Employee benefits aren’t just a nice-to-have anymore - they’re an essential part of any employment package. 

It doesn’t matter if you're a small business or a large corporation, having great employee benefits really helps when it comes to attracting and retaining top talent, enhancing employee satisfaction, and boosting overall productivity. 

Offering an impressive employees benefit package doesn’t have to be difficult, time consuming or costly though. Here at BHN Extras, we give growing businesses a simple, no-hassle and affordable way to offer employees a comprehensive range of workplace benefits.

In this blog, we reveal the most UNIQUE employee benefit ideas, including some hugely popular (and free!) options from us here at BHN Extras - the only FREE employee benefits platform. 

Ready to boost your team’s benefits straight away? Click here to join BHN Extras for free today.

Home & Tech Scheme

In today's modern world, everyone wants to have the latest gadgets and home appliances, but these items often come with a hefty price tag. That’s why the Home & Tech salary sacrifice scheme has earned its place at the top of our list of unique employee benefit ideas you should consider.

Home & Tech is an incredibly popular salary sacrifice scheme that helps employees save up to 8% on 1000s of home and tech items from top retailers, IKEA and Currys. Your team can spread the cost interest-free over 12 monthly payments - meaning no interest charges to pay like other finance options. With Home & Tech, your team can get the latest tech and stylish homeware without the financial strain.

Three Reasons Why You Should Add Home & Tech To Your Benefits Package

Free to Join and Cost-Neutral

That’s right, with BHN Extras, Home & Tech is totally free to offer - plus it’s cost-neutral to run! You can provide this incredible benefit without impacting your budget.

Appeals to Everyone

Whether they want the latest iPhone, a new laptop, to upgrade a kitchen appliance, or a stylish sofa, everyone can shop and save with this perk. It’s a benefit that truly appeals to everyone!

Smart Way to Shop

Employees can save up to 8% on thousands of home and tech items with nothing to pay upfront. It’s a practical and efficient way for them to afford the items they want and need.

Loved by everyone, free to join, and cost-neutral to run - could Home & Tech be the perfect employee benefit? Our customers and their staff certainly  

Want to add Home & Tech to your employee benefits package? Click here to sign up with BHN Extras for free, or contact us to find out more about how it can benefit you and your staff.

2. Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is a unique employee benefit that really goes the extra mile in showing your staff you care about things close to their heart - their pets.

Many companies already offer health insurance but recently more and more businesses are extending their insurance to their employees pets too - and we love to see it. Pet Insurance is an extra cost that, in today’s cost of living crisis, many pet owners are struggling to afford. With other financial priorities taking precedence, and more cases of pets not being insured having huge financial impacts to households, Pet insurance is a hugely attractive employee perk!

We don’t provide insurance here at BHN Extras but we think it's a really thoughtful benefit that gives pet owners peace of mind, and will undoubtedly improve employee loyalty.

Three Reasons to Add Pet Insurance to Your Benefits Package

Employees Love It

This considerate benefit is truly appreciated by pet owners and shows you care about their personal lives. Staff work harder and don’t want to leave companies they know care about them.

Attract & Retain Staff

Pet insurance is a really impressive benefit for pet owners and will help you attract and retain the best, pet loving employees. A study by Northeastern University found that pet owners are significantly more likely to demonstrate higher levels of empathy compared to non-pet owners.

Removes Stress

Vet bills can be expensive, so offering Pet Insurance helps remove any financial stress and worry your staff might have. People who are less stressed are happier, and who doesn’t want a happy team? In fact, based on a survey conducted by Mars Petcare, 87% of pet owners consider their pets to be important sources of emotional support.

Pet insurance really is a wonderful unique employee benefit that businesses of all sizes should consider offering. If you think this is the purfect benefit for your company, speak with an insurance specialist to help you set up the policy.

3. Online Education

Online education and upskilling is such an easy benefit to offer, and can be really fun!

The beauty of online education is that it doesn’t matter what interests your team, there are literally thousands of online courses, covering everything from coding to building a boat - so there’s always something of interest for everyone. Offering access to online courses and training programs, and giving your staff the time to learn, is a fantastic way to support your team’s personal and professional growth.

