Concierge Services Give Employees More Hours in the Day

It has been said that life happens while we are at work. The bank does not open until 8:00 am. The doctor only takes appointments until 5:00 pm. The cable repair man could show up anytime between 11:00 and 3:00...

Concierge services offered as a benefit by employers was born out of an increase in "extreme" jobs - those jobs that require greater than 40 hours a week. However, employers are increasingly offering these benefits to employees as a means of fostering better work-life balance and flexibility.

Benefits that fall into the concierge service category are greatly varied. Large employers with a corporate cafeteria may offer employees a credit toward hot dinners. On her way out the door at 5:00, mom can pick up a hot dinner for her family without making a stop. A company may staff a host of assistants whose job is to sit at your house and wait for the cable guy while you work at the office. Other concierge services include:

• Dog walking
• Vacation or event planning
• Car maintenance/Roadside assistance
  
• Personal chores and errands
• Scouting contractors, babysitters, etc.
• House cleaning
• Drop off or pick up family members
• Personal correspondence
• A variety of other personal or virtual assistant tasks
  

Employees benefit by gaining more control of their to do list. Work becomes less of an impediment to mounting obligations at home. Companies enjoy the benefit of a happier, more productive workforce. Their employees take less time off at inconvenient intervals. A benefit as flexible and varied as a concierge service can work in virtually any sized company with any population of employees reaping great benefits in workplace satisfaction and productivity.