From equipment rodeos to free Red Sox tickets to opening for Bruno Mars, check out which of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For offer the coolest perks.
1 Bingham McCutchen
Best Companies Rank: 60
The law firm offers its Boston-based employees two box seats to a Red Sox game annually, including playoffs and championships. Seniority determines eligibility, but Bingham says it makes every effort to include as many of its lawyers as possible. Tickets to concerts at TD Garden, Gillette Stadium, and Fenway Park are also offered in office raffles -- and its other locations hold similar contests.
2 Discovery Communications
Best Companies Rank: 79
The media company, which owns TV networks like The Discovery Channel, TLC and Animal Planet, hosts in-house premieres for employees. In July, they were treated to an early screening of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo,Special Edition: The "Watch n' Sniff" episode. A special card was handed out and viewers could match the quirky family's antics with appropriate smells -- followed by an exclusive interview with the cast. Discovery Communications (DISCA) brought another famous face to its headquarters in November: Oprah Winfrey, who spoke to employees and answered their questions.
3 Ernst & Young
Best Companies Rank: 78
E&Y's benefits span beyond the living. If an employee dies during his tenure at the firm, the surviving family receives either $50,000 or four months' salary (whichever is greater) within 48 hours of the company being notified.
4 Intuit
Best Companies Rank: 8
Employees at the software company don't have to worry about being sedentary, thanks to a Workout on Wheels (WOW) cart. On long days, teams of five to 25 can participate in 15-minute strengthening, stretching, or relaxation sessions. The mini-workouts combine yoga, breathing and meditation.
5 Qualcomm
Best Companies Rank: 32
Qualcomm (QCOM) not only pays its summer interns, but also provides them with a generous relocation package. They also receive fully furnished housing, roommate matching, a transportation allowance, and amenities like towels and linens, a TV and DVD player, a fully equipped kitchen, and maid service every other week.
6 Kiewit
Best Companies Rank: 99
Kiewit works with intense machinery, such as backhoes and compactors, and makes the training sessions fun for employees. After they learn how to operate the company's heavy equipment, they spend a second day competing at the 'Equipment Rodeo.' Events include picking up a beach ball with an excavator or grading a road -- with a chance to win prizes.
7 Google
Best Companies Rank: 1
The tech giant's well-documented employee benefits helped land it the top spot on this list. Its perks go beyond the office: three winners of Google's (GOOG) annual talent show opened for Bruno Mars at his Las Vegas show in April at the Global Sales Conference.
8 The Container Store
Best Companies Rank: 28
Though the company's known for helping customers organize their lives, the Container Store (TCS) also clutters its employees' offices with gifts. This year's "We Love Our Employees Day," celebrated annually on February 14, included treats like lamb's wool blankets and t-shirts, hot chocolate K-Cups to be used in temporary 'cocoa lounges,' and a video message featuring the company's CEO, Chairman, and Chief Merchandising Officer.
9 Quicken Loans
Best Companies Rank: 5
The Detroit-based mortgage lender noticed that many of its employees lived outside of the troubled city. Quicken Loans partnered with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Compuware, DTE Energy, Marketing Associates, and Strategic Staffing Solutions to create rich incentives for those who rent or buy in the city. (Its reasoning? Helping Detroit get back on its feet helps the company's employees.) First time renters are eligible for a $2,500 allowance toward the cost of their apartment in in the first year, followed by $1,000 for the second. Homebuyers can receive a $20,000 forgivable loan and existing homeowners additional $5,000 for home improvements.
10 Cooley
Best Companies Rank: 100
When employees at the Palo Alto-based law firm do a good job, they're rewarded with 'Snooze or Cruise' certificates, which allow them to come in two hours late or leave two hours early on a day of their choosing.
