In this down economy, you’ve probably heard about companies cutting costs by eliminating non-essential purchasing and expenses. If your company can get by without something and still stay in business, that’s a good thing.  

But what if your company added adoption assistance, a lactation room for new mothers, and upgraded the type of coffee they served in the break room? The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an article today regarding these small types of fringe benefits. If you think about the big picture for your organization, will eliminating free water service in the break room or the occasional bowl of fresh fruit ruin your budget? Probably not. Before eliminating such “luxuries,” consider the net effect to your employees. If you have to cut back, you have to cut back, but the large items in your budget will always have a greater cost savings than the infrequent or small items.

If you are looking to stretch your benefits dollars, here are some perks to consider adding:

• Access to a financial planner at a discounted rate
• Additional PTO for new parents
• Filtered water system for refilling water bottles
• New tea and coffee offerings to try on a quarterly basis
• Lactation rooms for new moms
• Fresh fruit once a month
• Company paid healthy lunch once a quarter
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Adoption assistance