Recognition

Recognition Organizational Success

By JENNIFER C. LOFTUS

It’s All in the Family

Effective leaders recognize that employees are the true strategic advantage. Machines can be replicated, processes duplicated. Each person, however, brings unique skills, experiences, & insights to his work that can be harnessed for organizational success.

Employers spend great amounts of financial resources to keep their employees happy. Base pay, benefits, perks, and training all contribute to an employee’s support of his or her employer and its vision. Wise leaders know that pay and benefits are insufficient for long-term success, however. While many employees spend a majority of their waking time at work, powerful influences are found in the off-duty hours. When an employee is home, family is front and center. While that definition of family may vary, those individuals’ views of the workplace can strongly affect an employee’s workplace engagement and motivation.

EMPLOYEES' FAMILIES

Consider Rusk Renovations, a mid-size high-end renovation firm headquartered in New York City. Rusk is one of the 50 Best Contractors in the US as named by Remodeling Magazine, & a 2012 Best Company to Work for in New York State. Rusk’s leadership team strategically includes employees’ families in a number of workplace matters. With the foresight to involve families, Rusk enjoys an employee turnover rate of 17.1%, considerably lower than industry averages above 70%. Through investing in employees up front, the firm saves the hard and soft costs associated with turnover. How specifically does Rusk involve families? According to Principal Mary Kocy, Rusk “sponsors semi-annual gatherings for families, including a Holiday party with Santa drop-off gifts & a summer picnic with Field Day games.” Such gatherings are enjoyable and well attended. The firm offers a variety of family friendly benefits, including health insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with employer match, time off for birth or adoption of a child, & bereavement leave as needed. Rusk also garners additional family support through providing personal time off, including “time to attend parent / teacher conferences, graduations, & school day events where parents are invited.” Rusk leadership sees that many of their staff have school age children, & being able to participate in important events is crucial for these employees. Furthermore, Rusk invites spouses to attend the firm’s annual benefits meeting & learn about the value Rusk provides its employees and their families. Interestingly, Mary notes that more often than not, “spouses don’t attend” the meetings. It is the genuine invitation, however, that speaks volumes of management & how they perceive their employees & the importance of family.

WORK YOUR PRESENT FOR YOUR FUTURE Future success requires constant evaluation and retooling of the present. As such, a pay & benefits package must be regularly fine-tuned to meet changing staff needs. For example, in 2013 Rusk plans to “implement our scholarship program for the children of field employees.” This is another example of Rusk’s leaders identifying employee needs, & recognizing that happy families lead to happy employees, which lead to firm success. Although employees are on an organization’s payroll, more than management influences the employment decision. To be effective in a changing social environment existing within a challenging economy, involving an employee’s family in the workplace generates success for all.•

Relevant Keywords

• Include employees’ families • Summer picnic • Family friendly benefits • Health insurance • Retirement plans • Time off for births or adoptions • Personal time off

"Happy families lead to happy employees, which lead to the firm's success."