CLIF BAR & COMPANY

CLIF BAR INCENTIVISES CYCLING to the next level: It offers employees up to R8 900 a year in rewards for commuting by bike, R5 800 toward a bike every six years, and R4 100 annually to cover race entry fees. Land a job here, and you can borrow a company loaner bike and hit the paved trails near the office, or drop into a spin class at the company gym whenever the mood strikes. You get two and a half hours a week to exercise on company time. Feel free to hang out in your workout gear (or throw it in the washer/ dryer), and grab a healthy bite at the employee-run organic café or a free coffee on the way back to your desk. Crank out 80 hours of work in nine days instead of 10, and you can take every other Friday off. (BRB, scanning job listings.)

Clif’s cycling culture starts at the top: CEO Kevin Cleary bikes to work regularly, and organises impromptu rides with employees. The company also sponsors cycling events (including the California Enduro Series and Downieville Classic), bike charities (such as the International Mountain Bicycling Association), and teams (including the Clif Pro Team, which was founded in 2001 to create more opportunities for women in sports). Clif celebrates Bike to Work Month in May, when teams of 10 to 12 employees compete for highest mileage. The company makes donations to cycling organisations on behalf of the top two teams – who earn mad respect from their coworkers, no doubt. EMPLOYEES: 1 100 (380 AT HEADQUARTERS) HQ: EMERYVILLE, CALIFORNIA