Attracting and retaining talent is a crucial element in the success of any business. Human capital can make the difference between a struggling company, an ordinary company, and a truly stellar organization. When competing for talent with other employers, it’s easy for businesses to fall into the trap of thinking the only way to hire and retain top performers is to pay more than the competition.
Financial compensation is certainly a major factor for employees, possibly even often the most important factor. But it isn’t the only factor, and companies that are unable or unwilling to simply pay more than everyone else have other ways to compete.
For example, an employee may be willing to earn a bit less money if that means they have a better work-life balance, or if they get to work remotely some or all of the time, or if their employer has a best-in-class health insurance program. Beyond these common types of benefits, many companies have found ways to get creative with benefits, offering unique perks that help attract and retain workers even when salary and bonuses aren’t the highest in the industry.
In this feature, we’ll explore some of these benefits with input from employers, HR professionals, and industry experts.
Work-Funded Travel
Work-funded travel isn’t new, but some companies are refining the concept to build culture and loyalty in distributed teams.
“We have a fully remote workforce with team members scattered around the globe,” says Jared Brown, CEO of Hubstaff. “A benefit we like to offer our team is an annual in-person retreat at a tropical location. During the retreats we get to experience beaches, sunset cruises, and local performances together, which allows us to unwind as well as build bonding experiences as a team.”
The locations vary—Cancun, Punta Cana, Playa del Carmen—and this year, Costa Rica. What doesn’t change is the enthusiasm.
“We get feedback from our team via employee pulse surveys, and the annual retreat is a benefit that continually gets high ratings,” says Brown. “The logistics of planning the retreat can be somewhat tricky, particularly with employees traveling in from various countries.”
Brown’s advice for companies looking to experiment with unique perks: start with data. “Listen to your employees and track critical metrics such as employee retention rate,” he says. “Employees will let you know what they want and by keeping a close eye on the KPIs, companies can measure the satisfaction of the team.”
Mentorships as a Benefit
Some benefits offer value for both employees and the companies they work for. Mentorship programs are one such example, serving both employees and the broader community.
“Workplace mentoring is hands-down one of the best professional development benefits out there—it’s good for companies, great for employees, and life-changing for young people,” says Ginneh Baugh, Chief Impact Officer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “Big Brothers Big Sisters runs the largest workplace mentoring program in the country for youth, and we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it can be.”
The organization partners with both small businesses and large hybrid employers. The goal is to make volunteer mentoring part of an integrated strategy for employee development.
“When we partner with employers to create meaningful volunteer opportunities during the workday employees get the chance to give back, grow their leadership skills, and feel proud of where they work,” says Baugh. “Mentoring helps folks become better communicators—learning to listen with empathy, encourage growth in others, and connect across different perspectives.”
The ROI isn’t just feel-good—it’s strategic. “With data linking mentorship to their long-term economic success, businesses are embracing it as a game-changing strategy to boost emotional intelligence, employee engagement, and workplace culture,” says Baugh.
Time to Unplug
Companies often encourage employees to use their PTO—but that doesn’t mean they do. One leader decided to take the decision out of their hands.
“We implemented a quarterly ‘Unplug Day’ across the company—one paid day off every quarter that must be used for something non-work related,” says Adam Young, CEO of Event Tickets Center. “No checking email. No work chats. Just a full reset.”
The need was clear. “I saw that many people were saving PTO while running on fumes. They were concerned about coverage and deadlines, so they just kept pushing,” says Young. “Unplug Days remove the guilt. Everyone’s off, so no one feels behind.”
And the results weren’t just anecdotal. “After the first quarter, our internal project delivery rates increased by 12%,” says Young. “People returned more focused and less scattered. One of our developers stated that it helped him come back ‘sharper than after a weeklong vacation.’ That stuck with me.”
The culture impact has been lasting. “People plan hikes, day trips, or simply spend time away from technology with their families,” says Young. “We share photos internally, and it has become a conversation starter. It’s simple, but it tells the team that your mental space is important here. That makes a bigger impact than any all-hands pep talk ever could.”
Inspiration Time
While many benefits are built around time off, some are about how time is used. One company leaned into creative space.
“We started something called ‘Inspiration Time’—two hours set aside every other week for creative exploration,” says Laurence Bonicalzi Bridier, CEO of ArtMajeur by YourArt. “No calls, no check-ins, and no pressure to ‘produce’ anything. Just space to follow curiosity.”
It started as an experiment but quickly gained traction. More than 90% of the staff took advantage of the option to unplug, says Bridier. “What astonished me the most was how often such moments resulted in fresh ideas—website layout improvements, better email visuals, and even one artist-led workshop inspired by a casual museum visit,” says Bridier.
Not every idea landed. “One thing I assumed would be a hit—but really wasn’t—was flexible role swapping,” says Bridier. “In reality, less than 15% volunteered. When I asked why, most said it felt like extra work, or they didn’t want to leave their lane.”
The takeaway? “Creative people don’t require more options. They need space, rhythm, and trust. When you give them that, their best work comes out naturally,” says Bridier.
It can be tempting for employers to hunt out top talent by getting into a bidding war with competitors. But many organizations simply can’t afford to outbid their competition. Finding other ways to entice employees is key for these companies, and unique and creative benefits are a great way for employers to stand out among their peers.