good companies know how to make work a better place

1
CAREER CORNER 1.800.973.1177 PAGE But it isn’t rocket science. It’s much more complicated. That’s the thing every well-intentioned com- pany learns when it sets out to create an en- vironment that motivates workers to perform at their highest levels and to entice others to work there. There is no magic formula, no equation that logically computes success. “We put a lot of energy around the employee experience and how we can improve it,” says Ann Owens, a vice president at Qualcomm, which ranked No. 23 this year on Fortune magazine’s annual list of “00 Best Compa- nies to Work For.” “Even with that effort, you’re never quite sure what will work,” she said. San Diego-based Qualcomm has made Fortune’s list before, as well as other similar compilations. The wireless technology developer under- stands that it needs creativity to thrive and to do that it needs a workplace that inspires employees and makes their lives easier and better. In its Jan. 23 print issue, Fortune identifies Qualcomm as one of 4 companies on its 2006 list that provide medical insurance cover- age free of charge to employees and their dependents. “From time to time, we look at the cost of health care, and you immediately think that having employees share in the cost is a good solution,” Owens says. “But we know from surveys how highly our workers value that benefit so we look for other ways to save money.” It is the attention to survey results and the later follow-up that help Qualcomm and oth- ers on the Fortune list stand apart. But no two corporate strategies are alike. “We’re always looking for ‘differentiators,’‚“ says Owens. “We look for the things we can do that differentiates our company from others.” Sometimes, those can be surprising. Qual- comm, long a proponent of carpooling, has a fleet of vehicles available during the day for carpool workers who need to run errands on their lunch hours. The borrowed car program gets high marks in employee surveys. Intuit, which has ,000 employees in San Di- ego, was No. 43 on Fortune’s 2006 list. Execs at the tax software company also say they pay particular attention to employee surveys. “There’s a lot of two-way communication in our company, and we encourage that at all levels,” says Sherry Whiteley, Intuit’s senior vice president for human resources. “Our employees definitely feel comfortable letting their voices be heard.” Mountain View, Calif.,-based Intuit often responds to what employees want at individual locations. That’s why the San Diego location has access to dry cleaning, car washes and oil changes on site during the work day - all at discounted rates. “We’ve found that if you can help remove some of the chores people have to do in their lives while they’re working, it makes them ap- preciate the job a little more,” Whiteley says. Intuit also allows workers 32 hours of paid time off each year to contribute to community groups or causes they believe in. Whiteley says allowing individuals to choose the cause enhances the value of the benefit. “Sometimes you listen to the employees but can’t give them everything they want,” White- ley says. “At our corporate office, we have a farmers market twice a month. Our employees like it so much they want it here every day, but that’s just not possible.” What successful companies seem to know is that being attuned to employee wants and desires is more effective than just throwing money into the benefit pool. Both Qualcomm and Intuit say that some benefits cost very little but have a big impact; neither company revealed how much they spend. Even small benefits can make a difference. The environmentally sensitive shoe company Timberland offers workers a $3,000 subsidy if they buy a gas-electric hybrid car; drug giant Eli Lilly offers a month of paid vacation to pregnant workers before they give birth and Worthington Industries offers $4 on-site haircuts. The secret to a great workplace seems to be respecting employees and valuing their ideas on how to make work a better place. There’s no science involved, just an attitude that workers matter. © Copley News Service Good companies know how to make work a better place [by Michael Kinsman] If creating great places to work was rocket science, there would be many more inspired workplaces.

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We put a lot of energy around the employee experience and how we can improve it, says Ann Owens, a vice president at Qualcomm. Fortune magazine annual list are of 100 Best Companies in 2006.

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Page 1: Good companies know how to make work a better place

CAREER CORNER 1.800.973.1177

PAGE �

But it isn’t rocket science.

It’s much more complicated.

That’s the thing every well-intentioned com-

pany learns when it sets out to create an en-

vironment that motivates workers to perform

at their highest levels and to entice others to

work there.

There is no magic formula, no equation that

logically computes success.

“We put a lot of energy around the employee

experience and how we can improve it,” says

Ann Owens, a vice president at Qualcomm,

which ranked No. 23 this year on Fortune

magazine’s annual list of “�00 Best Compa-

nies to Work For.”

“Even with that effort, you’re never quite sure

what will work,” she said.

San Diego-based Qualcomm has made

Fortune’s list before, as well as other similar

compilations.

The wireless technology developer under-

stands that it needs creativity to thrive and

to do that it needs a workplace that inspires

employees and makes their lives easier and

better.

In its Jan. 23 print issue, Fortune identifies

Qualcomm as one of �4 companies on its 2006

list that provide medical insurance cover-

age free of charge to employees and their

dependents.

“From time to time, we look at the cost of

health care, and you immediately think that

having employees share in the cost is a good

solution,” Owens says. “But we know from

surveys how highly our workers value that

benefit so we look for other ways to save

money.”

It is the attention to survey results and the

later follow-up that help Qualcomm and oth-

ers on the Fortune list stand apart. But no two

corporate strategies are alike.

“We’re always looking for ‘differentiators,’‚“

says Owens. “We look for the things we can do

that differentiates our company from others.”

Sometimes, those can be surprising. Qual-

comm, long a proponent of carpooling, has a

fleet of vehicles available during the day for

carpool workers who need to run errands on

their lunch hours. The borrowed car program

gets high marks in employee surveys.

Intuit, which has �,000 employees in San Di-

ego, was No. 43 on Fortune’s 2006 list. Execs

at the tax software company also say they pay

particular attention to employee surveys.

“There’s a lot of two-way communication in

our company, and we encourage that at all

levels,” says Sherry Whiteley, Intuit’s senior

vice president for human resources. “Our

employees definitely feel comfortable letting

their voices be heard.”

Mountain View, Calif.,-based Intuit often

responds to what employees want at individual

locations. That’s why the San Diego location

has access to dry cleaning, car washes and oil

changes on site during the work day - all at

discounted rates.

“We’ve found that if you can help remove

some of the chores people have to do in their

lives while they’re working, it makes them ap-

preciate the job a little more,” Whiteley says.

Intuit also allows workers 32 hours of paid

time off each year to contribute to community

groups or causes they believe in. Whiteley

says allowing individuals to choose the cause

enhances the value of the benefit.

“Sometimes you listen to the employees but

can’t give them everything they want,” White-

ley says. “At our corporate office, we have a

farmers market twice a month. Our employees

like it so much they want it here every day, but

that’s just not possible.”

What successful companies seem to know

is that being attuned to employee wants and

desires is more effective than just throwing

money into the benefit pool. Both Qualcomm

and Intuit say that some benefits cost very

little but have a big impact; neither company

revealed how much they spend.

Even small benefits can make a difference.

The environmentally sensitive shoe company

Timberland offers workers a $3,000 subsidy

if they buy a gas-electric hybrid car; drug

giant Eli Lilly offers a month of paid vacation

to pregnant workers before they give birth

and Worthington Industries offers $4 on-site

haircuts.

The secret to a great workplace seems to be

respecting employees and valuing their ideas

on how to make work a better place.

There’s no science involved, just an attitude

that workers matter.

© Copley News Service

Good companies know how to make work a better place [by Michael Kinsman]

If creating great places to work was rocket science, there would be many more inspired workplaces.