Comments on: Cool Little Perks

By: albert

albert — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:46:09 +0000

Heh. Those googlers have probably already created a complex algorithm to measure the hip quotient of any given club and know where to go and how best to avoid the b&t crowd, even on weekends.

NYC attitude, now that’s a whole different matter and no algorithm, google-backed or not, is gonna compute that.

By: Frank Roche

Frank Roche — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:09:05 +0000

Albert, you know the city…maybe there’s a business idea in there for you…something at the intersection of city knowledge, clubs, New York attitude and photography. Hmmm…I bet Google would pay for that.

By: albert

albert — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:56:49 +0000

ha, that’s funny. i wonder which clubs they are – where do the goolgeplexers go to drink their $15 drinks in nyc? and what self respecting NYer goes out with the b&t crowd?

By: Frank Roche

Frank Roche — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:47:14 +0000

Chris, yep, great persk at a bad company is like putting lipstick on a pig. It doesn’t work. I’m a fun of having it work in concert — perks, motivation, talent. Google seems to have it figured out.

By: Chris Young

Chris Young — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 20:27:09 +0000

Google clearly gets it big time. How they treat them employees leads directly to bottom line performance. But let’s remember… Without the right people on the “bus” – perks don’t mean a thing.

Let’s be careful to not worship companies that offer great perks. Instead – we should be looking at companies that have a powerfully comprehensive talent management strategy that begins with hiring the right people and keeping them inspired.

Good stuff!
Chris Young
http:www.rmg.typepad.com

By: Frank Roche

Frank Roche — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 16:35:23 +0000

Carl, I think you’re right on the money. It’s really connecting with people. I used to work for a firm where once a year they would take all of us who worked in the New York office to a Mets game. It was not genuine, came with all kinds of rules about how much time could be spent and how to handle billable hours, etc. It was yucko. What you describe with your team is what real leaders do — help people work hard and also help them decompress. Plus, recognize that people are away from their families enough. Excellent points!

Rick, ain’t that the truth? No amount of fun things will overcome a crappy environment. It’s lipstick on a pig.

By: Carl Lingen

Carl Lingen — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:02:12 +0000

Frank:

I think it is the simple things that can make employees feel like family and that they are appreciated.

We take our all of our employees out to a Chamber golf outing and dinner. For children and families there is miniature golf and swimming at the club.
After a long week or project we will take employees out to the ballpark for an afternoon for lunch and entertainment.

What has been your experience?

By: rick

rick — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:56:54 +0000

Cool perqs are hepful. However they are only additive from an employee’ pov when most of the basics are already there. Companies with poor work environments cannot make up for it with cool little perqs.

Unfortunately I know too many places that need cool big overhauls!