Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Flexibility in Small Businesses

I read a great blog today on TheHill.com about two small business owners and what they're doing to accommodate flexibility polices and to promote a positive work-life balance among their employees. Yes, even in this market.

The owners of Kerbey Lane Doll Shoppe and Business Access, a retail doll store and technology company respectively, have found the secret to getting "the cream of the crop" and surviving amidst economic turmoil: grant flexibility.

The two Texas small business owners detail several policies, from adjusting start and finish times to allowing reduction in hours (with pro rata reduction in benefits while the rate stays the same), to keep their best employees. Why do they do this? Is it some feel-good initiative? For good press? No. Because it makes business sense.

A few key tidbits:
-These business owners provide paid sick leave so that their sick employees stay home and don't infect the rest of the office, potentially bringing down an entire organization. We're headed into cold and flu season people, keep those germs at home!
-Allow telecommuting, it's a free way to reduce office space expenses and gives back to employees precious time otherwise spent on the road.
-Best summary: "It's inconvenient to have someone out on leave. But it's plain disruptive and plain expensive to lose someone permanently."

2 comments:

Danielle said...

Pro-rated benefits is a spectacular idea! Thanks for the link.

Cameron said...

Very informative post! I think that owners of small, and even in big business must really provide their employees great care especially when they are sick because, it's really harder to lose your employees.

I'm now currently working in a small company and they always seek help from a international capital management group when things go wrong. That group also provide international small business loans for us employees who want to venture in business.