Besides a decent salary, there is one other key thing that job applicants look for — employee perks and rewards.
It may seem superficial, but it is true! Many jobseekers consider employee perks as a deal-breaker when it comes to accepting a position at a company.
Besides giving your staff some time off and rewards to showcase your appreciation for their hard work, employee benefits also highlight your company’s superb staff welfare policy.
It is important to reward your staff from time to time to show that the management appreciates the hard work and dedication they have put in over the past couple of months.
In addition, attractive rewards also serve as motivation and incentives for your employees to keep channelling their efforts, and expertise for your business growth.
Employee perks could range from basic benefits including annual leave, insurance coverage as well as additional bonuses including team bonding activities, free food and beverages, fitness classes, and even discounts for products and services retailed by the company.
When it comes to employee benefits and rewards programs, Google and Facebook seem to trump above the rest. And it’s no wonder why — these heavyweights are renowned for providing some of the best employee welfare benefits.
Besides giving its staff a decent monthly salary, Facebook appears to offer 21 days of paid annual leave for full-time employees, as well as a wellness allowance for the staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
In addition, Google is also known for having lavish and comfortable working spaces, as well as free meals and snacks in the office on top of giving its company a stable source of income.
Beyond these tech giants, there are actually plenty of other companies in Singapore that offer great employee perks and they deserve just as much recognition!
If you thought 14 days of annual leave and monthly staff bonding activities were cool, then you might be in for a huge surprise.
Besides offering their staff free food and beverages that are comparable to restaurant standards, some of our local companies even have a staff lounge with lounge games that can be used at any time of the day.
It’s time to give homegrown brands some credit for having superb staff welfare support and employee rewards system.
Our team has compiled a list of local firms which are not only well-known for being leading corporations in their respective industries but are also noted for having superb staff welfare benefits that motivate and inspire their employees to stay loyal, and committed to the company and their missions.
Feeling curious about joining startup or big company?
Here are 10 local companies we bet you’d kill to get a job at:
1. Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines (SIA) was named the world’s best airline this year — its fourth win since 2004.
Our national carrier has always been renowned for offering top-tier customer services. The organisation prides itself on offering efficient and reliable flight services from Singapore to various other destinations across the globe.
In addition, the management team also equips the staff with adequate knowledge about flight safety and customer service.
The nation’s flagship carrier was also recently listed as the top 50 ‘Genius Companies’ in 2018 by TIME magazine, alongside other luminaries such as Apple, Nike, Disney and Nintendo for their outstanding services and effective organisational structure.
For such an established company, it’s definitely no surprise that they offer great staff benefits. SIA employees are entitled to free flight tickets for themselves and their eligible dependents (eg. wife/husband, kids, parents) once a year to any SIA destination.
They can travel to anywhere they want in the world with their families — from the wintery lands of Iceland to the tropical beaches in the Bahamas at absolutely no cost at all.
How cool is that?
Imagine how much you can save on airfare from a top-rated airline! You could even treat your family to a luxurious trip to exotic destinations like Spain or Hawaii.
In addition, they can choose to travel on up to 90% discounted flight tickets for themselves and their eligible dependents. This means that they can enjoy huge savings on additional flight tickets during the year.
All staff are also eligible for a free upgrade to Premium Economy class (up to Business and First Class for some), depending on the space availability.
These sweet deals give the SIA staff generous rewards for their hard work by letting them travel in style and enjoy premium services.
Moreover, once an employee accumulates 25 years of service and retires from the company, they’ll be eligible for lifetime travel benefits!
This means that an employee who has worked in SIA for more than 25 years will be eligible for all staff benefits including great savings on airfare even if he decides to retire.
The SIA Group Sports Club located next to the SIA Training Centre offers a wide range of sports facilities, from soccer, badminton, tennis, squash, table tennis and basketball, to a swimming pool and gym.
Employees can use the sports facilities as and when they wish without having to pay entrance or membership fees.
This is part of the company’s efforts to promote health and fitness amongst its employees and to provide a venue to unwind after work or over the weekends.
It also gives employees a chance to bond with each other over sports and games.
More importantly, it serves as a motivation for the employees to remain committed to the company.
2. Carousell
Secondly, Carousell was named one of the best tech companies to work for in Singapore in 2017 for its innovative practices and awesome workplace culture.
Carousell is a digital marketplace for selling and buying new or second-hand goods. Headquartered in Singapore, it has offices all over Asia-Pacific including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.
