11 Startup Perks That Actually Attract Potential Hires

A higher salary is not the only consideration for many job applicants. Perks or benefits – like good insurance or a “coolness factor” – can influence applicants’ decisions.

Question: What’s one company perk or benefit you are offering that has actually been influential in why recent hires chose your offer over another?

Remote Work Environment

"Using a combination of cloud-collaborative tools, our employees can work from any place in the world. A combination of Podio, Skype, Join.me, Google Drive and Hangouts allows us to organize project and task management, while everyone can work from the comfort of home. Sporadic team meetings solidify the team environment and collaborative aspect. Freedom and flexibility are great perks!"


Paid Health Insurance For Employees and Their Loved Ones

"We not only offer health insurance but pay for the health insurance of our employees and their families. A recent hire said that it gave her peace of mind and meant a great deal that we not only said that her health is important but put our money where our heart is by making sure she and those she cares about are covered."


Meaningful Projects

"We are focused on making an impact. We choose customers that we can help in the biggest way and take it very seriously. We work on internal projects that could help find a cure for cancer. Our recent hires want to be a part of that type of culture."


Coolness Factor

"In a less-competitive business locale, people are happy to work for a cool and growing business, especially when they feel as if they are part of a group really making a difference in the world. We receive numerous awards and land major press. AcousticSheep employees are able to routinely brag to family and friends about their really great company, especially when they show up on TV."


Reimbursement for Professional Events

"If you want to attend a conference or join a networking group, we’ll reimburse you. We respect people who want to enhance their skills and realize that it gives our employee and company a competitive edge."


Work Abroad Days and Travel Assistance

"My company offers five 'work abroad' days every year, which means that the employee can do their work from anywhere in the world. In addition to that, we offer to pay 25 percent of their airfare for international travel. This is really appealing to go-getters who want to explore the world, and those are the type of people I want at my company."


Effective and Fun Training

"We have a very strong training program that is both very effective and fun for new hires. We offer one week of classroom training, followed by shadowing with the top recruiter."


Ability to Have an Impactful Voice

"Employees at goBRANDgo! are given lots of perks (unlimited PTO, flex time, retreats, catered lunches, etc.), but none of them are as valuable as the ability to influence positive change on how their role and the company as a whole is executed. The promise of autonomy and having an impactful voice is a magnet for employees who are entrepreneurially-minded."


An Excellent Company Culture

"Besides traditional benefits and perks, a big reason employees chose my company is because of our culture. I make sure to let potential employees know that we will value them for their diversity and individuality, and prize them for their unique skills while allowing them to flourish. This attracts happy and motivated employees who are interested in more than a paycheck."


An All-Star Social Committee

"Despite being a relatively small team, we have formed a social committee to organize company-wide events. These have included sporting events, BBQs, axe-throwing, scavenger hunts and charitable events. The fact that a group is organizing these events demonstrates our commitment to extracurricular activities which is reassuring to a candidate."


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11 Startup Perks That Actually Attract Potential Hires

A higher salary is not the only consideration for many job applicants. Perks or benefits – like good insurance or a “coolness factor” – can influence applicants’ decisions.

Question: What’s one company perk or benefit you are offering that has actually been influential in why recent hires chose your offer over another?

Remote Work Environment

"Using a combination of cloud-collaborative tools, our employees can work from any place in the world. A combination of Podio, Skype, Join.me, Google Drive and Hangouts allows us to organize project and task management, while everyone can work from the comfort of home. Sporadic team meetings solidify the team environment and collaborative aspect. Freedom and flexibility are great perks!"


Paid Health Insurance For Employees and Their Loved Ones

"We not only offer health insurance but pay for the health insurance of our employees and their families. A recent hire said that it gave her peace of mind and meant a great deal that we not only said that her health is important but put our money where our heart is by making sure she and those she cares about are covered."


Meaningful Projects

"We are focused on making an impact. We choose customers that we can help in the biggest way and take it very seriously. We work on internal projects that could help find a cure for cancer. Our recent hires want to be a part of that type of culture."


Coolness Factor

"In a less-competitive business locale, people are happy to work for a cool and growing business, especially when they feel as if they are part of a group really making a difference in the world. We receive numerous awards and land major press. AcousticSheep employees are able to routinely brag to family and friends about their really great company, especially when they show up on TV."


Reimbursement for Professional Events

"If you want to attend a conference or join a networking group, we’ll reimburse you. We respect people who want to enhance their skills and realize that it gives our employee and company a competitive edge."


Work Abroad Days and Travel Assistance

"My company offers five 'work abroad' days every year, which means that the employee can do their work from anywhere in the world. In addition to that, we offer to pay 25 percent of their airfare for international travel. This is really appealing to go-getters who want to explore the world, and those are the type of people I want at my company."


Effective and Fun Training

"We have a very strong training program that is both very effective and fun for new hires. We offer one week of classroom training, followed by shadowing with the top recruiter."


Ability to Have an Impactful Voice

"Employees at goBRANDgo! are given lots of perks (unlimited PTO, flex time, retreats, catered lunches, etc.), but none of them are as valuable as the ability to influence positive change on how their role and the company as a whole is executed. The promise of autonomy and having an impactful voice is a magnet for employees who are entrepreneurially-minded."


An Excellent Company Culture

"Besides traditional benefits and perks, a big reason employees chose my company is because of our culture. I make sure to let potential employees know that we will value them for their diversity and individuality, and prize them for their unique skills while allowing them to flourish. This attracts happy and motivated employees who are interested in more than a paycheck."


An All-Star Social Committee

"Despite being a relatively small team, we have formed a social committee to organize company-wide events. These have included sporting events, BBQs, axe-throwing, scavenger hunts and charitable events. The fact that a group is organizing these events demonstrates our commitment to extracurricular activities which is reassuring to a candidate."


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