Evgeniya Chakarova, Head of HR Department at Sopharma AD, about fringe benefits in the company

We asked HRs of large companies: What are the most non-standard fringe benefits that you give to you employees? What fringe benefit has proved to be the most successful tool to provide incentives for the company's employees? Evgeniya Chakarova, Head of HR Department at Sopharma AD We have several favourite fringe benefits. Kindergarten „Simba” is definitely one of them. I don't know whether it is non-standard since for Sopharma it is the result of the natural development in the company employee-oriented policy and part of our internal communications. Of course, initially this idea was received with surprise and some internal resistance characteristic of every new undertaking, but today it is a place loved both by children and their parents. The kindergarten ensured greater ease and comfort for parents, and our employees' children go „to work” every morning with mama and papa. At present, the kindergarten is attended by 25 children and there is an outdoor playground for them to play on. The library is another fringe benefit that has become a favourite place for many of my colleagues and at present there are more than 100 regular readers. In addition to classics, one can find there the newest titles from the book market in our country. The interesting thing is that some of the books were given as a present by the employees themselves. The library has also a computer with Internet access, which the employees can also use. Among non-standard fringe benefits we can mention the area for sport activities called "Healthy". It was at the idea of its employees that Sopharma made a free fitness club that can be visited by any of my colleagues. Yoga and folk dance classes are also being conducted in the territory of the company. Now that we require much of our employees, we provide also recreation opportunities – these are 4 holiday centres with preferential conditions for our employees. We provide also free training courses and qualification improvement, additional healthcare insurance, food vouchers. What we find to be especially valuable is health care: there is a possibility for employees to visit medical specialists free of charge, if need be, as well as annual prophylactic examinations. The company provides „mobile rooms” to medical specialists. We provide also free dental care for our employees at our own dentist's office. Last but not least is our catering establishment based on the canteen principle, where various meals, including observance of certain diets /Lent, vegetarian/, are offered. There is hardly a fringe benefit that can be noted as the most important. What everyone here appreciates is the entire policy aimed at improvement of the corporate life of employees. It is a fact that more and more people are committing themselves to companies they work at. To see this happen, a company should also demonstrate loyalty to its employees and should know how to build a creative and effective work environment. http://www.tbmagazine.net