| Before becoming a full time entrepreneur (or | | | | washes and oil changes, a free laundromat and dry |
| ontamanure, as my daughter calls me) I worked my | | | | cleaner, a $5,000 subsidy to buy a hybrid car, and |
| share of jobs and had my share of bosses. Some of | | | | more. On the responsibility and growth side Google |
| the jobs I enjoyed, some I did not. The same is true for | | | | encourages key employees to work as much as 20% |
| the bosses. Some were decent folks who treated me | | | | of their time on projects that may someday be folded |
| with the same respect I gave them while others would | | | | into the Google toolbox. There's little wonder why |
| have been better suited running a concentration camp. | | | | Google gets 1,300 applications per day and enjoys a |
| I shouldn't complain, though, because it was the worst | | | | turnover rate of less than 5%. |
| boss I ever had who ultimately motivated me to start | | | | What can you do to keep your employees happy |
| my own business as a way of escaping the shackles | | | | even if you don't have Google's deep pockets? The |
| of employment. | | | | first thing you must do is find out what makes your |
| In a previous column I talked about how the | | | | employees tick. What perks would they enjoy? What |
| management style (and personality) of the person in | | | | needs can you meet that would help them be better |
| charge plays a big part in the employee turnover rate. | | | | employees? |
| While some bosses will never understand that | | | | How about an on-site daycare center for working |
| management by terrorism does not breed lasting | | | | parents? If that's not feasible offer to pay a |
| loyalty, I'm glad to report that many companies are | | | | percentage of outside daycare. How about paying for |
| now going out of their way to hang on to the top | | | | all or part of their health insurance? Or offering |
| talent. | | | | educational assistance or paying for certifications? The |
| Keeping employees happy, motivated, and on the | | | | company reaps as many benefits of these perks as |
| payroll is one of the key concerns to businesses these | | | | the employee does. |
| days, especially since surveys show that turnover | | | | Maybe your business isn't large enough to fund those |
| among managers and sales people has doubled in the | | | | kinds of perks, but how about a few perks that cost |
| last couple of years. This means that it's an open | | | | you little or nothing, but can boost moral in a big way? |
| market for top talent. A good employee can walk out | | | | Offer your employees flexible hours. As long as the |
| your door today and have a comparable or better job | | | | job is getting done why should you care when the |
| tomorrow. Which brings up a very important question: | | | | work is performed? Studies have shown that |
| what can you do to keep that person from even | | | | employee productivity can actually go up if you let |
| thinking about going to work elsewhere? Gone are the | | | | them set their own hours. Big companies like Best Buy |
| days when the weekly paycheck and two weeks | | | | are doing this with excellent results. |
| vacation a year were enough to keep employees | | | | How about letting them work from home? Freedom to |
| happy. With employment at 4.5%, the lowest since mid | | | | work where and when they want can be a huge |
| 2001, employers must come up with irresistible | | | | benefit to employees. Then there's job sharing, where |
| incentives to keep top talent onboard. | | | | a couple of people split a regular 40 hour a week job. |
| Here are the results of a recent survey by Fortune | | | | And don't forget the no-brainer stuff like group |
| Magazine on why people leave their jobs: 30% leave | | | | activities like lunches and cookouts that give everyone |
| for better compensation and benefits; 27% for a | | | | a chance to bond. People don't leave jobs if that's |
| better career opportunity; 27% for a new experience; | | | | where all their friends are. |
| 21% are dissatisfied with opportunities at current job; | | | | One of my favorite perks is to offer them the |
| and 16% desire to change careers or industries. Money | | | | opportunity to learn something new during lunch. It's |
| is no longer the major motivator. The potential for | | | | always a great idea to keep employees challenged |
| added responsibility and the opportunity to grow are. | | | | and learning. Why not offer free "lunch and learn" |
| According to Fortune the best place to work is search | | | | sessions where you have someone come in to teach |
| engine giant Google, which has always been famous | | | | your employees new skills while they munch down on |
| for the perks it offers employees, even beyond those | | | | free pizza you provide. Even my dentist does this, so |
| prized stock options that turned many employees into | | | | don't tell me you can't. |
| millionaires after Google's IPO. | | | | The point is this: money is no longer the reason |
| Among the perks Google offers its employees are | | | | employees stay with a company for 40 years. As the |
| eleven free cafes, unlimited sick days, five onsite | | | | captain of industry it's up to you to figure out what |
| doctors (free office visits), an annual ski trip, onsite car | | | | floats their boats, then make waves. |