Free clothes, saunas and overseas trips: FJ readers reveal their work perks

The perks of the job.

When I worked at a bookshop, I couldn’t stop buying books. Not only was I surrounded by them everyday (a major work perk in itself) but my staff discount meant I was paying a fraction of the cost. It was too good of an offer and I wound up spending almost 10 years there.

I’ve had friends in a similar boat – people who have worked in fashion boutiques, spas and at skincare brands and were treated to free clothes, treatments and products. In other industries, work perks are less material. Maybe it’s flexible working hours or a work-from-home arrangement, or maybe it’s 12 weeks of paid holiday leave each year (teachers, you lucky things). Sometimes, a really good perk is enough to make you endure a bad job.

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We’re curious about the different bonuses that come with different careers, regardless of industry. So, we put the call out to Fashion Journal readers, asking what perks their jobs offers them. From free clothes to free saunas, here’s what they said.

Chrissy*, 30, she/her

I’m an assistant buyer in fashion retail. I get a free gym membership (including classes), subsidised coffee and food, osteo and beauty treatments and a staff discount. I have to commute far from where I live to work there but the perks do help to keep me at this job. I don’t think I’d have the same perks anywhere else in my industry but I also don’t think I’d be able to do the commute long term without them. I think if companies want talent and for that talent to work from the office, perks need to be part of the employment package.

Ash*, 26 she/her

I work as an associate lawyer. We get free gold star health insurance, free breakfast, free barista-made coffee, $1,000 wellness allowance for massages, new workout clothes and a gym membership (which renews each year). We also get $1,000 tech allowance, free dinner and Ubers. It definitely makes me want to stay, as these things save me thousands a year! My company is set up to keep us happy so we can bill and make the firm money.

Kate*, 24, she/her

I’m a content manager for a creative agency. I get a phone allowance of $16 a fortnight but the real best part is my professional development fund which is now five thousand dollars. This is an additional amount I can spend how I wish each finical year on any career development of my choosing. I decide and then pitch what it is to my boss for approval – this year I went to New York for a month! My pitch was inspired by the art, food and culture of one of the biggest cities in the western world!

Simone*, 36, she/her

I’m a sales assistant, senior buyer and warehouse packer. I get store credit each month to buy clothes, plus a generous staff discount. I have a great, pre-loved wardrobe now! The discount and free store credit have been part of the reason I have stayed for so long. My other job is a warehouse pick packer and I get credit towards their products. I’ve only just started this job but it’s a very generous amount.

Sienna*, 26, she/her

I’m a beauty writer working in global publishing. I get a lot of free beauty products (like, a lot) including designer brands, very expensive fragrances and limited edition shades. It’s saved me thousands of dollars, for both my own beauty cabinet and in gifts for others. For a long time, I loved it and it was a huge positive for my job. However, the freebies are also used as justification for not giving salary increases. As the cost of living has increased, I’ve found this has become more a point of frustration than a benefit, especially since I have enough free foundation, serums and various products to last me years (which isn’t an exaggeration).

Alicia*, 20, she/her

I work front of house in the wellness industry. My biggest perk is free saunas. It makes me feel positively towards my job because not only do I care about maintaining the hygiene and quality of the space because I’m using it myself, but I enjoy the sauna and can understand why people want to do it. It saves me a lot of money.

Montana*, 30, she/her

I work in marketing as a campaign manager. We have a flexible work from home policy, which has now become a non-negotiable for me if I were to look for another job. We also have regular catered lunches, free coffee, access to Class Pass and office snacks which helps me spend less when I come into the office. We have an Employee Assistance Program and regular People and Culture events. We work in the arts and events space so often get free tickets to show shows and gigs which is great for culture!

Jemma*, 31, she/her

I’m a product designer in the tech space. My workplace is really flexible – I can start late and finish early if I need, and we’re only required to come into the office once a week. We get free lunch every Wednesday and there’s lots of food and coffee supplied in the office as well.

We get $1,000 to spend a year on upskilling which can mean doing a course, going to a conference or buying books. And we get $1,000 a year to buy stuff for our home office including headphones, a desk or a chair. We can also get perks from clients that we’ve worked with. This will change from person to person but some of my colleagues have received things like discounted health insurance and discounted pilates memberships.

Soph*, 31, she/her

I work as a secondary school teacher. It’s pretty long hours and I’m often marking and lesson planning on weeknights and sometimes through weekends. Plus, dealing with teenagers everyday can be a real struggle and massive test of wills! However, the school holidays are such a selling point – that and the fact that it’s a lot easier to get a job teaching inter-state or overseas than some other industries.

Lula*, 26, she/her

I’m an assistant store manager at a luxury retail chain. One of the standout perks of working in luxury retail is the constant stream of “seeding” — exclusive gifts from top brands, often before they’re even released to the public. From clothing to shoes and accessories, we get to experience the newest collections firsthand. On top of a generous 30 per cent staff discount, all that’s asked in return is a bit of content sharing.

Sonja*, 24, she/her

I work remotely as a copywriter three days a week. Though I usually have to work standard hours when I’m in Australia (nine to five), my company is really flexible about letting me travel overseas and log on for my eight hours, even if it doesn’t align with their time zone. This freedom to work and travel is invaluable!

*Names have been changed for privacy.

For more on work perks, try this.