Attention beer-enthusiasts: There’s a trend a-brewin’ among breweries everywhere. Working in an environment where you can practically smell the bittery hops of mouth-watering craft beer from your desk (or bar) sounds like paradise to some.
Though it may seem like working for a brewery is a perk in and of itself, breweries across the world recognize that offering a competitive benefits package is essential to creating happy, loyal employees.
Breweries have hopped onto a trend typically associated with Silicon-Valley tech giants like Facebook and Google.
They too are offering non-traditional benefits that get right to the core of every employee’s dream: to have fun at work.
New “work-styles”, or work lifestyles, are creating a new kind of work culture, one where fun, work, incentives, compensation, activities, sustainability, family and community come together as one.
Phoenix is a growing hub for breweries, making a name for itself in the beer-world with successful breweries such as Chandler’s SanTan Brewing Company, whose beers have won national and statewide awards. Yelp listed Scottsdale’s Goldwater Brewing Co. and Phoenix’s Helio Basin Brewing Co. among the best local breweries in the U.S. in a feature for Travel + Leisure.
With this industry growth comes the need to hire and retain the best employees possible. There’s nothing like bringing the best out of someone with an ice-cold beer and some bomb, burp-inducing benefits.
Here’s a look at some of the innovative, head-tilting benefits breweries are giving their employees:
Name a Beer and Fun Sock Friday and Extensive Taste Tests
California-based Barrel Brothers Brewing Company keeps their atmosphere fresh and thrilling for their employees by allowing everyone to name a beer. Among some of the employee-named beers at Barrel Brothers? Saturday Morning Cartoons, Dad Pants, Suck It Trebek!, Dark Sarcasm, Naughty Hops, and Leather Bound Books (a barrel aged brown sour). This perk helps employees feel personally connected to the beers, creating brand and company loyalty.
The company also has Fun Sock Fridays, giving its team the chance to let loose and express their personality with wild foot-coverings. All employees also get up-close-and-personal with all of the beers, sensory and blind taste testing of all new beers.
“Pawternity” Leave
They say having a dog is like having a child. All of Scotland-based BrewDog‘s more than 1,000 employees receive one week of paid leave when they welcome a new puppy into their lives. More than 50 “office dogs” take-on the work week with their owners as well! The company said it has received more employment appellations since announcing the “mutternity” leave perk.
Softball leagues, company hikes, camping trips and a trip to Europe
Employees at Odell Brewing Company can quench their thirst for adventure through company hikes, camping trips and softball leagues. They can also look forward to an all expense paid trip to Europe after working for the company for five years.
Life and financial wellness counseling
Bell’s Inspired Brewing, which is based out of Michigan, encourages employees to live their best lives by paying for life and financial wellness counseling. Employees who are satisfied, secure and happy with other areas of their lives are more likely to bring positive energy to work!
On-site wellness amenities (oh, and a case of beer with each paycheck!)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company prioritizes holistic employee wellness by offering on-site massage and acupuncture, on-site yoga classes and an on-site medical clinic. Employees at the California-based brewery also walk away with one case of beer each payday. They get first dibs on tickets for brewery events too!
A Trip to Belgium and a Company Bike and company ownership
New Belgium Brewing Company is an employee-owned company based out of Colorado. Employees receive an all expense paid trip to Belgium after five years with the company. But, that’s not all. Employees get to take on Belgium for one week with their other five-year coworkers! On their one year work-anniversary, employees receive a branded Fat Tire Cruiser Bike, a tradition that’s been going strong for 18 years. “Fat Tire” is the name of the brewery’s flagship beer.
Any company can have amazing, enticing benefits for their employees. Benefits shouldn’t be boring. They should enhance and celebrate the company culture and values you’ve worked so hard to establish.
We at Beni.fit are passionate about bringing employee benefits into alignment with company culture and purpose. Visit our website to learn more about how we can help your company and your employees thrive.