Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My employer, whom I worked for for 25 years before I retired, was one such employer. It was a municipal utility district. One of the 6 points of their mission was to maintain an active, healthy, and engaged workforce. We had twice annual health fairs. We had a really nice gym facility on-site, as well as a professionally operated daycare for the children. Safety was a HUGE interest because of the dangerous nature of electrical work. We had a safety department, and reviews of every safety incident, no matter how small to identify ways to prevent recurrence. We had an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provided confidential counseling if you were having personal, family, or mental health issues. One of our benefits, beyond medical and dental coverage, was a legal assistance plan. For a few dollars a month you could opt in to a legal services plan where a legal firm would offer free legal advice and they would do minor legal work for free....letter writing, will writing, etc. Salaries were competitive with the industry and with similar jobs in other industries. We had annual performance reviews and step raises within each position. Promotional opportunities were encouraged and much of the hiring was from within. We had educational reimbursement for any college coursework that could be used for advancement. Their were many other benefits too, subsidized van pools, optional short term disability insurance, vision insurance, vacation, 401K (no match), health savings accounts, long term care insurance, etc.
The employee recreation club would collect $10/month from the paychecks of those choosing to join, pretty much everyone joined, and the members had all kinds of special discounts and events to keep the employees happy and socializing together in their off-duty time, like bus trips to casinos and the aquarium, group camping trips, discounts on amusement park tickets, twice yearly bingo parties with fun prizes and food, etc. We had employee appreciation picnics in the park once a month in summer, after work. We had annual kids Christmas party with Santa, and an Easter egg hunt. Our big, once a year picnic for employees and their families was held at an amusement or water park each year.
Every year the people who were celebrating a 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 year anniversary with the district, and that year's retirees, would be invited to a big catered celebration dinner at a nice hotel ballroom with dancing and awards. Once you were hired, most employees stayed until retirement. We had a pension plan overseen by the state government, and also retiree medical and dental plans. We sometimes had employees children become adults and follow their parents and find positions with the district. Most of the time the general managers came up through the ranks and often knew a lot of the 2000 employees by name. I really enjoyed my life at the company. I promoted up through the ranks starting at near-minimum wage, and retired at a six figure salary 25 years later.
Last edited by TheShadow; 07-04-2019 at 06:16 AM..
^^ All that extra stuff and family atmosphere, and employee support is great.....
But if that same employer makes a person's day-to-day work life a living hell, an can't provide all that a person needs to get their job done -- I'd say they can keep all that other stuff.
I know an employer who gives perfect attendance prizes, and employee of the month- and year awards. But the day-to-day work conditions are crap, and the production output that's expected in unreasonable.
One could argue that they're trying to show appreciation in the only way they can. I don't buy it. Employers find a way to do what they WANT to do. If they wanted to stop supervisors and managers from disrespecting workers.....if they wanted to give workers the time off they need.. they would. Instead they try to placate workers with fluff.
IF you find such a place let me know. The only places Ive ever worked is where employers work hard to keep all the money flowing to the bloated useless empty suit executives and laying off the employees due to greed and incompetence and insane leadership on management's end.
Such places may exist but they if they do, they RARELY have job openings because who would want to leave an employer like that?
I worked 38 years for such a company. Safety was always first . Key to. Safety is knowledgeable focused employees and best practice ways to do all tasks. Contractors told us they built in higher cost for our safety standards and processes. They expected those standards to change. They did not
Top performing employees were paid well above the competition offered and benefits were great with a generous 401k match AND a company paid retirement plan. Poor performing employees were separated appropriately and solid but slower it average performing employees enjoyed the safety and strong ethics policies as all did and we're getting the same great industry leading be edits. The middle of the road performer made good money too
They listened to employees with good ideas focused on helping the employee do their job. Cavities were top flight and directors and executives were rotated quickly so politics in s group were minimized. The staff worked hard it was their nature when the environment was tailored the way I described.
They are in an industry looked down on these days and only hired top 5 to 10% of graduating classes in leading engineering degrees. Their culture was not for a so some of these accomplished grads left on their own in first five years due to bad match with the culture.
That sounds like my employer. It really does make a difference. Great facilities, emphasis on safety, Contractors treated the same as employees, great benefits, etc.
I worked 9 years at a place that for the first half of those years, was the perfect workplace.
Our employer sent us to Las Vegas, all expenses paid. Whatever vacation time we wanted and half the year off with generous unemployment. I was making $4,000 a month so got $2,000 a month half the year not working. Employer health-care for peanuts ($80 a month). Meals provided.
THEN, the owner turned over more and more to the manager who began to buy him out. It all went downhill after that. Every perk disappeared. Longest and highest performers were let go and replaced with young immigrants, who couldn't qualify for unemployment.
So I've seen it, but it doesn't last. I was lucky to retire not long after that wonderful place went to hades in a basket.
back in the day when I worked automation and piece meal. Our one owner was a a true believer in taking care of his "people" He celebrated when someone got their degree, he mourned when a family member lost a kin. He listened and managed to be "in touch" with the gripes and the trials in dealing with automation and its pitfalls. He gave OT willingly . If we needed it...sign up! And boy did we gobble up those OT's.
He held that company for 14 years. Then his health took a turn. He was one of the few men that led the team ...wishing us better days. When the company got sold we saw the evolution of the "us" against "them". management and the Peons. It wasn't long til Management lost most of the crew and started to hire thru a temp service. That was the decline.
