Hyderabad Blues: [HM:258565] The Top 20 Coolest Employee Perks

By Jessica Stillman

Jessica Stillman is a freelance writer based in Cyprus with interests in unconventional career paths, generational differences, and the future of work. She has blogged for CBS MoneyWatch, GigaOM, and Brazen Careerist.

@EntryLevelRebel

When it comes to recruiting top talent, how much do perks matter? Quite a lot, according to employer review site Glassdoor. Their Benefits Review, released this week, found that 57 percent of people report benefits and perks being among their top considerations when deciding where to work. When job hunting, four-in-five would prefer new perks over a pay raise.

While handsome benefits can't make up for a wayward company culture or meaningless work, cool perks clearly can make a big difference. So what are you up against when designing your benefits package? The competition looks pretty stiff, according to Glassdoor, which also rounded up some of the country's coolest perks as part of the review. Check out the top 20 below (either to drool in envy or to get some ideas for the kind of carrots you might offer employees):

Netflix: One paid year of parental leave to new parents. Parents also have the flexibility to work part-time if they prefer or take time off as needed.
REI: "Yay Days," two paid days for the outdoor activity of an employee's' choice per year.
Salesforce: Six days of paid volunteer time off a year. If they use all six, they receive a $1,000 grant to donate to a charity of their choice.
Spotify: Six months of paid parental leave, plus one month of flexible work options for parents returning to work. Egg freezing and fertility assistance are also on the company.
World Wildlife Fund: "Panda Fridays," a paid day off every other Friday (no idea what pandas have to do with it.)
Airbnb: An annual stipend of $2,000 to travel and stay in an Airbnb listing anywhere in the world.
PwC: $1,200 per year for student loan debt reimbursement.
Pinterest: Three paid months of parental leave, plus an additional month of part-time hours, as well as two counseling sessions to create a plan to re-enter the workplace.
Burton: Season ski passes and "snow days" to hit the slopes after a big snowfall.
Twilio: A Kindle plus $30 a month to purchase books.
Twitter: Three catered meals a day, on-site acupuncture, and improv classes.
Accenture: The company coverys gender reassignment for their employees as part of their commitment to LGBTQ rights and diversity.
Walt Disney Company: Free admission to its parks for employees, plus their friends and family, as well as discounts on hotels and merchandise.
Facebook: $4,000 in "Baby Cash" to employees with a newborn.
Evernote: "Evernote Academy" offers team-building courses like macaroon baking.
Epic Systems Corporation: A paid four-week sabbatical to pursue their creative talents after five years at the company.
Adobe: The entire company shuts down for one week in December and one week over the summer.
Asana: Access to executive and life coaching services outside of the company.
Zillow: Traveling employees can ship their milk on the company.
Google: The surviving spouse or partner of a deceased employee receives 50 percent of their salary for the next ten years.