What To Think About For Next Year

Hopefully, 2011 will be better for most businesses.

As you start to think about what you can add into your budget and plan for 2011 (that you may have cut from your budget the past couple years), consider these "best company" practices for your workplace:

•Mentoring programs, especially for new employees
•Volunteer opportunities/days
•Lunches with the CEO or president
•On-site wellness fairs
•Pep rallies
•Telecommuting programs
•Summer picnics for employees and their families
•Retention bonuses
•Lending libraries
•Unlimited sick days
•Employee team sports after hours, such as bowling and baseball
•On-site child care services
•Awarding vacation time in exchange for community volunteering time
•Employee pot-luck breakfasts
•Monthly birthday parties
•On-site fitness equipment
•Frequent town hall meetings with upper management
•Subsidized gym memberships
•Leadership development programs
•Time given to employees to spend on work related items outside their job description
•Employee Blogging programs
•Suggestion boxes
•Milk and cookie socials
•Computer classes to prepare employees for higher-paying positions
•Sabbatical programs

Many companies use these types of programs (some of which don't cost a lot) to boost employee morale, improve employee retention, and to increase employee engagement.

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