Keep Em Happy

TMP Worldwide, parent company of Monster.com,works to retain employees and avoid unrest by keeping benefits veryforward-thinking, says Margaretta Cullen, senior vice president of global humanresources. The company is beginning domestic partner benefits this year and hasa broad-based stock option plan for everyone, from upper management to thetelemarketing staff.

“Our culture is definitely one ofempowerment and risk-taking. We’ve grown a lot by acquisition, and we tellthose running the local offices that they are responsible for employee happinessand maintaining budgets. It’s like running their own businesses without thecorporate worries,” says Cullen.

The 500 telemarketers and technical people atMonster.com in Massachusetts work in a building that has won design awards andhas an on-site gym, concierge dry-cleaning service, free breakfast, snacks, anda recreation area.

This is just some of what it takes to keepdiscontent at bay. Research by Unifi Network, a division of PricewaterhouseCoopers, identifies six things employees consider necessary for them to becontent at work:

1. Learning opportunities:Companies should explain how they are going to help their employees develop –and then follow through. Training should never be offered as an afterthought.




2. Compensation:It has to be competitive, but employees also want to understand how it works.For instance, if a sales program has certain incentives, they want to be ableto understand the formulas inherent in the awards. If it’s a promotion they’reafter, what do they have to do to get it?




3. Understanding career potential: Bestraight with employees from the get-go. Not everyone can be the CEO, sotell employees, “We’re going to do our best to create leadership andsupervisory positions, but while we’re establishing these, we’re goingto invest in you and pay you competitively.”




4. Mentors:The management model is changing in the 21st century. Nearly 60 percent ofthose surveyed by Unifi say they would be willing to leave their jobs tofollow their mentors.




5. Reputation:It’s important to your employees that the company have a strong brand orsolid reputation.




6. Benefit mix:A company should offer more than just traditional health and welfare benefits.Nap rooms and upscale cafeterias are not just for the dot-coms.

Workforce,November 2000, Vol. 79, No. 11, p. 40 — Subscribenow!