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Show them the perks(Post-Crescent, The (Appleton, WI) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Aug. 22--Chris Hanson says little perks go a long way toward keeping her small business team happy. She pays for bi-monthly chair massages for her staff of three. The 20-minute breathers work wonders. "I have a woman come and she sets up in our conference room. They love it," she said. "It gives them the ability to go in and relax. It's a wellness benefit that I give them." Small business owners might feel at a disadvantage compared to CEO's of major firms who can offer big monetary benefits like bonuses and pay increases to employees, said Ty Freyvogel, a Pittsburgh entrepreneurial expert. "However, money usually isn't the biggest point of pain for employees and because small business owners are closer to their employees they'll know what the real points of pain are," said Freyvogel in an e-mail. "Small business owners also have better opportunities to show their employees recognition for a job well done." Pittsburgh-based Freyvogel, founder of www.makingsenseofyourbusiness.com, said pampering like free spa treatments hold great appeal especially to female employees. For male workers, small business owners may want to consider extras like tickets to sporting events or gift certificates to the local watering hole, he said. Hanson, the president of Hanson Benefits, Kimberly, an insurance agency with three full time employees, doesn't stop with just the chair massages. She also provides an employee assistance plan that offers workers the opportunity for counseling if they choose. "It's a healthier thing to go in and talk with someone when you're having some of these life struggles because inevitably it affects your work," she said. In addition, Hanson is a corporate sponsor with a joint team for the Sole Burner, the annual 5K run/walk from Appleton's City Park that staged its 25th running in May. She pays the registration fees for both her employees who walk in it and their family members. And she also purchases logo wear -- the latest were lavender jackets -- for her employees. Freyvogel said an occasional free meal, recognition for a job well done, making sure employees have the equipment they need to do their jobs and sensitivity to their strengths and weaknesses are other valuable ways to show employee appreciation. So, too, are attendance incentives, for hard workers who never miss a day and sometimes work on their days off or after hours when workloads warrant it. Still, all the perks in the world won't mean anything if small business owners don't show their employees the respect they deserve, he said. "Your employees are your greatest asset," Freyvogel said. "Anything you can do to ensure that they stick with you is worth it. You don't have to break the bank to show them a little appreciation." ON-THE-JOB PERKS: Entrepreneural expert Ty Freyvogel cites a dozen different ways small business owners can build employee loyalty. Here are a few: --Pamper them occasionally. --Give bonuses at critical times. --Arrange a flexible work schedule. --Provide attendance incentives. --Provide much deserved time off. On the Web: www.makingsenseofyourbusiness.com To see more of The Post-Crescent, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.postcrescent.com. Copyright (c) 2007, The Post-Crescent, Appleton, Wis. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |