Your best W*rk related PERKS!

[Texas Proud]

I was not a high level employee but since I agreed to do some work overseas I will put down the one that I liked the most...


Free housing... I had an apartment in the center of London... within walking distance to the Queen... this lead to me traveling around the UK and some parts of Europe for the 14 months I was there... I still had my house so it was not a big money maker...


Then, more free housing... after that assignment they requested me to go to NYC, so had a nice apt in Manhattan where I could walk to work... enjoyed the life experience living in NYC and not having to pay for housing... But, 9-11 happened and I was the buildings come down out my window... they moved work over to Jersey and eventually moved me to the upper West side... that was very interesting...


This was cheating a bit, but my boss agreed to do it... I was able to fly home once a month... but if I found a ticket somewhere else that was cheaper than my ticket home she approved the costs.... so I flew to Europe a few times on long weekend holidays...


BTW, never made a lot of money while doing this, but I did have fun....

 

[jabbahop]

6 week extra “sabatical’ vacation every 5 years
Work remotely for 10 years
Company paid shut down 10 days over xmas/New Years and week of 4th of July

 

[rodi]

Free coffee. Except they kept changing coffee vendors in search of the crappiest coffee... (We, including my director, formed a coffee club where we took turns bringing in decent coffee beans and brewing it outside the break room.... the break room coffee was that bad!)

Got to use the corporate box seats for a Flyers game and for a Sixers game. They had a policy that if they weren't using the seats for customers, employees who had tickets to the game could ask to sit in the box.... Unfortunately, I never was able to get the access on games I went to with my husband... and somehow the HR Veep and his kids were sitting there. The games I did get to sit in the box were part of group rewards for meeting a deadline or testifying in an arbitration.

Used to get really nice holiday parties with booze, live music, at a fancy hotel. That went away and my department replaced it with a potluck lunch party.

Used to get a nice family oriented picnic each summer at the zoo, sea world, or some other fun place... that got replaced with an employee only barbeque.

(I suspected they didn't like employees meeting the families of their coworkers because they were trying to dehumanize us.)

Perks were pretty non-existent when I retired.

 

[Winemaker]

A unique perc no one else can match, was tons of house coal at cost, but I had to provide a truck to accept delivery.

I did receive RSU's and four rounds of options which doubled twice for stock splits.

Before there were 401ks, we had an investment plan that would match us 100% dollar for dollar, up to 6%. I contributed 25% of my pay since day 1, and never looked back. Once the dollar limits were established in 401ks, we maxed them out every year.

25 days vacation after 25 years, work 22 out of 28 days.

 

[kaneohe]

Profit sharing, stock options
DW worked at university so DD got 50% off tuition for 4 undergrad yrs. at
any college/university. After retiring DW took job at airline . Retirees retain flying privileges on mother airline/discounted flights on other airlines/ and discounts at some hotels.

 

[chilkoot]

Maybe not exactly a perk but definitely a benefit of the position...
I worked out of a satellite office servicing the company's far-flung clients. So my supervisor was located in an office about 100 miles away. I saw her maybe twice a year.

 

[HtownRose]

Last full time "real" job - I bought my ez tags but they paid all the tolls whether for commute, client visit, or personal.

Current part time "retirement" job - my mom & I fly standby for free (if domestic; pay only taxes for international) on my airline & big discount on many other airlines. Since I'm single I can designate 1 person a year who also has standby flight privileges on my airline. Big discount with FedEx.

 

[pjm-7]

When I was in the financial biz I got plenty of nice perks, trips, free booze, fancy dinners, etc.

However, the best perk I had was back when I was in college (1977) I spent the summer working for a major personal/household goods company. We got "bucks" for participating in quick trials of products (i.e. types of scents, looking at marketing ideas). Since I had long hair at the time (not colored or permed) I got my hair washed a lot and treated with new shampoo formulations. For that I got mucho "bucks".

With the "bucks" you could go to the company store and purchase soap, shampoo, toothpaste, tissues, laundry detergent and the like. I did not purchase laundry detergent again until my senior year of college. I still had soap and toothpaste when I moved to my first job.

There were fancier perks over the years, but nothing like all of the products that I did not have to purchase the rest of my years in college.

 

[Red Badger]

Here's a few from my first career...

International travel with conflict resolution opportunities

Weight control program (overweight? don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya)

Free daily workouts on company time with twice yearly assessments. Assessment not good? (see weight control)

Free use of a slightly used rifle (with a grenade launcher) and all the ammo you want. But ya gotta carry it everywhere, including the shitter and the shower, as well as the fart sack (sleeping bag).

Long term contracts- for them, maybe not for you. In fact, if involved in that whole "conflict resolution" stuff, your contract can be involuntarily extended indefinitely. I "enjoyed" a three year extension after 9-11.**

Free food. Often in an outdoor setting. Way, way outdoors. I was amazed at what mashed potatoes do in a downpour.

Getting paid to jump out of helicopters while getting paid to stay in the same damn chopper! (jump status while also crew status).

Best perk of all? Saluting the American flag at reveille and at retreat each day. Unlike the others listed, this one was one perk that was a solemn honor as well as a promise to the nation.

**but was honored to help carry the fight to the enemy


There is an old army adage that, "a soldier ain't happy unless he's bitching." I'm just bitching.

 

[Scrapr]

Road Warriors. Did you pick up the soap? Mrs Scrapr brought a couple zip lock bags of soap to our marriage

 

[aja8888]

Road Warriors. Did you pick up the soap? Mrs Scrapr brought a couple zip lock bags of soap to our marriage

I picked up hotel soap and shampoo for years. My two young daughters at the time loved it. I still have a bunch somewhere in the bathroom cabinet.