To date, they have over 900 employees across the region.
Early last year, the company had relocated its office from tech startup hub Blk71 to the CBD district to accommodate their fast-growing team.
We had the chance to check out their new two-storey office, and we were definitely impressed that they have an in-house barista that serves free coffee of café standards for the staff!
The staff can even customise their own drinks!
Their dog-friendly office also has a dedicated lounge, entertainment and gaming areas for employees to chill and interact with their colleagues in a collaborative space.
This encourages work-life balance and also gives the staff more opportunities to bond and interact with each other outside of work activities.
The staff are also encouraged to bring their pets to work if they need a place to supervise their pets and work at the same time.
Carousellers are free to swing by the games area and play a round of pool, ping-pong, or PlayStation anytime during working hours — as long as they make sure their work gets done!
Many Carousellers look forward to coming to work because they can enjoy their amazing facilities, amidst their hectic working schedules.
The office also provides free catered lunches every Friday, so everyone in the Carousell family can share a meal together and have the chance to bond over meals.
The catered meals are also of restaurant standard and are delicious!
In addition, Carousell has a flexi-work programme that lets full-time employees work from anywhere in the world and live the life of a digital nomad, for up to 5 days (not limited to Carousell’s overseas offices, though that’s recommended).
Employees can opt to work from home, depending on their preferences. As long as they get the job done in an effective and professional manner, the Carousell management is open to a flexi-schedule.
Employees can also earn a chance to travel for free if they earn a CarouStar Awards, which is an internal award to recognise employees who contribute to the company mission and core values.
Employees are nominated and voted for, and winners can win a trip to any country with a Carousell office (Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Australia)!
This gives employees something to work towards. It motivates them to work harder and abide by the long-term missions and goals of the company.
3. Razer
Third, Razer is a billion-dollar gaming company that has successfully built a cult following from just a gaming mouse. They, too, have excellent rewards to show appreciation to their staff!
As a company that lives by its creed “for gamers, by gamers”, it comes as no surprise that the recreational area in its Singapore office is reminiscent of a gaming arcade.
The gaming haven offers useful benefits for their staff.
According to Razer, it’s critical for its employees to be gamers themselves so they can better serve their gamer customers.
After all, hiring gamers saves the management the hassle of putting them through intense training sessions to introduce their staff to the world of gaming. As such, Razer employees are allowed to game anytime they like, as long as they get their work done.
No one will bat an eye if you’re trying to claim “chicken dinner” in PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battleground) in the middle of the day!
In fact, Razer employees enjoy a certain degree of flexibility — as long as the job is done, they are free to make full use of the office gaming facilities.
In line with this, all employees are also issued with a Razer Blade as a work laptop! This laptop was designed specifically for gamers – it uses the latest technologies and is also compact and convenient to carry around!
Razer also hosts regular community game nights and internal tournaments, where employees can game all night long with their friends and colleagues.
The staff are encouraged to attend and interact with their peers and facilitate a more inclusive and happening office culture. It gives the staff something to look forward to.
To keep up with its employees’ huge gaming appetite, Razer caters free buffet lunch every day for all staff. The staff can eat till their hearts’ fill!
Razer also makes it a point to bring in external instructors to conduct free fitness classes for the company such as weekly yoga sessions in an effort to encourage the staff to adopt a balanced diet and healthy living style.
These fitness classes also help the staff destress and bond with each other.
Interested in gaming jobs? Look out for opportunities here.
4. Goodstuph
Fourthly, Goodstuph is an undeniably cool social media agency, which has carved a strong reputation in the local creative scene, since it was founded in 2010. The renowned social media agency is also known for offering its employees some worthy perks.
With the candid Pat Law (Chief Everything Officer) helming the company, you can definitely expect the woman to serve up quirky employee perks.
Goodstuph offers free Brazilian waxing, eyebrow trimming and even haircuts for its employees; these grooming benefits can be claimed on a monthly basis.
The bubbly CEO remains committed to the idea that one should always look and feel his or her best. In addition to helping them feel calmed and relaxed, the grooming sessions also help them look more professional.
When it comes to food, the company offers free breakfast on Tuesdays, and free-flow artisanal coffee all day!
Their office has a La Marzocco coffee machine with beans from Papa Palheta, and employees are welcome to undergo the barista training at Papa’s if they wish. Many employees have even bonded over the barista training sessions.
Furthermore, Goodstuph’s office also features a ball pit, which is used to hold a company-wide lucky draw. Every month, Law will scribble a prize on a ball and drop it into the pit.
