Yesterday's Cleveland Plain Dealer ran an article on new types of perks that companies are making available to their employee to offset the rising gas prices. The options discussed:
- Helping potential car poolers connect.
- Adjusting workweeks so some employees can put in four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days, or offering flex time options.
- Handing out maps of bike routes and riding tips.
- Accommodating, and even subsidizing, mass-transit use.
- Offering work-from-home options.
- Making available forgivable, low-interest loans to help employees buy dwellings near work.
- Providing gas gift cards as rewards.
- Raising mileage reimbursements.
- Catering in-house breakfasts and lunches
I have some concerns about some of these perks. For example, gas cards might be a great idea, but it may have a negative impact on those who do not own cars. Thus, consider combining a gas card program with a bus pass program to make sure that all employees are equally covered by the benefit. In other words, my standard disclaimer with any employment policy applies - make sure that it applies on a non-discriminatory basis.