As well as online education, you can also encourage staff to share their own skills, hobbies and passions in skill-share sessions. It could be excel hacks, Canva training or even a non-work related hobby, skill-share sessions are a fun and interactive way to show interest in your staff, learn new skills and do some team bonding.

Why Online Education is a Great Benefit

Learn New Skills

When employees learn new skills, they bring fresh ideas to the table - even if it is a new tea cosy they’ve just learnt to knit!

Boosts Morale and Engagement

Giving employees the tools and time to learn and grow makes them feel valued and motivated, which boosts productivity and improves staff loyalty.

Flexible and Accessible

There’s lots of learning platforms that you can join as a business, which give your team access to thousands of online courses they can do at their own pace.

Online learning is a simple benefit that’s so often overlooked but makes a great, affordable addition to any benefits package. If you think this would be great for your team, check out online education platforms like Courseria or Udemy.

4. Syd™ – The Employee Life Quality App

Next on our list is Syd™, an all-in-one employee life quality super-app that’s an absolute game-changer when it comes to supporting your team's overall wellbeing.

Syd™ is a clever app that uses the latest AI to offer personalised and science backed recommendations on things like emotional health and financial wellbeing, to help improve the users life quality. Imagine having a personal life coach right in your pocket - that’s Syd™.

It’s not just employees who benefit from Syd™, companies already using the super-app have reported a 20% boost in retention, a 23% surge in productivity and a 20-fold ROI on people strategy.

Find out more about the benefits of Syd™ by clicking here.

Three Reasons to Consider Syd™

Improve Life Quality

Syd™ provides tailored recommendations to improve life quality, covering emotional, physical, and financial health. This support helps employees manage stress, stay healthy, and feel more balanced in their daily lives.

Innovative and Engaging

Syd™ uses cutting-edge AI to offer personalised and engaging support. The app's interactive features keep employees interested and actively involved in their wellbeing journey, making it a tool they’ll love to use.

It Works

Syd™ is proven to make a difference. A staggering 48% of users have seen a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, 23% report increases in energy, and there’s a 20% enhancement in overall life quality. The results speak for themselves!

Loved by employees, innovative, and effective - Syd™ is an incredible benefit that helps you employees live a life they love.

Want to add Syd™ to your employee benefits package? Click here to sign up with BHN Extras for free, or contact us to find out more about how it can benefit you and your staff.

5. Wellbeing or Volunteer Days

Another really easy to implement unique employee benefit idea is offering your staff paid days off for wellbeing activities or volunteering.

This simple but hugely appreciated benefit helps boost morale and demonstrates your commitment to ensuring your team has a good work-life balance. Volunteering is also an amazing way to help your local community too, so it’s a win-win all round.

Some companies also arrange team volunteering days, which are a great way of getting everyone together, having some fun and doing something you all feel good about. A volunteering day could involve supporting a local hospice or care home, or you could help sort donations at a food bank or charity shop. There’s so many awesome things you and your team can get involved with that will really make a difference.

Why Wellbeing Days Are a Great Benefit to Offer

Enhanced Work-Life Balance

Offering paid time off for wellbeing activities or volunteering supports mental and emotional health by giving them time to recharge and do something good. Staff come back happy and feeling rejuvenated!

Community Engagement

This awesome benefit means you help your staff and local area. People who volunteer often feel a great sense of purpose and connection to their community.

Boosts Morale & Productivity

Wellbeing days show that you care about your employees' overall happiness and work-life balance. This kind of support makes employees feel valued and appreciated, which boosts morale and loyalty.

Easy to implement and beneficial to you, your employee and the local community - wellbeing and volunteer days are a fantastic way of improving your employee benefits package.

6. Cashback on Shopping

In today’s cost-of-living crisis, offering cashback on shopping is a fantastic unique employee benefit that all of your staff will appreciate.

The bYond Cashback Card is a brilliant benefit that helps employees save on their everyday purchases. Offering up to 15% cashback at over 85 high street retailers, this prepaid cashback card is an excellent way for employees to feel rewarded while they shop.

While employees do pay a nominal £5 fee per annum, the savings and benefits bYond offers far outweighs the cost.

bYond is a perk that’s affordable, practical, easy to use, and highly appreciated.

Why bYond Cashback is a Must-Have

Easy to Set Up

With BHN Extras, giving your team a bYond Cashback Card is incredibly easy. There's no complicated admin, just a quick, straightforward way to provide your staff with a valuable benefit.

Helps Staff Save Money

bYond is a great way to support your employees during the cost of living crisis. With up to 15% cashback on purchases, employees can save a significant amount of money with bYond.

Wide Range of Retailers

With over 85 high street options, employees have plenty of places to use their cashback card. From popular supermarkets to trendy clothing stores, everyone can shop and save with bYond.

This unique employee benefit will really help your staff save money on their everyday shopping, making it a practical and popular benefit that appeals to everyone!

Want to add the bYond Cashback Card to your employee benefits package? Click here to sign up with BHN Extras for free, or contact us to find out more about how it can benefit you and your staff.

7. Free Stuff

Everyone loves getting free stuff! Companies like Ben & Jerry's give their employees three tubs of ice cream every single day. This fun and generous perk shows appreciation and encourages employees to share the love with friends and family.

Now if your company sells cars or expensive items, we’re not suggesting everyone gets a car, but you can get creative! You could do a pizza lunch on the last Friday of the month, give people a gift card on their birthday or even treat everyone to a round of coffees every other Monday. 

Whatever you choose, free stuff is a great and fun way of boosting your benefits package. But remember, free stuff is an added extra and should be offered on top of a solid benefits package. Staff love freebies, but they prioritise and appreciate benefits that support their health and wealth even more.

Why Free Stuff is a Great Perk

Boosts Morale

Free products make employees feel appreciated and valued. Whether it’s daily treats like ice cream or a One4All gift card so staff can spoil themselves on their birthday, giving your team free stuff can significantly enhance employee satisfaction and loyalty.

Encourages Sharing and Community

Giving free stuff encourages employees to share with their loved ones too and it’s a great way to promote a positive company culture and strengthen bonds within the team.

Fun and Unique

Offering free products or services sets your company apart and adds a fun, unique element to your benefits package. It’s a memorable perk that employees will talk about and look forward to!

Great for boosting morale, fun and easy to do - will you consider adding ‘free stuff’ to your benefits package?

8. Gym Discounts

MyGymDiscounts is a flexible health and wellbeing benefit that makes it easier and more affordable for employees to join a gym and reach their fitness goals. From HIIT to Pilates, swimming or weight training, MyGymDiscounts gives your team discounted gym memberships at over 3,000 fitness centres across the UK, so employees can get active in a way that suits them.

New joiners and existing gym lovers can use this awesome unique employee benefit and there’s zero admin, payroll or approvals needed - so it’s really easy for you to manage too!

This perk not only helps employees stay physically fit and healthy, but also contributes to their mental wellbeing. An active workforce is proven to be more productive, happier and also takes fewer sick days!

Why MyGymDiscounts Could Be The Right Fit

Easy to Set Up and Manage

With BHN Extras, providing MyGymDiscounts is hassle-free. There’s no complicated administration, payroll adjustments, or approvals needed. It's a straightforward way to offer your employees a valuable benefit without adding to your workload.

Boosts Physical and Mental Health

Encouraging your employees to stay active helps them maintain their physical health, reduce stress, and improve overall mental wellbeing. Healthier employees are happier, more productive, and take fewer sick days, which benefits your business as well.

Wide Range of Fitness Options

With access to over 3,000 fitness centres, there’s a gym or class to suit everyone. Whether they enjoy yoga, swimming, or traditional gym workouts, MyGymDiscounts caters to all fitness levels and interests, making it an inclusive and popular benefit.

Great for promoting health and wellbeing, easy to implement and no extra admin - MyGymDiscounts is an excellent choice when bulking up your benefits package.

Want to add MyGymDiscounts to your employee benefits package? Click here to sign up with BHN Extras for free, or contact us to find out more about how it can help your staff.

