March 25, 2005

Is it just business?
Posted by pegasus@jpbutler.com">Jason Butler at 8:30 AM -

In case you haven't noticed, the employment market here in Boston has turned. It's not 1999 again, but it's certainly not 2002. If you're not already, you'll soon be fighting harder to become an employer of choice.

Relationships are the key to being an employer of choice. Relationships with your current employees bring in the referrals you crave; relationships with former employees keep the doors open and your reputation healthy. Relationships are tested in times of stress, tested by how you react to your employees' life issues.

John Porcaro was recently in the hospital for burns, and he contrasts how well Microsoft treated him with his 9-year old roommate's father's company.

Just after they moved in, I heard the boy's father on the phone with his company.  He was asking his boss for two things: 1) for two weeks vacation to help take care of his son; and 2) access to his retirement account (401k) funds to help with medical bills.  His company flatly denied both requests.  Because he was two weeks shy of being there a full year, he was told he had no accrued vacation.  They told him if he took any time off, he'd be fired.

Would your company handle this situation well? Or, is it just business? Are the rules the rules? Should they not let the door hit them on the way out?

(Via Robert Scoble)

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