Getaway grants, free downtown parking and the best perks of the Austin tech scene

by Colin Morris
April 14, 2016
Tech companies put a lot of effort into creating perks their employees actually value. Not only does it help them recruit the best talent, but the right perks can really help with retention. Happy people are less likely to leave a company than miserable ones, after all. 
 
Here are 10 Austin tech companies with truly innovative perks.
 

OwnLocal employees have something truly enviable, and it’s not just a chance to help old media and local businesses with automated ad sales. They also enjoy free downtown parking and a car2go membership for getting around Austin’s most crowded spots.

 

Everyone needs to ship something at some point. uShip makes it easy for their customers — but even easier for their employees, who get to use the service for free.

 

Employees at Jobs2Careers enjoy an afternoon “tea time,” where everyone takes a break and enjoys snacks, cold-pressed juices, ping-pong tournaments and an outdoor lounge area complete with views of Hill Country — perfect for grilling steaks on Fridays.

 

 

Lots of tech companies brag about their free snacks, drinks and espresso machines, but RetailMeNot might have the best deal of all: a barista on staff to make your macchiato to order.

Not a coffee drinker? Not to worry. There's also a tailgate full of beer built into a wall (shown above).

 

Bigcommerce exists to help entrepreneurs and even hobbyists who moonlight as online merchants. To walk the talk, the company grants employees free, personal use of Bigcommerce’s e-commerce product.

 

Possibly one of the coolest ways to get high on your own supply, FoundersCard employees each receive all the preferred pricing and posh pampering that comes with their a FoundersCard membership. That alone is reason enough to toss your hat in the ring for a career there.

 

Also outdoing the competition on the food front is Dropbox, which offers its employees three free meals per day. Cynics might read that as a way to trick employees into working crazy long hours, but if you’re working on tech you love, it doesn’t feel that way. And Dropbox definitely qualifies as an enviable project.

Don’t need parking? No problem here. Mattersight has showers for employees who bike to work. Pretty sweet solution to the carbon conscious commuter’s problem of showing up to work drenched in sweat and smelling like a gym sock.

 

Spiceworks has a lot to offer, culture-wise. Notably, they upgraded late last year to a new office lovingly and painstakingly designed and decorated by employees and their families.

Staff favorites include the massive kitchen, fitness centers offering classes in yoga and Crossfit and a "skylounge" for gathering outside and taking in a view of the Hill Country.

 

Adlucent is one of a growing group of companies rewarding its employees’ hard work with more than just time for a vacation. The company offers a getaway grant after one year of service, underwriting employees’ adventures outside the office when they need it most.

Jobs from companies in this blog

Austin startup guides

LOCAL GUIDE
Best Companies to Work for in Austin
LOCAL GUIDE
Coolest Tech Offices in Austin
LOCAL GUIDE
Best Perks at Austin Tech Companies
LOCAL GUIDE
Women in Austin Tech