Employee benefits ideas

[okonaut]

I'd really like to build an employee benefit package to show our appreciation of our permanent staff. I think this is a good thing to do for a number of reasons, but haven't yet decided on the best way to go about it.

One item we'd like to offer (that the staff are very keen on) is free gym membership. I like that idea as it encourages a healthier lifestyle and seems like a positive thing for the company to encourage.

I'm also looking at things like health cover (confusing) and wondering what other things we can do that are positive, hopefully tax efficient (tricky) and help set us apart from other firms a bit.

I'm just wondering if anyone else does anything (or receives anything) similar.

 

[Walkol]

We currently offer gym memberships. However, what we are looking to move to is to offer a more flexible benefit. What has provisionally been put forward is an allowance that all employees can draw down on for anything that can be described as aiding wellbeing - ie gym/sports memberships, sports equipment, dental, health care etc etc. The onus is on the employee to sort out and pay for these items themselves, and the company will reimburse up to a certain limit these expenses upon production of receipts etc.

This creates minimal admin work for the company, all they need to do is check the receipts and pay the money over, keeping track of who has received what etc. Then the total benefit gets reported on the P11'ds.

You can always increase the value open to employees on a tiered system increasing each year of employment to add as a further incentive.

Personally, I think this works well as it offers more flex than just limiting it to gyms.

 

[amitaharij]

Its a very nice idea!

 

[PuddlePayroll]

Some ideas for you....
Increasing holiday allowance
Company maternity/paternity/adoption pay
Occupational sick pay
Cycle Scheme
Private medical insurance or health cash plans are a great (cheaper) alternative
Free lunch
Bonus schemes
Death in service
Critical Illness insurance
Life insurance
Corporate discounts
Loyalty rewards

 

[Ashley_Price]

One item we'd like to offer (that the staff are very keen on) is free gym membership.

Why not implement some of the ideas your staff have given you? I am assuming you have asked them, as you say gym membership is something they are keen on (or have you just assumed that?)

 

[AlwaysElysium]

In this digital age, the workplace is a physical as well as emotional source of stress.

To keep staff healthy needs a good work / life balance, but also means to keep staff on an even keel before any chance of career burnout stress.

Head neck and back massage regularly to deal with the back stress of computer work.
Look up Tripadvisor to see professionalism of masseuse and also ask the massage business if they have a massage bed, with a face cut out so your head neck and back and properly aligned without the stress of turning your head one side or another.

Ask also if the back massage includes hot stone?

A whole body massage is also useful for forearms hand and finger to forfend against RSI.

Does the gym membership offer accredited massage professionals?

Computers age eyes and hasten the arthritis of age.

Making sure staff go offline when on holiday is also vital, or at least make sure they schedule no more than an hour in any day when away from work. Breaks from work are necessary to maintain emotional health and forfend against burnout.

All this helps you to keep your key staff from what could be long term sick absence, not good for either of you.

Hope this helps.

 

[pioneer22]

Day off on their birthday?
Gym membership?
Paying for education or training?
Flexible working hours
Staff days out / team building days / staff lunches

 

[harper101]

That free gym membership sounds great. That will make the employee feel that you are concern for their health and welfare.

Some other activities will help too (as mentioned by above posts), in order to develop friendships and to trust to each other. I'm certain that transparency and faith to one another is a big factor to business success, for you are better together!

 

[David Griffiths]

.... the company will reimburse up to a certain limit these expenses upon production of receipts etc.

This creates minimal admin work for the company, all they need to do is check the receipts and pay the money over, keeping track of who has received what etc. Then the total benefit gets reported on the P11'ds.

I know this is a couple of months old, but I've only just seen it. Have you checked with your accountants that you are accounting for this correctly on P11d?

You aren't providing a benefit, you are giving them money for an expense incurred in their own name. At first sight, that should go through the payroll in the normal way and is subject to tax and full Class 1 NICs, not class 1A

The devil is always in the detail, but I'd recommend that you check this