A Baltimore Sunarticle says that concierge services offered by a small but growing number of employers are popular with employees. The concierge services can do errands for employees that are often difficult to accomplish without taking time of work or wasting the lunch hour.
When the economy began to slow at the end of 2000 and employers believed they didn't have to offer such perks, concierge services at work faded. But in recent months, employees are in shorter supply and companies are realizing that the service is a unique selling point, said Joyce Gioia, president of the Herman Group, a North Carolina think tank that focuses on work trends.
The article cites a 2005 survey from the Society for Human Resource Management that found 3% of 365 companies surveyed currently offer some kind of concierge service. The article also lists one concierge service, called Charm City, and lists some of the services they offer to employees.
Commercial (and some residential) real estate companies pay Charm City a monthly fee to keep a concierge in their building and use their services. From there, tenants can call the concierge to help with business and personal services including auto detailing, birthday cakes, limousines, flowers, gifts, shoe repair, corporate magicians or impersonators for events and restaurant recommendations.
Except for maybe the "corporate magicians" services like these can really save employees a lot of time. Concierge services may be another factor you want to consider when you are job hunting.