9. Unlimited Paid Time Off

Next on our list of unique employee benefit ideas is Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO). This revolutionary employee benefit empowers your staff to take the time they need to recharge, without the constraints of a fixed number of leave days. This benefit is all about trust and flexibility, showing your team that you value their wellbeing and work-life balance. Offering Unlimited PTO can lead to happier, more productive employees who feel respected and trusted.

Interestingly, a recent study from HR platform Namely, shows that companies who have removed holiday allowances and opted for unlimited PTO have reported their staff take basically the same, or in some cases, less holiday than they did before!

Why Unlimited PTO is Great

Builds Trust and Loyalty

Offering Unlimited PTO shows you trust your employees to manage their own time. This level of trust fosters loyalty and commitment, and your employees will feel respected and valued by you.

Enhances Work-Life Balance

Unlimited PTO supports your employees’ personal needs and mental health by allowing them to take time off when they need it. This flexibility helps reduce burnout and stress, leading to happier, more engaged employees.

Attracts and Retains Talent

This highly attractive benefit is a must if you’re looking to employ the very best people. Offering this perk shows potential hires that your company prioritises employee well-being and flexibility.

We absolutely love the effect this benefit has on your team - it’s amazing what a little trust can do!  You will need to manage this benefit internally but it’s easily done and definitely something you should consider for your team.

10. Cyclescheme

Okay, so Cyclescheme might not strictly fall under the ‘unique employee benefit’ category, as over 1,000,000 people across the UK have already signed up and saved up to 42% on a new bike. But Cyclescheme is such a fantastic benefit that every employer can and should offer, we had to include it.

Cyclescheme is a salary sacrifice benefit that helps employees save up to 42% on bikes and cycling equipment. With Cyclescheme, your staff can shop the latest bikes, e-bikes and cycling gear at over 2,300 bike shops across the UK and then spread the cost of their new bike, interest-free, over 12 monthly payments. Employers also save up to 13.8% in tax and NI contributions - making it a cost-positive benefit!

As well as the financial benefits, cycling is a great way to stay fit and healthy, and it’s also an eco-friendly mode of transportation that’s gaining popularity. Research shows that people who cycle commute are actually over 50% less stressed during their day. Plus, healthy staff take fewer sick days.

Three Reasons To Add Cyclescheme to Your Employee Benefits Package

Free to Join and Cost-Positive

Cyclescheme is another amazing benefit that’s totally free to join with BHN Extras. Plus, with savings up to 13.8% on tax and NI contributions, it’s cost-positive!

Boosts Health & Wellbeing

This amazing benefit promotes health and sustainability. As well as helping your carbon impact, cycling to work every day will help your team feel great, more energised and less stressed.

Popular and Trusted

50,000 companies have already joined Cyclescheme and over one million people have used the scheme to save up to 42% on a new bike and cycling gear.

Cyclescheme is another must-add employee benefit for any business. Free to join and cost-positive to run, this fantastic scheme is a quick and easy way to boost your employee benefits package and show your team you care about their health and wellbeing.

Want to join Cyclescheme for free? Click here to sign up with BHN Extras for free, or contact us to find out more about how it can help your staff.

Ready to Transform Your Employee Benefits Package?

So that’s our top ten unique employee benefit ideas - we hope you liked them and are feeling inspired to improve your benefits package.

Employee benefits really are essential for attracting and retaining top talent, enhancing employee satisfaction, and boosting overall productivity but it’s shocking to see how few companies actually offer benefits of any value.

A recent survey revealed that only 5% of employees feel their current benefit packages are sufficient and a huge 58% would swap jobs just for better benefits. A clear warning to all employers that it’s time to up your employee perks game!

With BHN Extras, it’s easier than ever to offer a fantastic range of benefits that your team will love, appreciate and actually use. From the Home & Tech Scheme and Cyclescheme to the bYond Cashback Card and MyGymDiscounts, we’ve got you and your team covered.

We provide a simple, no-hassle, and affordable way to implement these benefits, helping you to create a happier, healthier, and more motivated workforce.

Want to get started?

Contact us today to learn more about how BHN Extras can transform your employee benefits package and make your workplace the best it can be.