Employee Amenities Are a Smart Move

Dave Thomas

October 01, 2015

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In order to successfully run a small business in 2015 and beyond, hiring and retaining the best employees can be a challenge.

Face it; many workers in today’s economic world live paycheck to paycheck. As a result, they’re not as likely to stick around for decades at an employer like their parents in others did back in the day.

So, how do you go about keeping them in your employ, giving you a steadiness about your small business that customers hopefully come to know and expect?

Treat Your Workers as You’d Want to Be Treated

While there are a number of ways to keep workers in the fold, most will ultimately look at their take-home pay in order to determine if your small business is worth staying at for years to come.

In some cases, they will find the pay suitable and will not look to leave. Others, however, will note they need more revenue and just be part of a revolving door at your company. When you’re dealing with the latter, not only do you suffer having to train people over and over again, but it can lead to customer unhappiness too.

With that in mind, here are some ways to keep employees on your payroll for some time to come:

Competitive salary – As mentioned earlier, having a competitive wage for your workers is critical. If they can earn more money elsewhere and the working conditions at another job are as good as if not better than your place, what would compel them to stay with you? Review what other likewise businesses are paying their employees to make sure your salaries are competitive;
Worthwhile amenities – Even though a good salary is important, what kind of amenities are you providing your employees with? From healthcare benefits to gym memberships and more, review what you offer them and what you might possibly add. Other amenities could be things like free cable or satellite television through various providers, giving them Comcast information. Some employers have been known to help employees with their auto loans or provide them with travel incentives during the year. You could also offer free company lunches one day a week or a month. How about company outings to the movies, sporting events or other popular activities? Another option is allowing those who are parents of youngsters to occasionally bring their children to work so they don’t have to pay for daycare regularly. Review a whole list of possibilities to see what might work best for your business;
Growth opportunities – Last but not least, do your workers have the ability to grow in your small business? If an employee feels like they are in a dead-end job, don’t expect them to stick around too long. When employees see that they have options to not only increase their wages, but also grow in the company and add to their list of responsibilities and skills, you stand a much better chance of retaining them longer.

When you give your employees amenities that are likely to keep them around longer, both you and your workers are more apt to be happy when all is said and done.