Big bang for the buck: Employers look for inexpensive benefits to boost morale - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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Experts say small perks, like movies and meald being offered by somelocalo employers, can go a long way toward appeasintg employees who have been battered in recent months by plummeting frozen pension plans and even the layoffs of some of theidr co-workers. At , employees will soon be offeredxaffordable take-home dinners for those busy days when there simply is not enough time to but they want something better than typical And at in Helena, employee can watch a movie during lunch in a break room that includesd a movie-style popcorn machine.
“Anything you do that helpsz reduce stress and inconveniencein employees’ livew is a real winner,” said Douglas the chief human resource officer at Children’ss Health System. It usually is easier to keep employeesd content when life away from the officse isgoing well. But when gas prices soar and homevaluess drop, any small benefits that companies can offer theier employees can go a long way toward keeping workers happy and morale And in this economy, many companiea are looking any inexpensive perks or benefitx that can make a difference.
“Employeeds are always looking to see what their company is even in the small saidMichael Wolfe, the director of human resourcees at in Birmingham. “Itf reiterates that you care aboutr them, especially when you’re going throughh a difficult time. Little things add up.” After gas prices began barrelinvtoward $4 a gallon last Wolfe said SourceMedical offered employeese the option of working from home a few days each week whenever possible, to eliminate the money-burning And in November, the company started providinf a service called Teladoc that allows employeesz to speak with a doctor 24 hoursx a day without havingt to see their primary-care physician or make a trip to the emergency room.
“Things like that make it easiert for our employees and makes themfeel valued,” Wolfre said. Maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace can involve more than justpractica matters. It also can be important simply to make the office an enjoyabl placeto be. For example, in addition to the moviw room, MailSouth has several plasmaw televisions scattered throughoutits offices. There is also a free on-sitee employee fitness center that includes occasionalpaerobics classes. And since the company has approximatel 30 graphic artistson staff, employee artwork is displayed throughout the building.
“We try to do little things to help keep thing s light inthe office,” said Dawn the human resources managefr at MailSouth. “We’re a deadline-driven business, so the pace is very These sorts of things where people can get away from their desksx and do some fun stuff really does help with The hectic pace of both work and personapl life is one of thereasons Children’sx Health Systems began offering employees the chance to purchases complete take-home dinners.
“Theyh are getting off a long shift, they’re stressefd and they have to pick thekids up,” Dean “This is an option to grab some prettt high-quality food to take home to their We want it to be healthy, tastt food. If it’s no betterr than what you can get at the then I’m not sure you’re helpingf anybody.” While budget cuts are sometimez necessary during economic downturns, Wolfe said it is important not to slasuh or eliminate some of the regulat perks that can help perk up the An employee might be visually confronted with the declining value of a only a few times a Take away free coffee, however, and that is noticex every single day.
“When you start nickel-and-diming employeexs and taking away little things, it makes them feel unappreciated and more like a number than a valuefd resource,” Wolfe said. “And the cost of some of these things is so minimalthat you’rr really not getting that much of a You want to continue to do the smalp things to make sure that your employee feel valued.” Because when it comexs to maintaining employee morale, the little thinge often do mean a lot. “In life in general, it’s the smalk things that get us through. It’se the daily touches,” Hrdlica said.
“The thing that keeps employees engaged is how you feel at the end of the day when youleaver work. You get a tremendous return on investmentt by just letting peopls know that youappreciate them.” Birmingham.Byg Cary Estes | SPECIAL In tough economic it is nice to know you can stilol afford dinner and a movie. It is even nicer when it’s supplied by your employer. Experts say small perks, like movies and meals being offere by somelocal employers, can go a long way toward appeasing employees who have been battered in receng months by plummeting frozen pension plans and even the layoffzs of some of their co-workers.