Everybody says they need to keep costs stable or bring them down. However, with health care costs going up, even traditional benefits packages are hurting tech companies that are just barely making it. Downer has noticed another corporate culture shift among technology companies. Business casual is giving way to more traditional business attire. During the Internet boom, shorts and flip-flops became accepted attire in some offices.
Employees looking to keep jobs want to look sharp.
Trying to keep the best onboard Tech companies say they are still trying to maintain elements of the corporate culture that once enabled young techies to ride scooters around the office or quaff company-bought beers at the end of a long day. Indeed, some companies are trying to improve benefits for their top talent to reduce turnover, Downer says. Businesses are also doing more to retain older employees who are more experienced, more stable and less likely to jump ship. Cutting back on employee coverage is not happening because they need to keep their high performers. As companies such as Net2000 become leaner and meaner to survive the technology shakeout, they say they haven't completely abandoned the things that make employees happy.