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I'm not sure if my answers are valid since I work in Canada however, they actually
may be "more" valid since we are so behind the times up here in terms of working
conditions.
Would I take a drop in pay of several thousand for the benefits you mention? No.
Casual dress is a given these days. Coffee, tea, soda, etc. are also givens. Flexible
work hours? A given also - more to the company's benefit to reduce absenteeism. Telecommuting
one day a week? Not terribly exciting. I telecommute 4.5 days per week now - and
I would take a drop in pay to keep doing so (shhh - don't tell my current employer
that).
You don't have to be the highest paying company, but you should at least aim for
the median. Do some salary surveys (or check the STC website) for your area of the
company and use that information to show what the median is.
If all the other companies are offering the same working conditions (casual dress,
flexible hours, coffee, etc.) that in the final analysis it comes down to salary.
Where does your company want to spend their money - on recruiting and training to
replace the employees who leave, or on a bit higher salary to retain them? To hire
new employees you have to pay the cost of advertising (or agency fees), the cost
of a current employee to interview potentials, the cost of a current employee and/or
lower productivity while a new employee is being trained, the cost of increased benefit
usage for new employees (studies show that new employees use benefits more than long
term ones - especially in the areas of dental and prescriptions - they might have
been without those benefits for a while) which can sometimes increase benefit premiums,
etc. etc. etc.
Do the math. You can cost justify paying higher salaries so that in the end the
company is not spending more dollars after all. Financial justification always seems
to be the most convincing argument.
Suzette Leeming
Markham, Ontario
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