The Irish Jobs Column Staying competitive Ccheck out your competitor s benefits frequently, because you can be sure that your employees are. Given today s very tight labour market, it is no wonder employees are re-evaluating their benefits packages. Although many workers say they are jumping ship for greater training and career development, it is clear that benefits are still a major retention tool.
Employers now expect to lose an average of one in five employees a year.
Although stock options are still the sexiest and most costly benefit, in order to attract and retain employees, companies have to come up with yet more inventive ways to keep employees happy. Across the country, IT managers especially are busy drawing up staff retention plans to discourage key staff from making a quick dash to the enemy's side. Managers at US software company Aventail find out small personal details at job interviews, so new recruits find a jar of their favourite biscuits on their desk, for example. Each new member of staff gets a mentor to introduce basic things such as the free drinks, nibbles and sweets, the date of the monthly beer afternoon and the monthly party for everyone who has had a birthday. Staff find a balloon tied to their chair on their birthday, and everyone is alerted to the celebration by e-mail.