New Jersey Enterpreneur - Small Business, Entrepreneurs and Venture Capital

Services on Site

Just about anyone who provides a pick up and delivery service wants access to your employee pool. All you have to do is invite them in. Dry cleaners, for example, will set up credit card accounts with individual employees then pick up and deliver items to your front coat closet or other designated area. Make sure you find a quality, reliable service that works on a regular schedule.

Other services available for the asking include on-site car washing/waxing as well as pick up and delivery for auto repairs. You may also invite a barber, hairstylist or massage therapist to offer their services on site. All it costs you is a space for them to work. Get creative with your local service suppliers and see what else they?re willing to bring to your employees.

Evening Meals to Go

If you have a cafeteria or on-site café in your office building, suggest that they offer evening meals to carry out. Employees can choose from the regular menu at lunchtime. The food is then packaged up and put in an accessible refrigerator to grab on their way out the door. This works particularly well if the food service offers a hot meal special each day. It?s not only a convenience for employees but extra revenue for the food service.

Lunch and Learn Seminars

All kinds of financial planners, attorneys and healthcare organizations will send people to your office to do educational seminars. They usually don?t charge anything and sometimes they even pay for lunch. If there?s no food provided, those interested in attending can brown-bag-it or pick up something from the cafeteria on their way to the seminar.

Health Services

How about free blood pressure checks, skin cancer screenings, or bone density tests? Many local health providers will come to you free of charge in hopes that they may find some new patients. Chiropractors are particularly willing to do this and sometimes will come back to offer their services on site at a reduced rate. Check with your local hospital to see what they have to offer. Your health insurance provider may also have some special education or screening programs. This is also great for keeping your health insurance costs down if serious diseases are detected early enough for inexpensive treatments.

Legal Services, Vision and Dental Coverage

There are many organizations that want to provide cut rate services in exchange for having access to your employee base. Usually your health insurance agent has contacts with them. You negotiate the best rate possible based on how many employees may wish to participate then pay for the services with 100% payroll deduction. It?s a win/win when employees can get eyeglasses or contact lenses at significantly reduced cost by paying a monthly fee. It?s a real savings for them and all it costs you is some administration. I?m aware of at least one insurance company that offer auto and home insurance at reduced rates so they get the guaranteed payroll deductions.

Discounts from Local Merchants and Destinations

Tourist attractions, stores, health clubs and the like will offer reduced rates to your employees just for the asking. Usually they start at 10% off but sometimes you can get more if you push hard enough. Disney has a plan that gives employees all sorts of discounts on admissions, hotels, cruises etc. These are usually the best savings available from The Magic Kingdom.

Interest Free Computer Loans

Chances are you?re buying high quality computers at a discounted price. If you provide a loan to purchase them for personal use, employees get a better product at a lower cost. You collect your money through payroll deduction. Employees will also increase job skills when they have their own computers at home.

Inventory Auctions

When you have stuff you don?t need anymore, hold a company “yard sale” where employees can buy the materials. Particularly popular is excess office equipment. Desks, chairs and filing cabinets are a big hit. Old, slow laser printers work well in a home office. Allow employees to sell their unwanted personal items at the same time.

Doing nice things like this for your employees can differentiate your organization from your competitors and might just convince some valuable employees to stay rather than leave for so-called greener pastures.