 

[Red Badger]

Road Warriors. Did you pick up the soap? Mrs Scrapr brought a couple zip lock bags of soap to our marriage

I collected them maniacally and gave them to a local veterans' home. Often, when the housekeepers learned of my motives, they became unindicted co conspirators!

Belated thanks to Marriott, Hilton, and IHG.

 

[T-Minus]

- Fully paid MBA
- Company car with everything covered
- 2x/yr retreats to various locations (part work, part fun)
- the ability to take key customers to just about any imaginable sporting event (Masters, America’s Cup, Super Bowl, etc.)
- Generous T & E account
- Private, big-name entertainment (many of my favorite bands in a very small venue)
- and last but not least, full use of every imaginable piece of technical equipment from room full of servers to drones (this is what I miss the most)

That said, retirement is the best!

 

[Lienlord]

Coming from a poor family (but apparently NOT poor enough to qualify for financial aid, nor smart enough to qualify for scholarships! Haha) I was blessed to get a job at a bank out of high school that offered tuition reimbursement. So I got my bachelor's degree paid for, but it did require working at least 30 hours per week.
A later job also offered tuition reimbursement, so I was able to get my MBA.
Currently serve as the Treasurer for a large school district, and although the pay isn't great there is a lot a leave time given (25 vacation days and 12 sick days per year).
My next "j*b" however, will provide unlimited leave time options!
Can't get here soon enough!

 

[scrabbler1]

Received shares of company stock whose value grew by 3000% by the time I left. Cashing it out has funded much of my retirement.


50%, then 75% company match on the 401k.


75% of group health insurance premiums (reduced to 50% when I worked part-time)


Finally joined the TransitChek program in 2001 which made much of my commuting costs tax deductible.


Killed the dress code in 1998, no more jacket and tie.


They let me work mostly from home for a few years which included some added PC security at no charge.

 

[lucky penny]

My first job was in the fashion industry, and a few times a year the bosses would throw open the closets and give away shoes and accessories that had been used for photo shoots. Picture a near-riot of women diving into large cartons of shoes trying to find a matching pair. Mostly the shoes were in larger sizes that would fit models, and since I have big feet I always did well in finding ones I could wear. The pay was paltry, but never since have I owned so many stylish shoes!

But maybe the best perk was the nap room. I discovered that the office of the staff's on-site doctor included a dimly lit room with 4 single beds, presumably available for anyone who wasn't feeling well to lie down for a bit. Well, sometimes on my lunch hour I went there and just snoozed. And sometimes, when my boss was away, those naps could last for hours.

W*rking there was boring, but the perks were seductive.

 

[23window]

Flying private and avoiding airport hassles. Nothing like having a plane and pilot ready when you are.

 

[Scuba]

This is a fun thread. My favorite/best perks were:
- Getting MBA paid for
- Lots of corporate entertainment - very nice dinners with free-flowing excellent wines, conferences, “team building” events, retreats, etc. Sometimes the program was to be dreaded, but the evenings were fun.
- Extensive international travel, allowing me to add on personal travel inexpensively.
- DH accompanied me to Europe on business trips many times at low cost
- Most of the last 10 years of my career, a very flexible work schedule including working from home at least 2 days/week.
- Great benefits, which I didn’t fully appreciate at the time, but taken together have allowed us to ER. I do miss the health insurance though!

 

[gamboolman]

As a working hand in the oilpatch that after 40 years in the business - now a manager but no where to executive level. Having a job with megacorp benefits and getting paid is something we are very thankful for.

As to perks.....

Your Job Is Your Bonus ! And in the Oilpatch - Everday's a Holiday !

Lifes A Dance And You Learn As You Go

 

[target2019]

Free college. 4% match in 401k. Free coffee for awhile.

 

[foxfirev5]

I travelled full-time with numerous perks. Company vehicle, cell phones, computer etc. My expenses far exceeded my income. However I certainly don't miss it at all.

Now I'm reaping the benefits of a 401k with a healthy match and annual company fixed contributions, RMSA and HSA also with company match and so far - retiree medical.

I much prefer the latter to the former.

 

[marko]

Road Warriors. Did you pick up the soap? Mrs Scrapr brought a couple zip lock bags of soap to our marriage

No, but a guy who worked for me would clean out the entire room. Soap, toilet paper, sheets, towels, pillow cases...everything but the TV. He would actually bring an additional suitcase along.

I called him on it once and he really believed that it was all his for the taking; had some weird view of the world.

 

[DrRoy]

All the airline and hotel points, personal car miles paid at a rate much higher than my cost, concert tickets when I took a customer, cell phone - even when on vacation out of the US.

 

[wrigley]

ESOP..........."Free Money"

4% matching 401k

Flex working hours

Free coffee

Tuition reimbursement

Casual dress code

Travel (If I want it)

 

[Music Lover]

Not a monetary perk but a time perk...compressed work hours.

I was allowed to work 9 hour days but was only required to work 37.5 hours a week. So, I'd work 36 hours from Monday to Thursday and take 3 consecutive Fridays off. On the 4th Friday I'd work 6 hours which was the remaining 1.5 hours for each of the 4 weeks.

Over a year, that added up to about 36 extra days off, which is basically 7 weeks of vacation in addition to my normal vacation allotment. When a Monday statutory holiday came along I'd have a 4 day weekend followed by a 3 day week, followed by a 3 day weekend, in effect only working 3 of 10 days.