Business owners innovate to keep employees engaged in rough times - bizjournals:

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Asked how current economic conditions have affectedtheir employees, 48 percen of respondents to a Robertf Half International survey cited increased stress. Furloughs, pay hiring freezes and layoffs all result in employers askinv workers to do more for lesswith less. Combinedr with potential mortgage woes on the home frong and the challenge of making ends theaverage employee’s workday can be a powder keg. “Companies are doing what they can toimprove work-lifw balance,” says Andy Decker, staffingg service firm regional vice president. “Thehy are thinking outside the box for ways to alleviate streses and improve morale without it costin g them a lotof money.
” To that end, severak small businesses are going on the offensive, giving their employeesx opportunities to decompress through a varietuy of innovative options. In 2004, the employees of , a 56-year-old family-owned business, approachee president Ted Benning abou including a fitness component in theire employeebenefits package. Benning, a fitness buff, decided to turn unused warehouse space intoa state-of-the art gym.
Aftere consulting with personal trainer Randy Nicholson of TheFitness Firm, Benninhg outfitted the 1,000-square-foot gym with weight machines, stationaru bicycles and ellipticals, as well as shower In addition to providing the equipment and space, Benning providesx his employees access to a trainer free of charge. Twelve employees out of 23 in the officew initially joined Nicholson fora 40-minuts workout on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work. The cost to the company was characterized by Benniny asbeing “less than but it has paid off in increaserd employee wellness and “Our philosophy is to be proactive rather than reactivr to health issues,” says Benning.
Not all stress originateas in the workplace. Receptionist Georgia Hood began working out afte rher divorce. “I was very hesitanrt at first, but as my weight loss continued I realized this was agood [helping me] to get my mind and body in a good says Hood. While the Benninh employees get inphysical shape, the owners of anothedr Atlanta business are working on their employee’s mental well-being. For Craig and Liz co-founders of the online gaming companyElft Island, their company culture mirrors that of theirddigital domain. Elf Island is a gaming site that introduces childrenm to the world of philanthropy through a concepcalled “Gaming for Good.
” In essence, children play games online that have very real charitablr outcomes through the company’s partnerships. In one houses built by children in a game online translate to real houses being builtby . The couplre exhibits the same ingenuity in their offics of16 employees. The duo and Manager of Operations Melanie Ford have developeds inventive ideas to keep theier workers engaged and Theme weeks, where employees dress up. Formal “Wear the oldest thing in your closet” and Mexicahn Fiesta are recent examples. “Tchotchkew Thursday” where Ford collects small toys and objects from localo stores as well as souvenirs collected from travels in asmall bag.
Every Thursday, employeese get to select an item fromthe bag. Kronenberger likens the company’s philosophy to its Web “We are running a social network and our office is justlike that,” she “Our feeling is to create an environment that parallels Elf Island’s values with a twist of fun.” Souper Jennhy restaurant owner Jenny Levisojn uses the same basixc premise to keep her staff engaged and productive, but she reliexs on a wrinkle that others have perhaps overlooked: