Benefits you can offer your employees that are creative, unique and inexpensive.

For a small business, offering employee benefits can be a tough road. You value your employees & what they add to your business, but the cost can be prohibitive. Health care & retirement plans are kind of the gold standard, but there are lots of unique & low cost ways to show your employees how much you appreciate them.

Self Care Stipend

I read about this a long time ago, and it’s such a fun idea! Monthly or quarterly, or whatever you can afford, each employee is allotted an amount (let’s say $100) & they have to spend it on a treat. New headphones, a massage, a great meal, anything unnecessary is fair game as long as they submit a receipt.

Access to a tool you already pay for

You’re already paying for apps & software, so why not make the most of it? Many of the tools you already pay for have free or low cost ways to add additional users. For Missoula Bookkeeper, that means employees get free access to their own QuickBooks account to track their finances & a personal password manager account.

Wellness benefits

Wellness is more than just health insurance. Gym memberships, access to mental health tools, smoking cessation programs, or financial wellness training all contribute to the overall wellness of your employees.

Personal development

Employees with outside interests are much happier & more productive. Why not spring for a course or training in any subject they are interested in? An online membership to a library of topics like One Commune, Udemy, or Coursera are all low cost options.

Tickets / gift cards

If your financial situation dictates that your appreciation is a little more “now and then”, tickets to an event or a gift card is a perfect option. When you have a little extra cash, grab a gift card or two and save them to recognize special effort or other milestones.

Employee discounts, weekly lunches, and casual Fridays are great, but sometimes you gotta get creative to really set your business apart and keep great employees. Your funds may be limited, but there are a million ways to show your employees that you value their contributions. What unique and inexpensive ways have you given back to your employees? Let us know in the comments.