Lucky employees will stand a chance to win prizes ranging from a 1-day off-in-lieu to a $150 massage voucher.
5. TheSmartLocal
Fifth, TheSmartLocal (TSL) is the biggest lifestyle and travel portal in Singapore, with sister sites Eatbook, Zula and MustShareNews under its umbrella.
As one of the largest digital media platforms in Singapore, TheSmartLocal has a huge readership and followership.
It moved into a new office space in November 2016 and pretty much converted a bare industrial space into an industrial-chic office that spans 7,500 sq ft.
Beyond the numerous chill spots around the office, TSL also has an in-house kitchen so employees are free to whip up meals, and then have lunch together at the communal dining area. This encourages the staff to bond and interact with one another over mealtime.
And their biggest claim to fame about being a ‘mini Google’ office are the dedicated nap area, which lets employees sufficiently rest and recharge after a day of hustling. It’s true!
The TSL staff are encouraged to nap whenever they feel tired so that they can rest up and work more productively after their naps. Moreover, TSL employees tend to stay over till late, even for leisure, so bunk beds are definitely essential in the office — that’s how comfortable the office is!
For longer-serving employees, TSL offers a few “special perks” such as working from home, job redesign for those who want to try their hand at something new, and even possibilities for taking sabbaticals.
The TSL management believes in letting their staff enhance their abilities and develop new skills, to spearhead further development for the organisation.
Search for jobs on MyCareersFuture now.
6. Shopee
Sixth, Shopee is an e-commerce platform under Sea group (previously known as Garena), which was first launched in Singapore in 2015. Since their development, Shopee has grown its company. Now, they are one of the leading e-commerce platforms in Singapore.
Its new office at Ascent Building features various amenities to pamper their employees with maximum comfort, so they can feel comfortable and at home, even while they’re at work.
The management believes that the office is like a second home for their staff. In addition, they strive to create a comfortable and homely environment for their employees to look forward to.
Thus, they put in ample effort to ensure that the workplace is comfortable and inviting enough for all to enjoy.
When employees feel tired, they can enjoy a free rejuvenating massage twice a month by their in-house masseuse. Otherwise, they can escape to the sleeping pods for a quick recharge.
This helps them feel more refreshed so that they can be more productive on the job.
Or when employees feel stressed, they can also wind down at the entertainment corner, which is furnished with an air hockey table, a pool table, and a foosball table.
Furthermore, the employees can also interact and bond with each other over fun games!
For those who prefer to eat their stress away, Shopee has a well-stocked pantry that also hosts free staff breakfast on Monday mornings.
Shopee also provides a dinner catering service, where employees can pre-order dinner from a wide range of food options through their intranet. Some employees even feel as if Shopee is their second home.
7. Ministry of Design
Seventh, Ministry Of Design (MOD) is an award-winning architecture and design firm headquartered in Singapore, whose notable works include Tangs flagship store, Macalister Mansion, Leo Burnett’s US office, and the New Majestic Hotel.
Besides winning several awards for outstanding works, Ministry of Design is also known for prioritising staff welfare above all else.
The company is big on striking a work-life balance, so it lets all employees leave work at 3.30 pm every Friday! It believes that this early release will give them more to unwind before the weekend, keeping them happy and more productive.
Furthermore, in giving their employees more downtime, the management believes that the team can work more efficiently and productively, with enough work-life balance.
With enough rest, the staff find themselves readier and more motivated to head to work.
Ministry Of Design also implements birthday leave — employees can take the whole day off if a working day falls on their birthday. They also hold small office celebrations during their employees’ birthdays to show their appreciation. The employees can also request a cake flavour of their choice!
Are you an architect? Look for architect jobs on MyCareersFuture now.
8. Fixx Digital
Eighth, Fixx Digital is another firm that has some unique staff perks.
In Singapore, employers must provide a bare minimum of seven days of paid leave — a law that has been unchanged since 1968.
Some firms are generous enough to give their staff more than 14 days of leave.
But local web design firm Fixx Digital chooses to go against the grain and offer its employees unlimited paid leave, an initiative that it has boldly implemented since 2015.
The management believes that employees are all entitled to taking as much time off as they need in order to be more productive and efficient on the job.
Unfortunately, some employees have abused this system, claiming up to 40 days of annual leave, so the company is now offering this perk as an incentive to those who have worked at least a year in the firm, and have produced good results.
