Confero Winter 2015: Issue 9 | Page 34

Feature Five Tips for Creating and Running a Successful Benefits and Perks Program By Roland Salmi, MBA and Gabriella Hunt | Westminster Consulting R ecently,we were able to chat with Lauren Dixon, the CEO of Dixon Schwabl. Lauren gave us considerable insight into how she operates her business and continually provides a geat work enviroment— one which has earned the company numerous awards. During our interview, (which you can read on page 18) we were able to pinpoint five core tips we believe, helps to make Dixon Schwabl successful and maintain their awardwinning status. 1. Money Does Not Equal Success. The days of thinking that money is the driver of productivity are gone. More and more studies are showing that benefit packages are starting to sway people away from higher-paying jobs if another company offers a more desirable benefits package. 2. Empower Employees. Employees want to do their job, so give them the opportunity to do so. Don’t micro-manage. If employees feel their ideas, opinions, position matters, they will do what is best for your company. Let them do what they are hired to do and get the heck out of their way. 32 | WINTER 2015 3. 4. Find Out What Your Employees Want. This Applies to ANY Business. Too often employers enact a benefit or perk they believe is going to be a huge success only for it to fall short in the eyes of their employees. The end result is frustrated employers and employees and wasted resources, time, and money. If you think this article doesn’t apply to your company, it does. Any business can run a successful benefit and perks program and thereby, become touted as a great place to work. Here is one example we recently heard: A company spent a significant amount of money and resources building a cafeteria, hiring chefs, etc. in order to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner to their employees. Great idea right? Well, in theory it was. It turns out employees took this as “I have to stay and work later since my employer is providing me all 3 meals.” Because of this, employee counseling service use increased and moral decreased. Employees were working significantly longer days and therefore, having more problems at home. So this project, which all of management was excited about, turned out to be a complete flop and caused headaches. There is a simple solution: Ask your employees what they want. This can be as simple as a company email or survey. You might be surprised at how simple the requests of your employees can be (Think: ice cream Thursdays or ½ day Fridays). Later on, the email or surveys you send can also become great goal-setting tools. In a recent article by Forbes Great Places to Work Institute: Best Small and Medium Workplaces 2014, Badger Mining Corporation was named one of the top small places to work. It has been top of the list for the past three years so if a mining company be a best place to work, no one has an excuse as to why they are not improving their work environment. The Great Places to Work list contains companies from almost every industry. 5. Its Not About You, It’s About People. Whether it’s donating to charities and giving your employees incentive to be involved or ensuring that your company is a great place to work, if you make your business about people success should follow. Businesses want to work with companies that give back. Generally speaking, happy employees equal greater productivity which is good for the bottom line.