So yes I can say not one person at that place of business uttered unkindly of that gent. He was a people person first and a business owner second. He didn't like to be called Boss or OUR owner. He said we created his business He happened to have the investment to get it started, we did the rest. And he meant it. We didn't get arrogant or think we knew better....He knew all along our potentials and encouraged it.
Been dern near 26 years since I spoke of that place. I miss that style of leadership. I miss that person who did so with concern for the business and our desire to do better. Business was done by a handshake and a persons "word".
^^ All that extra stuff and family atmosphere, and employee support is great..... But if that same employer makes a person's day-to-day work life a living hell, an can't provide all that a person needs to get their job done -- I'd say they can keep all that other stuff.
I know an employer who gives perfect attendance prizes, and employee of the month- and year awards. But the day-to-day work conditions are crap, and the production output that's expected in unreasonable.
One could argue that they're trying to show appreciation in the only way they can. I don't buy it. Employers find a way to do what they WANT to do. If they wanted to stop supervisors and managers from disrespecting workers.....if they wanted to give workers the time off they need.. they would. Instead they try to placate workers with fluff.
No the district didn't make anyone's work life "a living hell". We had standard vacation policies based upon tenure (1 week/yr for the first 5 years, 2 weeks a yr years 6-10, 3 weeks years 11-15, on up to 4 weeks for those over 15 years. We had standard sick leave policies, same as many places, basically you earn one sick day every 4 weeks. We had 12 or more paid holidays, and hourly rated employees got overtime, and doubletime if they had to work on holidays. We had maternity leave before it was mandated. We had an almost aggressive ergonomic policy to get everyone fitted with the desk and cubicle architecture that best suited their physical needs. We had procedures to place grievances and have those heard and addressed. We had a very standardized policy of discipline, so supervisors couldn't dish out dirt to one guy, but not the next. We had suggestion programs, where if you suggested an improvement that would save the district time, money, or improve safety, and your suggestion was implemented, you would receive compensation. I can't recall a time I didn't get what I needed to get my job done, maybe not instantaneously, but within a reasonable time of requesting it.
After about 15 years there, I needed FMLA to take my ailing mom to multiple doctors almost weekly for over a year, and it was freely given. When my mom passed away, all 3 supervisors in my department came to her funeral, and excused any co-workers who wanted to attend. This is not to say they didn't have their share of d***s working there, but that's just life, and most workplaces can't get rid of those people based on their personality alone. It was a place that somehow made all 2000 employees feel that they had a work family, and that they were valued, and rewarded them with the benefits that we needed.
Last edited by TheShadow; 07-04-2019 at 01:20 PM..
Most Employers I have come cross seem to get most performance with least cost to company for an employee. For example, eliminating free Coffee, water, broken HVAC, facilities, low raises, more work hours etc. It obvious the Employers are there to improve their bottom line.
I have heard there some great employers out there but I honestly think they almost non-existent. It usually won't make financial sense or help their bottom line.
Which leads to be wonder if anyone has actually come a cross an employer that work very hard to keep their employee happy. They take employee complaints seriously. For example, if say I need new super fast computer for work, they immediately get me one. And/or they give large raises plus happy to approve tons of vacation.
Seems the criteria is all over the place. So if you don't' do all of these then you aren't working hard to make employees happy? Everyone is different. So what makes them 'happy' is also different. Some want more money - others want more interesting opportunities, etc.
At the end of the day - when you deal with a large group of people, you end up unable to make everyone happy. Someone is always going to complain or not consider a certain gesture as that. You treat all employees to a free lunch once a week, someone is going to say they're wasting money or they just rather have the cash. You provide free coffee, someone is going to complain because you don't offer soft drinks and they rather have that.
Most companies I've worked at had the basic stuff (workng HVAC, etc.). Certainly the bigger the company, the more perks one may get to enjoy. It's just economies of scale. What is typically comes down to is what is within reason.
I have seen perks get taken away though. Back in the start-up days. They had alcohol and soft drinks provided for all employees. There is an unwritten rule that the alcohol is consumed later in the afternoon (start-up environment, so we tend to stay till 7-9pm). As we got bigger, more people started to break open the alcohol earlier and people started to just waste the soda (1/2 filled cans laying around). Thus, at some point, they no longer offered that perk.
Of all the jobs I had prior to retirement, there was one that was as close to perfection as it could get.
It was a division office for a corporation located in another state that supported the oil industry. There were just five of us: me (secretary), general manager, sales manager, salesman and sales engineer.
All four of the men I supported had healthy family relationships, ergo no ego trips, no being cranky because of a bad marriage, and they were all quite the gentlemen. There was absolutely no stress, and no unrealistic deadlines or demands.
Since it was a one-gal office I was in my realm since I preferred to not have "hormonal drama" escapades around me.
We didn't have a workout room, out-of-office socializing, or any non-working socializing in the office. We just did our job and then went home to our families.
They guys were in the office about 50% of the time, leaving me to tend to my job functions without any interruptions.
When I first began the job we were in a very small office and within 6 months we moved to a really nice office in a brand new building. The general manager and I went to a furniture store and he advised me to pick out whatever office furniture I'd like. Plus, back then there were no computers and I'd been working on a very old typewriter. He said to get whatever I wanted and obviously I chose an IBM Selectric II!
The only negative aspect was when corporate made the decision to transfer our office to another state; otherwise I would have remained there until retiring.
All subsequent jobs fell short. Thankfully though, I knew first-hand I'd been truly blessed.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
