The standard image of the accountant during tax season is of an overworked wretch hunched over a keypad – but it turns out that if they’re at a Best Firm to Work For, they’re fairly likely to be in a massage chair getting the kinks worked out, or stuffing their face with free food.
Virtually all of the Best Firms keep their employees well-fed during tax season, and well over half of them offer massages, making these two perks practically table stakes for anyone looking to keep staff happy.
“Chair massages are a popular break during busy season,” reported St. Louis-based Best Firm Anders. “A massage therapist comes to our office and provides this benefit.”
And West Chester, Pa.-based Fischer Cunnane Associates has kicked this must-have perk up a notch: “We hired a chiropractor who provided free chair massages for all employees during tax season.”
And while tax season can be particularly stressful, that doesn’t mean the rest of the year is a breeze. Miami’s MBAF, for instance, said, “We bring in multiple massage therapists throughout the year so that people can take a breather and enjoy a free massage.”
And San Antonio’s ATKG has added a massage chair to complement the exercise it encourages among its employees: “It sits in front of our fish tank for folks to truly relax for a few minutes and let their muscles recover from a serious workout.”
Those workouts are a good idea, given the vast quantities of food available at all of the Best Firms. From the free vending machines at firms like Chicago-based Porte Browne and the nightly busy-season meals like those at Tucson, Ariz.-based BeachFleischman, to the ice cream socials like those Houston’s EEPB offers staff, no employee of a Best Place to Work will ever go hungry.
Staff at Arizona’s BeachFleischman
And while all the ice cream and the monthly birthday cakes threaten waistlines, more and more Best Firms every year report adding fresh fruit, nuts, whole-grain snacks and other healthy options to their smorgasbord.
For more ways to build a better firm, see:
Day 1: To become a better firm, be everything to everybody
Day 2: Flexibility is non-negotiable for top firms
Day 3: Want to keep staff? Get them involved
Day 4: Charitable giving pays off at home