While Wikipedia is useful as an informal encyclopedia, it certainly won’t give you any guidelines on becoming a successful employer—unless of course, you search for the names of specific employers and learn by example. The best way to become a successful leader is through experience. Only years and years of experience give you a first hand account of methods that work and methods that don’t. However, you can also gain some perspective secondhand by researching the methods of other experienced employers. Every year, Fortune magazine publishes its list of the 100 best companies to work for. Below you’ll find advice on how to be a great employer from the top 5 best companies:
1. Google, Inc.
Google was ranked #1 for the past four years. There’s no denying it; employees love working there. One of the biggest reasons that Google repeatedly appears as number 1 is because they recognize that healthy employees are happy employees. Just this year, Google added three wellness centers and a seven-acre sports complex to their property.
What you can do: You can create a healthy atmosphere in your office as well by stocking the break room with wholesome snacks like fruit. Providing apples for employees is an inexpensive way of keeping your employees nourished and focused.
2. SAS
SAS is a data analytics firm located in North Carolina. Employees love the flexible hours they’re allowed to keep. “While we say we have a 35-hour workweek,” says CMO Jim Davis, “I don’t know anybody who really works 35 hours. The reality is if you trust people, and you ask them to do something–and you treat them like a human being as opposed to a commodity where you try to squeeze something out–they’re going to work all sorts of hours. But they’re going to enjoy those hours as opposed to ‘slaving in the office.’”
What you can do: Incorporate SAS’s methods into your office by allowing your employees a little flexibility in their schedules. Not every person can work the average 9 to 5 workdays or devote entire days to one task. Allow employees to execute projects on their own terms—as long as they finish before the decided deadline.
3. CHG Healthcare Services
At CHG Healthcare Services, employees enjoy frequent talent shows, trivia contests, and costume contests.
What you can do: Build a fun atmosphere in your office by planning community-building events. For example, once a month, you could meet at a local sports bar for wings and trivia. Fun activities give employees something to look forward to and can help solidify relationships within the group.
4. The Boston Consulting Group
The employees at the Boston Consulting Group, a management-consulting firm, consider the company they work for to be the best because the company helps them maintain a work-life balance. When an individual works too many long weeks, a “red zone report” is issued. In addition to keeping an eye on whether employees are working too much, the Boston Consulting Group also gives new consultants $10,000 to volunteer at a non-profit.
What you can do: A way for you to channel the Boston Consulting Group’s work-life balance policy is to ensure that you provide employees with enough vacation, sick, and personal days. It is a known fact that people work best when they’re well rested. When your employees are well rested, it’s a win-win situation for employee and employer alike.
5. Wegman’s Food Markets
Wegman’s Food Markets has an extremely low employee turn-over, 3.6%, and it’s not a surprise why. Employees are constantly being recognized for good service. In one of their unique program, Wegman’s employees can recognize each other for service with gift cards. Managers also regularly give recognition to their employees.
What you can do: A way to utilize Wegman’s gratitude policy is to simply say thank you. You can recognize an employee for completing a task and even reward employees for finishing jobs early. A reward doesn’t have to be too much either. You could simply gift employees a Starbucks gift card for all of their hard work. Recognized employees are fulfilled employees, and fulfilled employees are happy workers.