7 Ways to Be a Better Company

Your company is only as good as your employees. Therefore, when your employees suffer, so does the company. Employee benefits go a long way in keeping employees happy, and The National Association for Business Resources found the best ways to keep employees happy when they measured the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, as reported by TIME.

1. Flexibility. About 90% of the Best and Brightest Companies were flexible with their employees’ time. They embraced flex time, allowing employees to select the start and end times for the day. Other companies depended on job sharing, allowing two people to work part-time on the same job. Finally, about 75% of these companies permitted telecommuting.

2. Constructive criticism. The program found that 80% of the Best and Brightest Companies seek employee input on an annual basis. These companies utilize surveys to measure employee satisfaction. Surveys also provided an opportunity and outlet to voice criticism for company structure and policies.

3. Philanthropy. Employee benefits at the Best and Brightest Companies didn’t just make the employees happy; they made the community happy. About 80% of the Best and Brightest Companies gave back through sponsorship of local charities. These charitable activities took place outside of the office as well as in the workplace through events like charitable collections and blood drives.

4. Retail and vendor savings. The employee benefits at the Best and Brightest Companies didn’t stop once employees left office premises. In fact, 78% of these companies provided saving incentives for their employees through certain retailers and vendors, like travel companies, clothing providers and restaurants.

5. Wellness. TIME reported that 73% of the Best and Brightest Companies offered fitness, nutrition and other health incentives. This included opportunities like discounts at local gyms, on-site fitness classes and free wellness check-ups.

6. Salary. It’s no secret that the biggest incentive, regardless of where one works, is the salary. According to TIME, 68% of the Best and Brightest Companies increased base pay for their employees.

7. Diverse. Finally, employee benefits that created the Best and Brightest Companies included working toward a more diverse workplace. These companies were actively working to make their office spaces safe places for any and all employees. TIME states that 67% of these workplaces had diversity statements and 50% hosted multicultural events.

These seven different attributes of the Best and Brightest Companies have proved that employees have changed a great deal in regard to what they hope for and what they expect from their employers. With that, more and more companies are adopting policies that create a workplace that is not only highly successful in terms of performance but also highly satisfying for employees. And when employees are happy, the business is happy.

From your perspective, are these the best ways to keep employees happy or is there something missing from this list? Share in the comments.

IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by FutUndBeidl