Perks of your job?

[Racket_Man]

the biggest non-benefit perk of my delivery job is

walking up to the door of a house, seeing the curtains open a bit and hearing the squeals of the smaller childern crying "THE PIZZA MAN IS HERE THE PIZZA MAN IS HERE". then having the childern crowd around the door crying "HI PIZZA GUY"

even if the parents are known stiffers it sometimes just warms my heart. Yeah I would still be mad at no tip but I at least made the kids happy

[MaggieTheCat]

Back at the call center I used to work in, they did two big meals for all employees every year: A company picnic in the summer, where the owners would BBQ ribs, chicken, burgers, corn, potatoes, and other stuff, and a Christmas dinner in December where they'd cater a full-scale Christmas dinner made by a local restaurant. They let employees who were working that day take an hour paid lunch to eat, and employees who weren't working that day come and PUNCH IN for an hour to get paid for the meal. They also did a couple of smaller meals throughout the year, like soup or sandwiches for lunch, but those were pretty few and far between. Usually only half a dozen or so throughout the year. They did allow employees to do pot lucks pretty much whenever, though, if the employees wanted to organize it.

Since we also had our main warehouse right in site, they'd also give away stuff that was technically about to expire, like chemicals for fish tanks or big honkin' smoked bones for dogs that had a bit of mold on them (just scrape the mold off, it's fine.) I assume the stuff they were giving away is stuff that was still okay even after it's "best if used by" date, since they did throw stuff like food out if it expired.

Dress code was really lax. Basically nothing offensive (swear words on shirts) or too revealing. Mostly common sense stuff.

Oh, and they did employee vaccination clinics four times a year. We had licensed vets right on staff, so they'd vaccinate employees' pets for just the cost of the vaccine itself (usually around $3-9 per vaccine, no additional costs for office visits or anything.)

I make jewelry from home now, and the best perk about that is being able to set my own hours, take a break when I need to, and being home to take care of the apartment while my husband's at work.

[Rapscallion]

Let's see...

I get a vote in how the business is run.

Free canteen (vegetarian only) for a hot (usually) meal every day.

End of year share out for all permanent workers based on profits for the year.

I get paid!

Rapscallion

[taxguykarl]

We get to do our own returns on the clock for free (how's that for an employee discount?). In my case we're talking a $300-$500 job if I actually had to pay for it.

Furthermore: All the coffee you care to drink. Frequent snack foods and sandwiches. A decent luncheon about a month after the end of the tax season.

[lupo pazzesco]

Biggest perk of working in Textbook Hell?

FREE TEXTBOOKS!!!

Employees get to used their textbooks for free every semester, like a long term loan for the semester, but no library late fees. If I have to buy new books, I get an employee discount.

Had over $350 for books for 3 classes this semester. With the employee discount and free used books, I spent $17.27.

ALMOST makes up for the asshattery I deal with on a daily basis...

Oh, and on occassion, they'll bring food in, but pretty much always, they get food I can't eat and they know I can't eat. (I don't make it secret of my dietary restrictions/needs.)

[Shpepper]

A boss who doesn't look over my shoulder all the time and is VERY fair and protective of the staff. He will not allow anyone else to yell at us or be rude to us.

I can use the internet all I want once my work is done.

I can read, crochet, make jewlery, make chainmaile or anything else I want to do as long as the phones get answered and the guests taken care of.

Massively discounted rooms for family, and if we want to stay here all we have to do is either clean the room or it's $25.00 for housekeeping to do it.

[Victoria J]

Cool topic.

I have very few real (monetary) perks - but lots of hidden highlights to the job.

I get to know everyone's business . I'm really really nosey so I love having a job that lets me legitimately stick my nose in people's business.

I generally get to feel pretty good about what I do. I also generally find my job interesting.

I learn a lot - and I get to use that knowledge to help out friends and family. When my mother lost her job her union told her not to negotiate for a better pay off - I disagreed and she got a couple of thousand extra ! (I can't take gifts from customers but no rule about family She gave me £500 and a beautiful necklace). More recently she has been ill and unable to work, when she suddenly got a gas bill for almost £1000 (because they hadn't been reading the meter properly for the last 3 years when she would have had money to pay!) - I helped her apply for a grant from the energy company and it all got paid for her !

Sometimes advising friends and family is a pain (my mother in particular acts like she's being helpful and drumming up business for me ) but mostly it's really nice to have people respect what I do. My mother met up with a couple of old friends the other day and they were complaining about their children (young and grown up), my mother might want to complain about me but they won't here a word against me. I've helped both of them out before

I get unrestricted computer use. (Ridiculously unrestricted - our computer guy is mad and whenever you log onto the computer you get admin privileges ). I can use the phone within reason.

I work relatively flexible times. I have to be here by 9.30 3 days a week, otherwise I should be here at 10. If I'm a little late (on a 10am day), or I take an hour and a half for lunch one day, or need to go a little early - no one minds. They would mind if I didn't do enough hours in the week, but I normally do more. They've also been really really good about personal time - such as being able to take the day off (paid!) when I had to look after my mother following an operation.

No one seems to mind what I keep around my desk. I have pictures up, and stationary from home, and all kinds of stuff (robot pencil sharpener !).

No one minds how we dress within reason. I try and be reasonably smart (I'll wear jeans with a nice top, or a T shirt with smart trousers, but not generally a T shirt with jeans) but even if I feel ill, half asleep and can't find anything clean and ironed - I'm still always smarter looking than the manager.

I have 2 really great coworkers who are becoming friends.

This has almost made me forget being underpaid and working in a building that's falling down, and working far too hard and being under stress the whole time...

