The Work Perks You wish to have

  • I was reading an article about employer work perk.

    Typical benefits of most companies offer

    health plan, 401K, dental plan, vision plan, long term and short term disability, life insurance, paid vacation, paid holidays, flexible spending account for health or child care, education reimbursement and retirement health benefit.

    Six Johnson and Johnson regional centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey offer infant and preschool care. Eligible employees at Fannie Mae can also obtain a loan to use toward their down payment and closing costs. At some companies, such as American Express, employees can buy vacation time with pretax dollars, using the time as an insurance policy against personal business or just to take that extended tour of Europe.  SAS offes free on-site health care center, and the recreation & fitness center. In addions, SAS supplements its benefits with less expensive, "convenience benefits" which help employees take little responsibilities off their already-full plates including dry cleaning, car detailing, oil changes, hair salon, massage, seasonal tax assistance and UPS shipping.

    Research conducted this year by the Employee Benefit Research Institute reported that 77 percent of workers believe the benefits a prospective employer offers are very important in their decision to accept or reject a job.

    So what kind of work perks that you really want?

     

  • I do contract work so I don't get benefits although my previous engagement I had to option for bare bone benefit but I opted out.  If I take full time position I would like college tution paid package and many vacation days and I find HR people dishonest cheats who are always trying to save the employer money.

     

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • Biggest thing for me is on-site shower. Nice to be able to run/bike/basketball/soccer, etc. and get clean after lunch.

  • My previous contract had that part of the building a fitness center with showers on the third floor but I  did not use it because of winter and I left by summer the pesky problem of the employer not providing development tools to develop reports spanning 150 tables with 50-100 columns.  I could not relate to it because tools make a difference.

     

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • I just started a new job after being at my last one for 12 year.  I went from a small company that was barely scraping by with a staff of 6 people to a multi-billion dollar portfolio investment management company.  Culture shock.

    Perks:  Christmas bonuses that don't get canceled because of a down quarter.  Timely performance reviews.  Having an IT manager that I dont have to beg for upgraded hardware or software.  I write software and SQL, if I 'need' it, I get it.  Full medical, dental, vision AT NO COST.  It's amazing how something like that adds up because not only does it save me money,my wife can drop her policy thru work and it adds like $75/mth back.  Disability and pension plan.  A fully stocked kitchen with snacks, fruit, coffee, soda, tea and for those poor sobs who end up working late there are 2 cases of beer in the fridge.  A brand new Blackberry 8800 with like 2000min/month. The final icing on the cake is that the company buys lunch for all of their employees every friday... and everytime it's someones birthday, or everytime we have some bigwig from our parent company out.

    The only downside is that I've gained about 10 pounds in 3 months of working here

    Now I just have to try and figure out why I'm not happy...

    Chris

  • What company is it?  Maybe I should apply for a job there !

  • I think it would be nice if I didn't have to get a note from a doctor (about a back problem) in order to get a decent desk chair. No, there's nothing wrong with my back, I would just like for the company to upgrade our furniture a little ! Maybe one of those Henry Miller Aeron chairs - or even a knock off?

  • Hear, hear, James!  Having to explain why you want a wrist pad for your keyboard or monitor risers so you don't strain your neck ("Why didn't you need this before?" they ask) or even the whole chair thing is a pain in the butt.

    Why do I need an adjustable chair? Because I'm SHORT and all the current chairs are so darn big I feel like a kid with my feet dangling off the floor.  Plus it hurts my back and knees to not be able to reach the desk or the floor. DUH!

    Sorry, little bit of a rant there. @=)  My last Customer Service job was a pain (literally) because I couldn't even convince them to lower the desk for me. 

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Window, gotta be a window - well maybe not.

    Pro's - I can see what a beautiful day it is outside.

    Con's - I can see what a beautiful day it is outside... I'll be lucky to get out of here before midnight.

     

  • Joe - you must be working in Linux systems. The rest of us already have windows. Vista, XP, 2000....

    I've not had a window in my office space since 2001. Maybe earlier. It's been so long, I don't remember anymore.

  • <GROAN!>  Steve, you're killing us!

    @=)

    Other perks, ability to work from home while waiting for the Maytag repair man / cable guy / etc.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • <<lower the desk for me>> <<feet dangling off the floor>> heh heh you're kidding right Brandie? Can't you use a cushion? Have you tried sitting on the desk on the monitor riser?

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
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  • @Thwap!  @=)

    My predecessor was 6 feet plus some inches tall.  The desk and chair were sized for him and I couldn't wrestle the desk loose and reset it by myself.  No one was willing to help, not even the boss.

    My life there was like a scene from "Alice in Wonderland"...

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

  • Ouch! Self-inflicted, no sympathy. Anyway, hitting my knee with your fist probably hurt you more than it hurt me!

    Seriously though, it matters a lot, and I'm appalled you didn't get help from your colleagues. There's a recent thread started by some poor girl who's getting RSI from bad seating. Claims against companies for RSI caused by "poor equipment" have been in the press over here for a while now, you would think HR would sit up and take notice. I'm sure there are many who use this forum who have been affected at some point or another.

    “Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw

    For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
    Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
    Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

  • RSI?  Haven't heard that acronym before. 

    I hate to say it, but I can see why companies are so resistant to buying ergonomic furniture.  First, it's more expensive than the standard stuff.  Second, I've actually heard of people requesting stuff they don't need.  Third, if you have to change out a chair or desk or PC-related side items with every new employee you get, your budget goes down the drain and you can't use the money for the stuff really needed.

    My problem at my former workplace was exacerbated by the other people who were demanding silly stuff like anti-bacterial hand gel because they had "allergies".  (Don't knock me on this one.  I am allergic to pratically *everything* on this planet and that stupid gel doesn't prevent hives, sneezing or hayfever.)  Anyway, it was really stupid and I had to spend my own money to get a foot rest and an ergonomic chair I could adjust 5 ways.  And since I bought them, I took them with me when I left.  Now I have an ergo chair at home that works perfectly in my home office.  @=)

    Fortunately, my current workplace is a little more cognizant of that sort of stuff.  They only ask for proof on the really weird stuff or stuff that seems a little out of whack.  I.E., wrist wraps or ergo chairs that are more expensive than the ones they already have.  Or if you suddenly, after several years of working there, start asking for this stuff when you apparently didn't need it before.

    Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

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