What would you love your office to provide to improve your wellbeing?

[NotPennysBoat]

I've got an interview next week where I'll be asked about my ideas for initiatives to implement to improve employee wellbeing, and although I've got a few ideas they all seem pretty standard offerings.

It's a large office-based environment, and obviously only hypothetical at this stage so no restrictions and budget no object (but nothing too silly - weekly visits from Cillian Murphy wouldn't fly!).

I'd love to hear of any amazing things your companies do, or what you wish they'd do!

I'm not sure if you're being tongue in cheek, but I detest dress down Friday. I can do business smart or scruffy. Casual but still suitable for work requires a whole other level of thought (and cost).

Free drinks s a minimum. Please don’t do the compulsory step challenge thing, there was a thread about people having to use their lunch hour to do it and it was miserable. If you bring in dogs, bring them to another room for those with allergies/genuine fear. Increasing staffing level and having people help each other out rather than “not my job”
trying to offload constantly.

Friday afternoons off. Something I think PWC now implement in the summer. Leave at 1. Productivity has increased.

If the business is sufficiently non corporate or customer facing to allow dress down Friday then the whole dress code should be relaxed. Stuffy suits are either needed or not.

mine used to have sports and social subsidised things like yoga and Pilates after work, and a regular therapist to do neck and back massages (on your own time). It helped the business too as muscular skeletal issues are a big cause of absence. It was prevention rather than cure.

Other than that - tea, coffee, fridge, microwave and regular bake sales, a summer BBQ and a Xmas mince pie morning. The little things really add up.

we were very lucky to have a great outdoor space

We also have a well-being fund that people can bid for. For example there was a lunchtime paint / draw club for all levels and the fund paid for some basic materials. People loved that club!

God, my employer is forever sending us fucking brownies and thank you cards. They even employed someone to tell them how to do this. What they really need to do is pay us enough that we don't have to claim tax credits to pay our bloody rent and stop micro managing us.

Wellbeing my arse.

Gym membership would be good.

I have to say, my company is very good at this (why am I leaving?!?).

Things we currently have:
Holiday that increases after you've been at the company 1, 2 and 5 years (plus an annual company day)
PMI and a health cashback plan
Tea and coffee as standard in office
Frequent team meals/events/etc (but not too much!)
Great Xmas parties
Bonus scheme
Xmas gift from manager
Flexible working

Things that we've had previously that Covid has interrupted:
Massage therapist (employee pays) for seated massages once a month or so
Puppies in office
Nail technician in office (TBF, this was a one-off)
Fresh fruit weekly
Monthly office drinks
Summer party
Voluntary work support and charity support

And a well trained management team (at least the ones I report to!) who give a LOT of importance to their staff's wellbeing.

Agree totally.

We get cakes/chocolate sometimes - which I can only eat on special occasions unless I want to be the size of a house - so they just get given to my husband. Great. Why not use the money they spend on things that some people don't even want to give us a payrise?