1. What are the advantages of perks? What are the disadvantages? The list of perks that Canadian companies might offer employees is very long. It includes things like unlimited sick days, on-site chlldcare, eldercare benefits, counselling, flexible work schedules, free beverages, concierge services, laundry pickup and delivery, training and development opportunities, exercise facilities, on-site pet care, and wellness programs, to name just a few. The extent of these perks varies widely across companies.

Giving discounts to employees is a long-standing practice at some firms. Consider the following examples:

• lululemon gives employees a 60 percent discount on high-end clothing (plus two free weekly yoga lessons)

• Starbucks employees receive free beverages during their work shifts (plus one pound of coffee or one box of tea each week)