How the Biggest Tech Companies Keep Workers Happy

Salary is still the top consideration for candidates weighing a job offer, but benefits packages are becoming an increasingly important piece of the decision.

“If they can’t get the package they want, then it’s, ‘Well, I want to work from home a couple of days per week,’ or ‘Is there any way I can get the company to pay my cellphone bill?’” said Scott Dobroski, a career trends analyst at Glassdoor.

The career website introduced a new tool Wednesday called Benefits Review that allows employees to post reviews of their work benefits and perks. Employers can verify their offerings, giving jobseekers greater insight into the benefits available at various companies.

Dobroski said medical benefits are the most important to workers, followed by vacation days and retirement-planning benefits. But more out-of-the-box perks are becoming increasingly common in the negotiation process, with tech companies leading the charge.

Here’s a look at some of the interesting, perks that employees are raving about, according to Glassdoor.com:

1. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG)

“The heated toilet seats were quite impressive. I loved waking up in the morning going to the Google gym, hitting up one of the Google cafeterias for a healthy breakfast and then hunkering down in a chill, lounge spot to get my work done. My hardest decision throughout the day was which restaurant I would go to for lunch and then which one I would go to for dinner,” wrote a former technical recruiter at the search giant’s Mountain View, Calif. headquarters.

“The meals and snacks are the thing that I have used the most, and value greatly. It makes every day a day where I have conscious positive feelings about my employer. That means a lot,” wrote a current senior user experience researcher in Google’s Seattle office.

2. Facebook (NASDAQ:FB)

“It's probably second after Google's benefits in entire software industry. The great campus with full of amenities (well stocked mini-kitchen, in-house gym, music room, half a dozen of cafeterias with great food, wood-shop, bikes, climbing wall),” wrote a current production engineer based in Menlo Park, Calif.

3. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

“Wear whatever you want to.  Some people come dressed as Ninjas or wizards,” wrote an operations employee in Cupertino, Calif.

“Employee discounts included 25% off computers, iPads, iPods, and iPhones. 50% most third party software and usually 100% off newly released Apple software. Other benefits included 401K matching, payroll deduction for reduced price (15%) stock, and discounts on hundreds of third party products and services (ranging anywhere from computer cases to cars, flights, and hotels),” according to a former employee who worked in Ann Arbor, Mich.

4. Square

“The company has also always been incredibly willing to work with individuals to meet their needs, whether it be time off, our 4 month maternity/paternity leave, or working from home when sick,” wrote an employee in San Francisco about the mobile-payments company.

5. Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

“The best thing is having the ability to save every month and then buy stock at a discount every quarter,” wrote a current employee based in Redmond, Wash.