Generally speaking, most companies offer a multitude of benefits for their employees. Benefits can range anywhere from local bus passes to health and dental benefits or 401k matching. But nowadays, with startups and new businesses placing such a heavy emphasis on engaging company cultures, new and unique takes on employee perks and benefits are popping up all over, it’s not just your average health insurance coverage anymore. Major companies like Eventbrite offer employees weekly massage, acupuncture and chiropractic sessions covered by the company; Thrilllist and Foursquare allow their employees infinite sick days and vacation days; and MapQuest has a nap room for employees as well as a jam room complete with musical instruments and a fully stocked tiki bar, and catered lunches are becoming more and more common in companies everywhere.

 

In Colorado, where the startup scene is continuously growing and such active lifestyles are pursued by the mantra “working to live” rather than “living to work”, job perks just keep getting perkier.

 

Digital advertising and online publishing company sovrn offers perks like Friday happy hour, company barbeques, yoga during lunch breaks, in office ping pong in addition to their full scale health and monetary benefits.

 

Boulder startup Wishlist and sister company ThrivePass offer discounts on Wishlist packages, equity in the company and flexible vacation time for company employees. Every Friday afternoon both teams get together and kick off the weekend with Beer and Cheese Fridays, pairing microbrews with tasty cheeses, “the stinkier, the better!” and learning a little bit about the chosen craft beer and sometimes stinky cheese. Because Wishlist specializes in gifting experiences rather than stuff, employees have also received some extra fun birthday bonuses, such as a free night at a Four Seasons penthouse and box seats to an Avalanche game!

 

Zayo team members can get extra active with group fitness events with their coworkers. A few times a month employees can leave early on a Friday to go hike, take a CrossFit or kickboxing class or rock climb with their fellow team members.

 

FusionBox, an interactive agency in Denver, offers light rail passes, gym membership, dogs in the office and bike share to employees.

 

PaySimple, a Denver based startup, gives employees RTD eco-passes, gym reimbursements, monthly work happy hours, catered lunches on Fridays in addition to a stocked kitchen complete with a working kegerator, birthdays off and offers other extracurricular activities like book clubs through their company.

 

As companies begin to stress the importance of teamwork and working together to achieve greater results, it is no surprise that fun group activities are becoming more and more common in the workplace. Not only is it great for team bonding and teambuilding, it also makes for much happier employees and an overall positive work environment—who wouldn’t want that!