So you’ve found the perfect candidate for your open supply chain job? Congratulations! But the hard work isn’t over. In fact, the battle may have just begun. Top candidates are usually being courted by more than one company, so you’ll need to figure out how to come out ahead.

Offering more money won’t necessarily mean you’ll win. Employees want to see that you care about more than their wallets. What about their professional needs and their outside lives? Try offering nontraditional perks that address their work-life balance, their time crunch issues and their need to keep their skills current.

Here are just a few of the nontraditional perks offered by many of today’s leading organizations:

Providing Flexibility and Work/Life Balance

Many companies provide services for the employee and their families including pet insurance, on-site medical care, child (or even pet!) day care assistance, in-house cafeterias and fitness centers. When employees know that their families and their health and well being are taken care of, it makes it easier for them to focus on work.

Time Management

Other employers provide perks that save the employee time and stress, like on-site haircuts and manicures, car washes, shoe polishing and dry cleaning. There is an employer who set up a farmers market in his company’s parking lot every Friday, and another who has regular drawings for housecleaning services. Basically, they want to make it easy for their employees to take care of the minor things that can take up so much of their valuable, outside-of-the-office time.

Allowing for Play

They say, All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.” Who wants dull (or miserable) employees? Many companies provide a break room that has games such as ping pong tables, PlayStations and Wiis or Blu-Ray Players for employees to enjoy on their lunches or breaks.

Virtual Concierge

Many people work an average of 45-55 hours a week, and this doesn’t include the additional time spent commuting, cooking, paying bills and doing household chores. Sadly, this doesn’t leave much time to spend with family and friends.

To help employees handle their personal tasks during work hours, try offering on-site concierge services. These services can range from day-to-day tasks like picking up dry cleaning and arranging transportation, to gift buying, vacation planning and ticket purchasing. When employees utilize this service it not only saves them time, it helps them to be more productive, focused and less stressed at work – and we can all agree a less stressed and happy employee is a better employee.

Some of these programs cost little or nothing, while some require a significant investment. But helping your supply chain employees save time during their workday can be a win-win for everyone.

Want more ideas for attracting the best supply chain professionals? Contact ZDA, the supply chain industry experts!