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March 12, 2010 | |||||||
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 Don't You Just Love Your Job? November 30, 2000 What gets you out of bed? Is it the knowledge that the employee turnover rate at your company is at an all-time high? That you're more likely to spot Bigfoot than your office mate three months from now? A reader reminds us that despite trends suggesting otherwise, goodthings are actually happening within companies -- things that make "I love my job" sound authentic, not sarcastic. Dear goodthings, One of the best corporate benefits I've ever heard about is one offered by Charles Schwab & Co. It's one of those benefits that you like to know is available, but hope you never have to use. A Schwab employee's wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Co-workers of the employee were allowed to donate some of their sick time to that employee so that he could stay home and care for his dying wife and small children. I believe he was able to take almost a year off and returned to work after she passed away. I learned of this through one of my best friends who knew the woman who died. My husband is employed at Schwab and has donated some of his sick time to another employee going through an equally devastating time, so I know that this is not a "special case" situation. Schwab is a rarity among large companies, and this is only one example of how much they care about and value their employees. goodthings is a great idea for a web site -- I definitely seek out companies that do "good" and give them my business. Good luck! Julie We love this goodthing, Julie. We checked out Schwab, and it turns out that the investment services firm's commitment to meaningful work doesn't end here. The company matches staff volunteer efforts with monetary donations to community-based organizations. It's also gotten a lot of attention for its inclusiveness and diversity, most recently being recognized by the non-profit Catalyst for its work in advancing women into management roles. The Columbus, Ohio-based Meaning At Work Project says these are some of the roots of meaningful work. Does your workplace facilitate flexibility, community service, ownership, relationship-building, and balance? The Project's research reveals that employee motivation (and retention) is really all about these "little" things: "In a meaningful workplace, it's less about needs and expectations -- and more about hopes and dreams and fulfillment. These are the places where Mondays look like most companies' Fridays." TALK ABOUT IT Start a dialogue about the goodthings happening at companies. Read about how the people at Schwab are making a difference in their communities -- with the backing of the Board of Directors. How dedicated are you to creating meaning at work? How committed is your office to fostering a meaningful work environment? Take the "Meaning At Work" test! Readers Respond A reader tells her story about compassionate co-workers.
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