Victoria J

[MelodiousBubbles]

Geez... There are a lot to mine.

Well first there's the fact that since we're privately owned and a local store, I can get away with saying pretty much anything sans cussing when I'm on the floor as long as I word it right.

Our regulars rock. They really do. I have many banter buddies where we give each other the hardest time and just have fun with it.

Since we're privately owned with a large corporation as our wholesaler (whose name is stamped on everything since we carry their products), I have a never-ending supply of people who demand our "corporate number" and instead of arguing, I just give them our wholesaler's corporate number

Customer/Associate appreciation day where we get burgers, hotdogs, and steak tips. As well as soda, watermelon and other various BBQ foods. All for free.

Our associate's Christmas Party (yes. we specifically call it a Christmas party because all of us are very anti-PC) is amazing. We hold it at a local hotel that has AMAZING food with raffle prizes. Again, completely free for us.

The owner of the store is the best guy ever. He knows everyone who works for him and is wicked chill.

I get to know everything about everyone. Our store is the meeting place for everyone in the town, thus if something happens involving someone we know, we know what's happening almost on an up-to-the-minute updating system of customers. Same works for if something's going on involving police, ambulances, etc.

Other than the Harpy, I have it pretty good at my job

[smileyeagle1021]

and all kinds of stuff (robot pencil sharpener !).

... did you say robot pencil sharpener...

where can I obtain such pure awesomeness

[HorrorFrogPrincess]

When Bossman or Sup goes to Starbucks, they get me a hot chocolate. ^w^

IE: not being left out just because you're bottom-rung.

[cinema guy]

I get to check almost every film, to make sure it is ok - ie I get paid to watch films.

[Jester]

We get anywhere from 5-7 free bottles of wine every month.

We also get sent to the wineries on occasion for "education", or as the staff calls it, "world-class piss 'em up with full-course lunch"

Now THAT sounds awesome!

My company recently moved and about a month after we did they sent out a company email that there was used hardware in an empty cubicle and we were all free to take it home.

A few years ago, I worked for a fine dining restaurant on the island. Worked there until the day it closed its doors, actually. And when they did close the doors, the staff was allowed to purchase various bottles of really nice win for half of the owner's cost. Which, if you know anything about wine cost, is pretty damn cheap, considering the quality of the wine. For example, I walked away with about ten bottles of very nice stuff, different varieties...for about $70. These wines, even at retail prices, should have cost much, much more. In other words....SCORE!

Another time, at another restaurant that closed, the owner allowed me to have my pick of liquor bottles in her stock....for free!

And 'published author' gets some respect from people, so I have that. Not enough respect to pull "Do you know who I am?", of course! But it's great at parties.

Being a magician I get something vaguely similar. To wit, when I am traveling (or just hanging out), and people say, "So what do you do?" and I tell them, "I'm a magician," it's almost always guaranteed to get a cool reaction from them. Far cooler than if I said bartender, waiter, DJ, or any other job I've ever had.

the biggest non-benefit perk of my delivery job is
walking up to the door of a house, seeing the curtains open a bit and hearing the squeals of the smaller childern crying "THE PIZZA MAN IS HERE THE PIZZA MAN IS HERE". then having the childern crowd around the door crying "HI PIZZA GUY"

There have been several times in my role as a magician where kids (or even adults) are just so happy to see me that it just makes me smile on the inside. And the occasional time when a small kid just runs up to me and gives me a big hug like I was the greatest person ever...these are among the best tips I have ever received!

Back at the call center I used to work in, they did two big meals for all employees every year...

Both The Bar and the Waterfront Bar throw pretty nice Christmas parties every year, but the Waterfront Bar (which I almost never work at anymore) also has their summer party which is just nuts. The bar itself is staffed by any employees who for whatever reason don't want to go, and people the owner hires for that day from other establishment around town--basically one day fill-ins. This is how many people get their foot in the door to work at the bar to begin with--it's how I started there myself. And, while the bar is left in the hands of those other people, the rest of us get on a party boat, a catamaran, and just have a blast all day, with free booze and food, and various water activities. The drunken revelry that ensues is often legendary. And I imagine it costs the owner a handful, but she still does it every summer.

[reimero]

We have some pretty amazing perks and benefits here.
In addition to the "traditional" benefits, we get:
* (partial) tuition reimbursement at area colleges and universities
* Free college tuition for children/dependents(!)
* Several parties, get-togethers, staff picnics and the like
* The option to purchase tickets to athletic events (note: "athletic events" = season tickets for high-demand sports that routinely sell out. The discount is nice, but even nicer is that I got into one of the most hyped-up, dramatic, insane football games from 2005, the likes of which I will probably never see again. For this particular game, scalpers couldn't even buy tickets for $1000 apiece, it was in that much demand. Anyway...)
* Corporate tie-ins with local and national companies, allowing for certain discounts (i.e. discounted cell phone service, discounted car rentals, etc.)

[Victoria J]

... did you say robot pencil sharpener...

where can I obtain such pure awesomeness

Unfortunately the UK - here's the company that makes and sells them though plenty of places sell them here. There were 3 varieties - but I have the red one at work. Rather nicely they are clock work but can be wound with either the big plastic key or by a pencil.

Victoria J

[smileyeagle1021]

Being a magician I get something vaguely similar. To wit, when I am traveling (or just hanging out), and people say, "So what do you do?" and I tell them, "I'm a magician," it's almost always guaranteed to get a cool reaction from them. Far cooler than if I said bartender, waiter, DJ, or any other job I've ever had.

and sometimes you don't even have to tell them you are a magician to get them to ask you to do a magic trick