Take Off Your Hat and Stay a While

Companies with barely adequate benefits programs aren't establishing a relationship of mutual partnering in which the company and the individual employees help each other realize their long-term objectives. Those companies that really want employees to be engaged for a couple of years at best have benefits plans that send out the message: "Just please stay healthy while you're on our time, will you?" Only basic health-care coverage is offered, and high copayments, high deductibles, or other low-cost participation structures help the companies keep their costs down and the employees functioning in the short term. Plans that don't emphasize or reward preventive health care signal to the employees that their long-term interests are of no special concern to the company. And that's fine, especially for a company in a start-up mode where most people don't expect long-term security, as long as everyone is clear on this point. Just remember that most employees take their long-term health prospects (and the health of their families) rather personally, and eventually this could be the deciding factor in their departure.

Companies that want to encourage long-term relationships with their employees do everything they can to help them build futures that count. This means not only comprehensive and easily affordable health care, but opportunities to build financial security, opportunities to provide for retirement income, and benefits that support diverse families and lifestyles. These benefits say that we want to try to provide for the needs of all kinds of employees. To get the most bang for your benefits buck, benefits must be well communicated and understood and must be tied to the culture of the organization. At the best companies, employees are offered the choice of covering their families and partners; health, wellness, and recreation are emphasized; work/life benefits are there for families; flexible work arrangements are sponsored; and there is paid time off when needed. While approaches to financial security vary, these companies offer retirement income, savings, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, financial education and counseling, and stock plans. This is more than traditional benefits packages offer, but in addition employees are offered meaningful help in cultivating their personal prospects through additional educational opportunities and career advancement. Offering tuition reimbursement, company-sponsored training and development, e-learning opportunities, seminars, certification courses, discreet adult literacy courses, and English as a Second Language courses and partnering with local community colleges to provide ongoing skills training show people that you are committed to their future career growth, even though there is a risk that additional education will also prepare people for jobs at other companies.