Four-day weekends. At Quorum Federal Credit Union in Purchase, employees are given the Friday off before a long weekend. Suddenly, Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends seem a lot longer. “It’s one of the benefits I especially enjoy,” says Glenn Shuster, Quorum’s vice president of human resources. And it never gets old: “Long holiday weekends were great for vacations with friends as a single guy, all the way through now, with my family of four,” says Quorum Controller Jamie Hafer. At Acorda Therapeutics in Ardsley, workers are treated to shorter Fridays in the warmer months. “I love our ‘summer Fridays,’ when the office closes at 1 p.m.,” says employee Michelle Coppola.
Tuition reimbursement. Some Westchester businesses pay a portion of workers’ higher-education costs as a direct investment in employees. Two of those companies are Pentegra Retirement Services in White Plains and IAC Applications in Yonkers. IAC Applications maintains a focus on employee development, offering in-house programs on management, leadership, and productivity. Pentegra’s Colleen Zanicchi, senior vice president of human resources, see tuition reimbursement as a hiring advantage: “Being based in White Plains, we need to be competitive with employers in New York City,” she says.
Office massages. As companies race to outdo one another and attract talent, it’s become increasingly common. IAC Applications will frequently set up a pair of massage therapists in its conference rooms; employees are welcome to walk in for some quick stress reduction. “The workday tends to be really busy,” says Jacinta Bowman, an IAC Applications employee. “It’s great when you can take a break and get a 15-minute massage.”
Affordable fitness. In Westchester, fitness classes are pricey. But employees at Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers have access to Zumba sessions on-site for just $5 per class. “Normally it’s upward of $20 per class,” says Ellen Story, director of management development at Stew’s.
Subsidized transportation. IAC Applications has a WageWorks program, which equips workers with a monthly stipend for train tickets and other transportation costs. Money saved can add up to over $1,000 a year.
Company outings. Office parties shouldn’t always take place in the break room. At IAC Applications, the company recently took employees to a private screening of the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One. At Atlantic Westchester, the HVAC company in Bedford Hills, friendly office competitions are common. “We have company outings at the local go-kart facility, so our competitive natures can come out in a positive way,” says President Bud Hammer. “And we earn bragging rights until the next company event.” —KZ