Shouldn’t be hard to achieve though!
In regulating the leave system, the management tries to ensure that the employees do not abuse this system.
Furthermore, the incentive also serves as a form of motivation for employees to take initiative, innovate and work a little harder to qualified for the unlimited paid leave.
The company also actively rewards good employees with its ‘Employee of the Month’ award, letting them enjoy up to $100 CapitaLand mall vouchers in return for their hard work. The staff can use these vouchers at various CapitaLand malls.
Their shared office also features a “Cinema Room“, which comes with plush couches, a big-screen television set, and a surround-sound system so employees can chill out and bond over the latest movies and television shows together.
The Cinema Room also gives the employees the opportunity to get to know each other better on a more personal level.
This initiative helps Fixx Digital build a stronger and more united team.
9. Circles.Life
Ninth, Circles.Life has made waves as Singapore’s first virtual mobile telco, which prides itself on fighting data deprivation with its signature 20GB for $20 offer.
They have become one of the most popular telecommunications firms in Singapore by offering great deals to help their customers save big but also enjoy premium mobile functions.
They’ve also made headlines for its viral marketing campaigns such as the vandalising stint by the Youtiao666 girls and the ‘Pay $3, Get $50’ vending machine, so it’s pretty clear that risk-taking is at the heart of Circles.Life’s DNA.
Whereas the management believes in adopting a bold and edgy image within their campaigns, they uphold a more altruistic and generous approach as far as staff welfare is concerned.
Internally, Circles.Life provides company-wide free lunches every Wednesday. The meals are often of restaurant-standard. Called ‘Lunch & Learn’, employees are free to share their projects and learning over lunch.
This gives them an opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and also bond over trading knowledge.
In addition, there’s also a free team lunch every month, where employees are encouraged to eat out with their teams or across departments to foster bonding.
The staff are permitted to choose a venue of their choice and order anything off the menu, as the treat is also sponsored by the head management. This initiative allows the staff to get to know each other on a more personal level.
They also host monthly outing activities for all staff — employees can pick and choose what they want to do (eg. paintball, trampoline, terrarium making), grab colleagues to join in the fun, and everything will be paid for by the company!
This initiative helps the staff foster stronger bonds.
10. ShopBack
With Singapore’s burgeoning e-commerce scene, local startup ShopBack is tapping on this trend to popularise the cashback system.
Basically, customers can get a percentage of their purchase money back each time they make a transaction through ShopBack’s website.
This incentive entices shoppers to do their online shopping on ShopBack, since they can save and enjoy a convenient and fuss-free online shopping experience.
This platform has over 5 million members to date.
This young company has a school-themed office interior, which is designed by interns who stayed overnight once to decorate everything. All their furniture was assembled by ShopBackers, and their office mural was also hand-painted by their in-house designers.
The gorgeous interior décor gives the office a lavish and comfortable vibe which makes their employees look forward to reporting to work on a daily basis.
It is inspiring and keeps their employees motivated in the office.
Beyond the fun office space which is equipped with lots of games (ping pong table, foosball table), ShopBack also offers free lunch for its staff every Friday.
It also offers free-flow alcohol during happy hours, so employees can skip those after-work bar visits and enjoy the free cocktails, wines and beers generously provided by the head management.
They also conduct their own weekly fitness sessions such as HIIT and yoga (the latter is conducted by their finance lady who’s a certified yoga practitioner), which takes place after work in the evenings — a perfect activity to let employees destress after a hard day’s work!
The management believes in educating the employees about the importance of work-life balance and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a regular fitness regime.
They remain committed to giving employees the time and space to release stress and tension through intense fitness classes. The team also bonds through motivating and spurring on each other to complete the fitness routines.
By the end of this article, we bet that you’re itching to tender your resignation and submit job applications to these companies.
However, don’t start searching for job opportunities at these firms just yet. If you believe that you and your team deserve a treat for all your hard work throughout the past few months, why not bring it up to the management?
After all, employees are well within their rights to suggest and recommend ideas to make the workplace homelier and more comfortable!
Inform your management about how employee rewards like vouchers and prizes, would function as a source of motivation for employees to take more initiative, and channel more effort to help the company fulfil its long-term missions and visions.
Also, illustrate how team bonding activities and lounges could help your team could foster stronger and more intimate bonds with each other.
Finally, make sure that your suggestions about staff appreciation do not compromise the work ethic and output of the company.
Cover photo credit: https://caroutest.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/image1.jpg
