As we move into the second half of 2022, job seekers still hold the power position in the hiring market—and employers must do all they can to retain top talent and attract great people. In your search for new ideas, you don’t necessarily need to brainstorm radically different approaches. Maybe all you need to do is take a new look at something that’s already in your recruitment toolkit: perks.  

A decent compensation package will always garner at least a quick glance from a candidate, but if you want to get them through the door it helps to offer them something that really grabs their attention. An eight-figure salary and six months of PTO would probably do the trick but is definitely off the table for most organizations. But even though most companies usually can’t stray far from narrow salary and PTO parameters, they often have a lot of wiggle room when it comes to perks.   

You don’t want to offer something that so far out of left field that it makes candidates think you’re totally bonkers (and makes them second guess any interest they might have in working for you), but you do want to try to come up with ideas that differentiate you from other firms and make your workplace as appealing as possible. Let your imagination go wild! (Well, within your company’s fiscal and legal limits, of course.) 

For example, all those dog cameos in Zoom meetings during the pandemic proved two points: people love spending time with their dogs while working, and people love seeing their coworkers’ dogs while working. So as people return to the office, why not implement periodic “bring your dog to work” days (as long as no team members have dog allergies)? Having well-behaved canine guests in the office can provide a nice change of pace and boost general morale. And given some people’s strong attachments to their canine companions, a dog-friendly workspace might make just the difference for a talented employee who’s on the fence about joining your organization. 

Yoga classes during work hours, an onsite cafe that hands out free fancy coffee drinks all day, and “half-day Fridays” in the summer are just a few other possible perks that can add to workplace appeal. But don’t stop there! Be sure to offer perks that benefit employees when they’re off the clock as well—especially some that target employees’ interests and needs. A few examples: 

• Employees with kids might be delighted to drop them off at the office for a few hours of company-paid group babysitting on a Friday night. A bit of kid-free time can give parents a chance to go out on a date night, or even just enjoy some uninterrupted time with a book!  
• Many companies give employees paid time to volunteer with a local nonprofit, but usually it’s just for one or two days per year. Increasing this perk to include more time (one day per quarter? one day every other month?) would definitely make your organization stand out from other companies. Company-supported opportunities to participate in socially meaningful activities is something that many people want from their employers. 
• Demonstrate how much you value work–life balance by giving employees some help at home (in the form of meal-delivery services or housekeeping services, for example), so they can have more time to truly relax and rest when they aren’t at the office.

Even if you can’t come up with a perk that’s a perfect match for a particular candidate, odds are good that they’ll respond favorably to your efforts to court them creatively. At the very least you’ll likely entice them to take a closer look at everything you’re offering them—and that’s another chance for you to convince them that your company is the best fit for them.