and kayaks

Lots of companies offer leisure facilities to their staff but one in Worcester has taken it to new levels.  Their CEO bought a barge that can be taken out on special occasions or hired by staff and kayaks that employees can use during their lunch hours.  This is probably more popular in the summer.

Concierges

S C Johnson in the US have provided the ultimate convenience for their staff by having concierges doing chores like sending packages, picking up groceries and taking cars in for service for them.  Is this a perk or is this a late-excuse eliminator?

Wii

Another US company, in Boston, have a special Wii room where employees can play games and relax.  When the boss plays, they probably let him/her win.

Fitness Centre

Office gyms are nothing new but Chesapeake Energy don't just have the usual running machines and weights in theirs.  They have a climbing wall, an Olympic sized swimming pool and a sand volley ball court too.

Alcoholic Beverages

Most people have gone out for drinks with their colleagues and even their boss but two firms in America have taken this idea further.  One has monthly wine tasting sessions for their staff and the other has 'Fine Liquor Friday' where they give $300 to a local liquor store and the employees can take what they want.

Google

Google is not a perk; it is a company that offers lots of them.  Working at Google's head office, staff can use the play room, have their car washed, take part in yoga sessions and have dinner as well as lunch for free.

With perks like that it's no wonder that Google receives over two million job applications every year.