Posts Tagged ‘perks’
Are you a recent graduate looking for a new vehicle?
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
If you have graduated from college recently and have thought about buying a new vehicle, you’re in luck! Just about every manufacturer offers rebates to recent grads and those rebates will surely help you get into your first vehicle. How much you get back will vary depending upon the manufacturer. Right now Ford is offering $750 cash back on new vehicles and $500 for certified pre-owned vehicles. Chrysler, GM and Kia also offer rebates of around $400-500. Swing by soon to find out if you qualify for these great savings!
Tags: automotive, Automotive Advantage, car buying, car dealership, car sales, college, Ewald, Milwaukee, Oconomowoc, perks, savings
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What is your policy on perks and discounts?
Monday, March 8th, 2010
Having had the opportunity to talk with a lot of companies, I have seen just about every perks and discount program around. I have seen everything from companies bending over backwards to get their employees the best possible perks and benefits and constantly reminding them of what is available to all-out refusal to offer any perks or discounts no matter how much they can benefit their associates. Having seen this array of offerings, I always wonder how a company decides what to offer their employees.
I have heard from companies that offer just about everything that it is important for them to make their employees feel like the company is going to bat for them. They want to find the best possible programs for their employees to show their appreciation for all the hard work. I have also heard from companies that offer nothing that if they offered one sort of program they would have to offer them all and that they do not want to make it look like they are endorsing one company over another. I guess there is a fear that if an employee has a bad experience it is because the company sent them there.
What does your company offer its employees? Is it on one side of the spectrum or somewhere in between? Also, for your human resource individuals and executives, how did you arrive at that decision? Was there an issue that needed to be changed or was it a strategic move? I am especially interested to learn how companies arrived at their decision!
Finally, for the employees out there, what perks and discounts would you like to see your company offer? Does your company ever ask you that question?
I look forward to everyone’s responses! Please feel free to respond privately at: cihde@ewaldauto.com
Thanks!
Tags: Automotive Advantage, benefits, Employee benefits, employee moral, employees, employer, Human Resources, perks
Posted in For Employers | No Comments »
Is a perks and benefits website the right move for your company?
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
When your employees have questions about their benefits or perks where do they turn to? Do they have a person that they can ask about what is available to them? Unfortunately, I have seen a trend lately to shrink HR departments and move benefit and perk information to an outsourced website. Not all companies have chosen to make this move; however, the ones that have are missing the boat on the true intent of having voluntary benefits – added value to the employee. I am a strong believer that this resolution is the wrong move.
Don’t get me wrong, I fully understand the desire to move benefit information to one place. Companies are looking at expenses and becoming leaner as far as employee count. There is a strong desire to outsource benefit information to a website. I also understand that it is far easier to update a website with new information and the mentality that employees will have a central location to find out about their perks and benefits.
All that said, I still believe that relying on a website is the wrong move. It’s impersonal. It doesn’t reach out to your employees and say “Here is what we are offering you, in addition to everything else!” Although they could go to a website to find out, a website will not stay in front of them and remind them of everything that you are doing for them.
I have noticed that very few employees actually check websites and rarely know when their benefits or perks change. So, if a perk or benefit is no longer available, has been altered or added, they will likely not know about it, unless your company, or the one you hired to manage this website, does a stellar job of communicating. Although this may not seem like a huge problem, it can be if an employee was planning to use a benefit that is no longer available. Also, why would you add a new benefit if you don’t want your employees to know about it and use it?
So, do I understand why companies are moving to web based perks and benefits websites? Absolutely. Do I believe that it is the correct way to assist your employees? No way. If you have no intent on communicating perks and benefits, why have them? Just something to think about when considering a benefits website.
Tags: Auto, benefits, Employee benefits, employees, Human Resources, perks
Posted in For Employers | 1 Comment »
Showing employees you care
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Last weekend, I asked a question on my social networks about how employers show their employees they care about them as people, not just workers. I was surprised when someone asked whether employers should even care about their employees personally at all, which prompted me to continue the conversation here in my blog…. I guess I am a little spoiled because Ewald Automotive Group is a work environment with a mission to treat every employee as if they are a part of the family.
Personally, I would find it very difficult to perform my job if I thought my company cared only about my work and nothing about me. Although my job is very important to me, there is a lot more to me than my daily 8 to 5. Having an employer that understands this, allows me to work in a fashion that will maximize the usage of both of our times.
All that said, the question of how an employer should show their employees they care about them was never really answered. What Ewald does to show they care is to adapt to employees needs by eliciting constant feedback and then responding. If we don’t give employees an opportunity to speak and be heard, how do we expect to grow, learn, change and adapt to become more successful?
In this one instance of how we show we care, the door is open to a more communicative and respectful work environment. HR managers have asked me how Automotive Advantage will help them accomplish their goal of showing their employees that they care about them. I point out that by going the extra mile to ensure employees get the best of work-life balance “perks” makes a difference in how the employee feels about the employer. It may not be the first thing on someone’s mind everyday but when they need something and their employer has found the best service for them, it makes a powerful statement, one that the employee will remember.
Tags: automotive, benefits, car, employer, Ewald, Human Resources, perks
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