What's been your best work perk?

[gildalily]

I was reminded on one of those fb nostalgia posts about Luncheon Vouchers. In my first job I got luncheon vouchers as a perk. I think it was about 50p a day. The idea was you put them towards buying your lunch and in those days (1989) lots of places accepted them in payment. It was a nice perk if the job at the time and I'd save mine up and go for a pizza once every couple of months. It seems like an ancient concept now.

I then moved to work at M&S head office where the perks were amazing and legendary - hairdresser; chiropodist; staff discount; medical area like a full-on hospital with nurse; discount; fed at all lunches and breaks (and after work if you wanted!) for £10 a month. I think I lucked out perk-wise there.

What have your best perks at work been? Official or unofficial

Free breakfast (toast / yoghurt/ granola), free fruit , birthday day off , flu vaccines , conference (although a lot smaller / local than used to be ),

When I was a student I got a job at a large butchers chain. The money was okay and the work was quite hard (but I needed the cash..). The bit I did not realise is that every Friday we were given a big bag of meet to take home... steak, sausages, burgers, all manner of things. My student house was very happy!

Flexitime (although that is only for longstanding members of staff).
Wellbeing hour every week.
Discounted gym membership.

Weeks and weeks of holiday.Work in a school with no work to do.in the holidays as non teaching staff.

When I taught at an international school we had private medical insurance, return flights once a year, free lunches, paid for nights and days out and use of the large swimming pool. I miss it sometimes!

When I worked at the university library and got the journal articles I needed while I was stacking shelves

At uni I worked in our halls' catering team, and we got a free full meal after every shift - main and dessert, and any drink we liked for free. I didn't pay more than £10 a month on groceries during my second and third years. That was great!
Current and previous jobs both offer free flu jabs. Current job I have 30% staff discount on all products (naice furniture website) but since that only brings a £3K sofa down to £2100 that's not really something I'm in a position to take up!

Free parking
Free uniform
Free COVID and flu vacc

40 tickets to Merlin attractions worldwide and 40% off lego

Unlimited holidays
Free lunch
Free snacks and drinks
Free alcohol
Flexi working (after this whole covid thing happened but will continue)
Free mobile phone and payment of bills
Free work laptop of your choice
Good pension
Massage person comes in once a month

I thought my place was amazing but looking at all the glory day perks we've been missing out haha

City breaks to top European destinations, box tickets for ascot and rugby events. Expensive Christmas parties ....

Aviation - staff fares.

Car and fuel card including private mileage, iphone, bonus scheme, health care, school hours!

Current job, flexitime, definitely. We have some restrictions in that we have to be at work for core hours in the middle of the day. But we have completely flexible lunch, start and finish time and can clock up flexi to take as leave which is great for appointments, school things etc.

One previous bar job I got discounts in local businesses, unofficially, and we discounted drinks for local businesses, unofficially. So cheap haircuts, takeaways, dry cleaning and drink in other bars. That suited me really well at the time.

Not dreading going in. I've had some horrible work places but I love where I am now. Eradicating that anxiety every morning is priceless and definitely my favourite perk.

@MrsHa 40% off Lego would be my dream perk! It would save me a fortune 😂

Free theatre tickets every week.
Free tea and coffee. Wonderful colleagues is the best perk, though.
In a previous role, free lunch if I worked a long day. Free parking. A high street voucher every Christmas, and flowers on a big birthday.
Not so wonderful colleagues were the reason I left, though...

@Longingforatikihut that really is a perk if you've been in the situation you describe.

I went on Concorde twice

I am very old though

Ages ago, when I worked for an airline.

Honeymoon concession of return flights to Nairobi for £16 each.
Same fare for taking parents ditto, but you had to accompany them one way.

As a lawyer - subsidised canteen with great food, free parking in the middle of London, great medical and dental cover, free ££££ meals if working late, discounted car scheme.

I now run a food bank. The main perk is that at the end of most working days there is an excess of supermarket stock that needs to be eaten or binned so we usually make off with something - M&S doughnuts, non-dairy milk that can’t be frozen, loads of Easter eggs (the week after Easter), fruit and veg.

Car - got this when my role was field based. Ok I paid for it in tax and it was necessary for the job, but I would never in a million years buy/lease a car that nice. I miss it though!

Flexi time - I can choose my hours

Free travel system when having a baby! (I work for a baby product company)

2 weeks off over Christmas and new year

Worked in an office but got to take my dog to work with me!

@Keepyourdistance000

Option to buy and sell holiday, meaning up to 35 days annual leave a year.

On site gym

Fitness instructor sessions

Exercise classes including yoga and pilates

Free parking

Free annual parties and social events

Modern, eco friendly office

Forgot to mention another company which sold holiday property in Spain, France and Portugal. As part of the sales team, there was a week long 'sales trip' every couple of months to these places, but they were actually drunken jollies. Staying up until the early hours drinking cocktails at random bars in Alicante, spending long sunny afternoons drinking wine in Andalusia....

We also frequently travelled to various shows around the UK, and again these often ended up as drunken jollies too. The Blackpool weekend was particularly fun.

Unfortunately the recession in the late 00's had a huge effect on the overseas property industry, but I look back very fondly on those carefree days of travel.

Sometimes I bring a biro home with me by mistake.....