6 Outrageous Job Perks—and the Companies that Offer Them

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Woman relaxing outside spa resort Take a second and pretend you’re not in that cubicle. Pretend you’re working for one of those insanely popular companies whose main goal in business seems to be to make their employees happy. Facebook, Google and Zappos are always in the spotlight for their employer brand, but here are a few perks that you may not have heard of.

Cisco Offers Acupuncture

Cisco’s state of the art fitness center in San Jose, California has taken corporate gyms to a whole new level. Not only does the Cisco’s LifeConnections Health Center offer acupuncture, this fitness center also offers primary health care and physical therapy. Their emphasis on a healthy work-life balance also includes top of the line telecommuting technologies that provide a stellar work-from-home experience.

Boeing Offers 12 Paid Holidays

Not only do all employees get 12 paid holidays per year, they also receive a “winter recess” that lasts between Christmas and New Year’s Day. It sounds like Boeing really understands the totally necessary business practice of encouraging employees to take time off. Some are catching on slower than others, but leaders in employee engagement see the benefits of cutting employees some slack.

Johnson & Johnson Offer a Concierge Service

While this awesome perk isn’t offered to every employee, it is offered to a whopping 12,000 of them. This concierge service is meant to relieve the stress of everyday life and ensure that Johnson & Johnson employees are enjoying an above average work-life experience. You name the chore, and this service can take care of it. They also offer childcare and paid sabbaticals.

Microsoft Offers above Average Maternity and Paternity Leave

New parents often struggle with taking time off of work, healing and balancing their new lifestyles. Microsoft isn’t following suit with the rest of the major U.S. corporations by offering paid leave for new parents. It is also the first major corporation to offer healthcare coverage for Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy, which treats autism. Microsoft is actually doing something for its employees about two major concerns in America today.

3M Offers Benefits to Same Sex Couples

Global innovation company 3M’s employees don’t have to fight for their rights to a fitness center, pharmacy, programs to stop smoking, weight loss incentives, stress management programs and awesome benefits. They are also one of the only major corporations to offer benefits to same-sex couples in domestic partnerships.

SAS Offers On-Site Massages

A small area of the 66,000 square-foot recreation and fitness center is dedicated to classic Swedish and orthopedic massages. After a large and healthy breakfast from the cafeteria, employees can grab a massage and then take a hike through the 300-acre Raleigh, NC campus.

It takes a long time to get where these companies are –on the “Best Places to Work” lists. These perks aren’t cheap and they certainly aren’t offered to so-so employees. Successful companies know that their success rests on the shoulders of their workforcethat’s why massages are so important!

By Courtney McGann