HOW DO SMALL EMPLOYERS COMPETE WITH COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE?

Fortune’s recent “Best Companies to Work For” issue could make small employers feel they should just give up trying to attract and retain the best employees. Instead, employers need to be creative in identifying things that give them an edge in their own geographic market area.

Small employers do have an edge to build from. A recent poll of college graduates by Quick Connect showed that savvy students and recent graduates are more interested in smaller companies that will “invest in them and provide growth opportunities”. Small companies are clearly more appealing; with only 3 out of 10 of those participating in the poll saying they would prefer to work for a large company.

Employers can capture these new graduates by creating a corporate culture where work and life balances, and a commitment to the community, are important and rewarded. The “work till you drop makes you a company hero” culture is no longer the winning business in Nigeria. The importance of community commitment cannot be understated, as more employees today want an opportunity to establish roots and contribute to their communities. Opportunities like a corporate responsibility program, in addition to enhanced benefits, will help attract them.

For those who missed all the press about Google, some of the benefits they provide are:

11 gourmet restaurants; Snack rooms; Free wi-fi coaches for employee transportation; $5000 towards a hybrid car; Car washes; oil changes; Haircuts; $2000 employee referral fee; $500 “new baby” reimbursement for takeout food in first 4 weeks; Gym on-site; Subsidized exercise classes; Language classes; Personal concierge; Laundry rooms; Dry cleaning services; Massage room; On-site childcare; On-site notaries; Car services; On-site physicians for employee checkups; on-site dentist; Motorized scooters to get around buildings; Allows pets at work for limited hours.

Why do companies like Google spend so much money for these kinds of benefits? To attract the best employees, make sure they hold onto them, and encourage high levels of loyalty and productivity. Every company has to measure the cost of benefits compared to the increase in productivity and efficiency of the organization when you have the best people in the right job and have low turnover costs.

While some of these benefits are not within the financial means of many small businesses, here are some ideas:
Snacks: This is a very easy, inexpensive thing to do. Google’s philosophy is that no one should be more than 150 feet from food. While that may be a little extreme, it is certainly true that employees who are hungry are more focused on the clock for lunch or break time instead of their work. Coordinate snacks with a general wellness program, and only buy low-calorie, healthy food including fruit and juices. If you find that everything disappears as soon as you buy it, only restock once a week or every other week – employees will quickly learn that the supply is not unlimited. You still think you can’t offer all of the above? then consider offering the Quick Connects proactive Benefits plan and save your company the stress of implementation and run around. They sure can save your employees a pile of cash daily no questions asked.
Take a closer look on why this is your best bet and how to attract the best in industry!

Gym: Studies for many years have shown the correlation between employee fitness and productivity, so encouraging employees to work out and have a healthy lifestyle only benefits the organization. There are two ways to provide this:
If you have space available, purchase a treadmill and a few other workout items and let your employees use them. A DVD player can be used for workout DVD’s, and exercise mats, free weights and other items can be inexpensive to purchase.
Provide a gym membership reimbursement to employees. Many gyms have “corporate” programs, providing discounted membership and gym fees when you have a minimum number of employees participating. One word of caution: select a gym that is attractive to most of your employees; for example, if your employees prefer a more relaxed, family atmosphere; the gym with a focus on hard, competitive workouts won’t be used by employees or simply buy the Quick Connects Global membership program and your employees can have access anywhere any day and anytime. Even right here in Nigeria!

Dry Cleaning: There are dry cleaning companies that will pick up and deliver at the workplace. The time savings alone is valuable to employees, who don’t have to spend time driving to the cleaners. Quick Connect Membership also covers this!

Employee Wellness: Hire a physician to provide annual flu shots for employees who want them. These are inexpensive, and can save far more in sick leave and lost productivity. Engage a wellness expert to provide weekly or monthly suggestions for employees to improve wellness, and post wellness related resources for your employees, focused especially on smoking cessation and exercise programs. Spend N15000 every couple of months to bring a chair massage therapist to your site and offer 5 – 10 minute massages free to employees.

Referral Fees: Determine how much it really costs you to recruit, screen and hire employees, and then establish a referral fee for employees that is paid after the referred person is hired and works for 90 days. This cost thousands of Naira or more, and can be paid with cash (which is taxable earnings!) or a gift certificate for a restaurant or favorite store. The employee who referred someone has a vested interest in referring people that you’re likely to hire, and they’ll help make sure the person performs well enough to complete their orientation period. The alternative, sign up for the Quick Connects Staff Swap Plan and be guaranteed the best employees with no financial damage whatsoever. Swap your Bad Apples with QCN’s Good Apples.

Employee Appreciation Day: Have a day where you buy lunch for staff, and provide free basic massages, manicures, or other fun things that will generate fun for employees. Some additional things you may consider: Invite your employees to a lunch time show of a clothing line, providing lunch and N2500 per employee to spend on clothes, with their balance of purchases made through payroll deduction over several months; have monthly lunches to celebrate employees’ birthdays.
Keep a stock of movie tickets, N1500 Silver-bird Pass, or other low-Naira certificates, and make it a practice to hand them out. Even a small financial contribution can make a big difference to an employee, and help them feel appreciated and valued. Well, a simple Quick Connect Benefits branded ATM card is all you really need!

Corporate Responsibility: More employees today want to work for a company that is socially responsible. Encourage employees to volunteer time for social agencies or other non-profits, or devote 1-2 hours per month per employee for them to do non-profit work. These programs can be very rewarding for both the company and employees.
Most importantly, don’t forget to just say “thank you” to employees. Everyone likes to know that they are appreciated. Finally, a customized Quick Connect employee benefits plan offer all these and lots more for just N2500 per employee yearly no questions asked. Every company qualifies big or small...

WELCOME TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF CORPORATE BENEFITS. PROACTIVE BENEFITS INSTEAD OF THE OLD SCHOOL REACTIVE BENEFITS PLAN.

visit our business blog www,thegamechangernetwork..com