Unemployment is low, and the job market has never been better for many workers.

But at the same time, 39 percent of HR managers say their companies often offer promotions that come with a better title and more responsibility -- but no bump in pay.

Maybe you're in the position of wanting to offer your workers something other than money to keep them happy and productive.

While I personally subscribe to the philosophy that you should pay people at least a little more than what it would cost to replace them (even if you think you can get them to stay for less), it's true that there are other things that workers value besides more dollars.

My colleagues Suzanne Lucas and Emily Canal explored some more creative perks and benefits recently, such as a company that lets young employees trade in unused vacation days for student loan payments, and a wide array of company benefits for employees who are also new parents (breast milk delivery and traveling nannies, to name a few).

Other examples:

  • Google offers employees death benefits providing a surviving spouse or partner 50 percent of deceased employees' salaries for 10 years,
  • Salesforce offers six paid days per year to volunteer for charitable causes, and
  • Spotify covers the cost of egg freezing or infertility treatments for workers. 

Maybe you can't afford all of these; maybe they're not the ones you think your employees would want most.

But, there's a time-tested way to get information about what perks might encourage loyalty and increase productivity among employees: just start asking.

Here's what else I'm reading today: