8 work perks you wish you had

By Melinda Fulmer

Receptionist Chipper "Bro" Bell isn't making tons of money. But he's convinced he's got one of the best jobs in the country. That's because his employer, outdoor-gear maker Patagonia, lets Bell satisfy his personal aquatic passion: taking off three months each summer unpaid to run a surf school.

More and more, experts say, companies are taking a chance on innovative benefits such as sabbaticals in an attempt to attract and retain the best employees.

Though a generous one-size-fits-all package of health insurance, vacations and a 401(k) plan used to do the trick, prospective employees today are looking for perks that help them address work-life balance and satisfy their creative needs, human-resources experts say.

"I think what we are seeing more of . . . is a total rewards package," says Rick Beal, a managing consultant at benefits firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

Some of these rewards, such as paid sabbaticals, on-site child-care centers and subsidized elder care, can come with a high price tag for employers. Others, such as concierge services and takeout meals, cost far less and have the added bonus for employers of keeping workers at their desks longer.

Many of these in-demand benefits aren't new or revolutionary. But surprisingly, analysts say, they are still the exception rather than the rule.

What is clear, analysts say, is that benefits -- other than health-care coverage -- are getting richer. Here's a look at some of the best work perks in the country and some of the companies offering them:

Paid and unpaid sabbaticals

Forget vacations. Think monthlong paid trips to work with the Sierra Club in Hawaii or summers off to river raft without losing medical benefits. To keep employees committed or keep them from burning out, more companies are offering several-month unpaid sabbaticals or shorter paid charitable stints.

Take Bell's employer, Patagonia, for instance. Its employees can take up to four months off without pay annually to take care of personal business. During that time, Patagonia pays to keep up the employee's health-care coverage and professional dues. For those taking one of its environmental internships to preserve beaches or wilderness land, the times comes with full pay, a nod to its eco-conscious brand image.

For companies that have to hire additional manpower, these sabbaticals aren't cheap. In some cases, they can backfire as employees decide to quit or spend the time looking for another job. But for many, experts say, they can provide a helpful safety net when a personal crisis looms, help bolster a company's image and aid employees in managing stress.

"I field between 1,800 to 2,000 calls a day," said Bell, a receptionist. "When I leave (in the summer), I'm so ready for that submersion (in the ocean) all day. When I come back to work, I'm so energized."

Set your own hours

"We are seeing more interesting things happening with time off and work hours," says Carol Sladek, a principal at Hewitt Associates and leader of its unit for work-life balance. "Companies are trying to get away from the 9-to-5 mentality."

About 70% of the Minneapolis corporate-headquarters employees at Best Buy set their own schedules, working just enough hours at whatever location they like to meet certain agreed-upon performance objectives.

The program was developed after benefits managers kept hearing employees ask, "Can't you just trust me to do what I need to do to get the job done?" said Best Buy spokeswoman Dawn Bryant. Though its people may not get much face time, productivity among these teams has jumped 33%, according to one report.

Lisa Anderson, an information-technology recruiter at OpTech in Detroit, also has a tremendous amount of freedom in her schedule. One week she might work 20 hours; the next she might put in 50 or 70 to achieve her goals. No one, including owner Ronia Kruse, keeps track.

"I work my butt off, believe me," Anderson says. "But all Ronia is looking for is people getting their work done."

The flexible schedule allows Anderson to go in to work after her 10-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter leave for school. She's back at home by 3 p.m. to help with homework and keep an eye on them.

"I want to be here so I know where they are and who's coming over," Anderson says. "I think this makes me a more loyal employee."

On-site child care

Surprisingly, only 4% of the companies surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management offer child care at work. The reason? It's expensive, takes up a lot of company space and time, and can present liability problems, says Beal, of Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

Still, for those using it, it's a resource that gives parents more time to spend with their children during lunch hours, plus a quicker commute because they don't have to make a separate trip to drop off the kids.

Six Johnson & Johnson regional centers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey offer infant and preschool care. Patagonia and Rodale, a Pennsylvania media company, offer after-school care as well, according to a survey by Working Mother magazine. Discovery Communications in Maryland offers its employees up to five days of in-home baby-sitting if a child-care emergency arises. And it's not just parents being offered child-care benefits. Increasingly, grandparents are allowed to help out their adult children by providing access to quality, subsidized day care.

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