People ask, why does the performance of a company depend on the efficiency of its employees? Time has changed and with it the priorities of people have changed. Employees now expect for more than just getting paid. Retaining and satisfying the needs of their employees is getting more challenging for employers.

After hiring human-resources based on their talents and capabilities – if an employer fails in retaining their enthusiasm and attachment to their job – the strength of their business is going to fall. Major companies have started to adopt various perks, which range from traditional employee benefits to some really quirky and creative ways to keep the employee motivation up and bring out the optimal 100.

Here are some of the creative perks one can adapt to retain their top talent and make their business shine:

Telecommuting Options

The list of the 2014 Best Companies to Work For shows that more than 86 percent of companies offer some kind of flex time for their employees to work from home. It has in fact become a standard practice in some industries and companies have started to understand the fact that telecommuting is no more a privilege but par to the package. As a recent study at Stanford University found that employees who telecommute are 13.5 percent more likely to give their best and work overtime.

In-Office Gym and Recreational facilities

At Clif Bar & Co. you are actually paid for a weekly workout. Why? Because the company found that physically and mentally sound employees can give their best for the company. A recent study has shown that health and fitness is one of the high priority benefits ranked by the employees while hunting for jobs.

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Additionally, gym and recreation facilities inside offices save operational time for companies as the employees do not have to move outside the office premises to get refreshed.

Health Benefits:

Most companies have started employee health program and encourage their employees to take much water and fiber rich drinks while working. Elixir Technologies in Pakistan have a veggie-day and a fruit-only day in their monthly menu to balance the diet intake of their staff.

Salesforce, a tech-company in San Francisco has gone a bit further and provides its employees with a monthly reimbursement for massages and nutrition.

Flexibility

Gone are the days when managers had to make sure that employees are on their desk, working all day long. In modern companies, flexibility in official work has become a rule rather than an exception. A University of Minnesota study has found that flexible schedules lead to 45 percent increase in turnover at workplaces.

As per the employee-leaves policy of Netflix, a parent employee can get a one year leave, if willing to return to their positions after their leave expires. They can also take leaves when needed throughout the year.

Similarly, Spotify offers six-month paid leaves for pregnant women and provides financial assistance in medical and dietary expenses throughout the pregnancy period.

Likewise, Pinterest has also a good parental leave policy which includes providing a three months paid leave, and an additional month of part-time hours, plus two counselling sessions for creating plans to re-enter the workplace.

Employees at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) can take every other week off, this special benefit is termed as ‘Panda Fridays’.

Here are some other companies with great ideas:

Twillo: Twillo gives its employees a Kindle and an allowance of $30 every month for purchasing books.

Twitter: Twitter provides three meals a day, and some other benefits including on-site acupuncture and improve classes.

Walt Disney Company: This company offers its workers and their friends and family free admission to its parks. This also includes discounts on hotels and merchandise.

Facebook: Provides its employees with newborn $4,000 in “Baby Cash”.

Adobe: Adobe companies are shut down for a week in December and a week in the summer.

Google: Google provides the family of a deceased employee half of their salary for the next 10 years.