DailyWorth has a great article about things you can ask for from your employer besides money. I’ve found that with negotiating salary it’s a lot easier to get some of these options. Obviously you will always want more money but having a lot of these perks will improve your work/life balance and make you happier overall. It’s definitely worth asking for a few when negotiating salary.
Here’s Daily Worth’s list of 12 things to ask your employer for besides money:
1. More vacation time
This one seems like a no-brainer. You might resent your anemic salary less if you have an extra week to spend notworking.2. The option to telecommute
Unless you have a job that requires constant face-to-face communication, there’s probably a good deal of work that can be done remotely. Do you do your best work from your sofa, backyard, or bed? See if you can work from home one or two days a week. Your output will be better, and you’ll save money and time not commuting.3. Parental leave
If starting (or continuing) a family is even a remote possibility, you should be aware of your company’s parental leave policy from the get-go — assuming your company has one, that is. If it’s not to your liking, try negotiating a parental leave policy that’s more in line with what you need.4. Flexible hours
I don’t know a single person who effectively gets everything done from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Instead, you might work best early in the morning, or at 2 am. Ask for flexible hours — you’ll spend the same amount of time working, but your work will be better quality since your new schedule is based on when you work best, not some arbitrary workweek.5. Membership perks
Is there a professional organization or guild you can join? What about an airline club membership if you travel a lot? See if you can get your employer to foot the bill, giving you access to discounts and perks.6. A title change
If this job is a stepping stone to a better company, ask for a better title. That way, if you aren’t being paid what you want you can at least improve your resume to make getting to your next step that much easier.7. Visibility
Think about your career in the long run: Don’t you want higher-ups to notice you? Ask whether your supervisor will facilitate regular meetings with high-level company members. Not only will you gain some mentorship, but you’ll have an opportunity to get in front of top brass who otherwise might not interact with you.8. A project you want
Why not ask to be transferred to a project you’ve been eyeing? If you can’t get paid what you want, it’s reasonable to ask to work on a project that invigorates you.9. Equity
This one is pretty standard, but won’t apply at all companies. If you’re at a startup with equity to hand out, you can certainly ask for more than they’re offering.10. A signing bonus
When it comes to getting money out of your employer, you might have success with a signing bonus when your salary doesn’t match up. It’s a one-time expense for them instead of an ongoing one.11. Severance
Say you’re joining a new company that has the potential to fail (cough, all startups). As part of your hiring package, you can ask to sketch out what happens if the company goes under; for example, if the company folds, you will still be paid your full salary for three months. Even if it’s not the salary you wanted, it’s a nice security blanket.12. Bonus structure
Instead of waiting each year for an unknown bonus to pop into your bank account, try negotiating a performance- or time-based bonus structure, so you always know exactly how much you’ll get.
Here’s a list of the things I’ve actually asked for from employers:
The option to telecommute – Working from home is one of my favorite perks and I currently do it one day per week. It’s definitely a great perk to work into your contract if possible because it will great improve your work life balance. I love not having a commute those days!
Flexible hours – I have always had jobs with flexible hours. I simply don’t work best in the 9 to 5 structure so I’ve asked employers to allow me to work when I’m at my best. When your work gets done they are happy to allow a bit of flexibility.
Membership perks – This was originally something one employer offered and I’ve since asked for it at other jobs. I let work pay for professional memberships and even my gym membership, freeing up more money for me to spend on other things.
A title change – Asking for a better title has greatly helped my resume and makes it a lot easier to move on to the next job when you have a progressive better title march on your resume.
A project you want – After spending a couple years in one position I decided I wanted to try my hand at something else. I asked to be moved to a different role on a different project and since my skills lined up with what was needed I was given what I asked for!
Equity – This hasn’t applied at many places I’ve worked, but since I work at a small company it’s something I’ve asked for and will be getting – hurray!
Those are just a few of the extra benefits you can ask for when negotiating with an employee. I know a lot of people like to ask for more vacation time. A friend is negotiating a raise right now and he wants to triple his vacation time with his current company. It’s definitely worth asking in many cases.
You might get it or you might not, but if you don’t ask you’ll never know.