And the winner is. . .

By Elaine Varelas, 4/3/2006

The Hollywood awards season is winding down. The Screen Actors Guild, the Foreign Press Association, and the Academy of Arts and Sciences, have all distributed their golden statues. Even the Razzies, the trophies that are handed out to celebrate the worst in film, have been awarded. There were some surprises, upsets, and of course, the ubiquitous fashion disasters. Could you ask for anything more?

How about if we had a human resources award to give out to companies with the best, most employee-friendly policies and initiatives? We could call it the Human Resources Achievement Awards or HURAA (Hurrah!). Which organizations would get these awards? Which policies would stand out as being the best? And what can HR managers learn from the organizations that treat their employees well?

Last month I talked about the flub-ups and bad policies of several companies. Even though a bad management decision or misguided company initiative may seem like a small thing, it can torpedo morale and employee retention. This month, let's celebrate successes. And the nominees are...

• Nominee #1 - An accounting firm has a heavily subsidized gourmet cafeteria with extended hours. The company provides healthy and delicious meals to their employees at a reduced cost because its leaders realize that people are working longer hours. Eating poorly (or out of a vending machine) doesn't help employees stay in tip-top shape.
• Nominee #2 - The traders and analysts at an investment firm are unable to leave their desks while the market is open. The company rewards the dedication of these employees by providing lunches, shoe shines, and massages at their desks. The company even picks up their dry cleaning!
• Nominee #3 - A law firm provides a car service to all of its employees who work late. People don't have to worry about missing the last train or trying to track down a cab after hours.
• Nominee #4 - A hospital gives employees "X" number of vacation days to use any time they want. The organization doesn't dictate when employees can take vacation. Christmas and Thanksgiving are counted as two days, but all others are created equal. An employee could decide to take off a birthday, 4th of July, or Groundhog Day-no judgment!
• Nominee #5 - A business management firm allows employees to keep the frequent flyer miles and hotel points they accrue when on company business. While these perks are earned on company time and on the company pocketbook, the organization sees the benefit of rewarding employees who spend so much time away from their homes and families.
• Nominee #6 - An ice cream truck visits one biopharm company every week during the summer months to give employees a cool treat. The company leaders see this as a fun way to boost morale during hot summer days.

And the winner is...everyone! When organizations institute policies designed to improve the work lives of employees, everyone wins. HURAA! While many of these policies may seem like minor perks, the little things companies do are often cited as what makes employees feel valued, and keeps them in their jobs.

These examples show a good balance of personal benefit and corporate benefit. Employees may be working longer hours, which is good for the company, but they receive something in return, whether it be a good meal or a back massage.

It is not always easy for HR managers to decide which initiatives and policies are best for their organizations. The size of a company may help dictate what an organization can provide. A company with ten employees may not be able to offer a gourmet cafeteria, but it could supply ice cream cones once a week. Other companies may offer perks during their peak season. For example, accounting firms are busiest from January through April, so the firm might offer to run errands and provide free meals for harried employees during that time.

How can HR managers measure the financial impact of these policies? One way is to look at the return on investment (ROI). What is the company gaining from having an employee stay at work for two extra hours vs. the cost of a car service?

What may be harder to determine is the cost of employee retention. Where do the best and brightest want to work? And what is your company willing to pay for that privilege? HR managers need to ask company leaders these questions, and must constantly examine what the company is gaining and losing. How does it all balance out?

Maybe more companies would be compelled to institute these policies if they really could earn a HURAA (or even a Razzie). But even if organizations don't get industry recognition and a trip down the red carpet, companies with employee-friendly initiatives will reap the benefits of higher employee morale and increased retention.

Elaine Varelas is Managing Partner of Business Development at Keystone Partners, a career management firm headquartered in Boston, and has over 20 years of career development and HR experience. She also serves on the board of directors for Career Partners International, the world's largest career management partnership. E-mail her at .