Set up Employee Perks that are Creative, "Cool" and not Expensive.

So you are not a Silicone Valley employer and you cannot afford free meals, child care, a year of parental leave or unlimited vacation time.  So what?  That doesn't mean that your benefit package needs to be same old, same old.  You can still be creative, cool and affordable.  Here are some ways to accomplish that, according to INC. writer Diana Ransom.

1.  Allow your employees to take a day off periodically to volunteer at a social agency.  Maybe you are already a social agency but doing this gives your employees a view of how things are at other agencies and maybe they will appreciate your place more.  They may also have opportunity to rub shoulders with corporate volunteers and might be eager to learn about what you are doing.
2.  Provide subsidized shares at a local community supported agriculture garden.  Great opportunity for your employees to learn about growing great, natural food.
3.  Subsidized gym memberships.  Negotiate with a local fitness center about a bulk membership purchase and you'll get the per person rate down very low.
4.  Give employees $100 per year to assist in their purchase of a non-motorized vehicle (bike, kayak, roller skates).   Physical activity not only builds health but fights of depression and the loss of their "mojo".
5.  Make benefit changes as flexible as possible.  Everyone is different.  Yes, it will cost more to coordinate but the savings might be more than made up in reduced turnover.
6.  Have focus group discussions employees annually to review their needs and interests with regard to perks.
7.  Tie perks to the bottom line.  Yes, some of them are very nice, but the reason they exist is to make the organization more effective and efficient.  If a perk is costing more than the savings it produces, chances are it should not survive.