Remember Dan Price, that hippie Christian CEO, who gave his employees $75,000 minimum wage?
How is his company, Gravity Payments, doing?
Better than ever according to the latest news:
- Gravity’s 91 percent retention rate over the past three years — far above the industry average of about 68 percent
- his company has tripled its profit in the last year.
- The staff had 10 times more babies, 70% of the employees paid their debts and the employees bought 10 times more houses.”
- During the pandemic, some offered their entire fortnight salaries; others offered 50 percent, raising nearly half a million dollars a month to avoid layoffs.
The company has since paid back the employees for their sacrifices.
Despite what critics say that Dan’s company will be a case study in how socialism can wreck lives, Gravity Payments has lifted lives.
Dan put Jesus’ Golden Rule to the test. “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them,” Matthew 7:12. Dan saw that his employees were barely keeping their heads above water while he was earning millions. So he did what he wanted others to do for him if he was barely making a living. He mortgaged one of his homes, took a massive pay cut, and took out a loan.
So not every Christian business owner can pay their employees $75,000 minimum wage. But there are other ways we can positively impact their lives.
Employee benefits
1. Show them what it is like to work under a Christ-like culture. Earning a decent wage is important but we also need a decent heart in order to manage our wages as God’s stewards.
If God can transform their lives from the inside out, then your workers can weather every storm that comes. You can help them find Jesus. Surround them with people and an environment that practices Christian values.
Authenticity and consistency are keys to building a Christian culture. You as the leader must model Christ for your employees. Christianity must permeate every process in your company from hiring, evaluations, benefits, salaries, contracts, services, products, sales, and marketing.
The more non-Christians encounter true Christian practices the more they will consider who Jesus should be in their lives.
2. Give employees control over their earnings. Employees will appreciate it if they have more control of how they earn.
Dan Hayes, CEO of Skyline Constructions, computes performance bonuses based on the profits that each business unit produces. This is apart from the base figures that employees earn.
His employees also learn financial fundamentals so that they can learn to run their units like separate companies. They understand the financial implications of each decision.
This attracts top talents because high-performers like to control their destinies.
Other companies provide referrals or finders fees to any employees who successfully refer customers. Some accounts teams get bonuses each time a client renews their retainer contracts.
3. Offer independent contractor options. The gig economy is growing. Wages and gig-workers have increased.
Temporary job positions used to be the normal gigs but this has changed. Even long-term positions can be filled in by a contractor.
Freelancers, individual contractors, and part-time workers are all part of the gig economy. People cite work-life balance as the main reason they joined the gig economy.
You can offer this to your employees. Those who long for work-life balance will jump at the chance to work flexible hours. Others will savor the ability to work remotely wherever they are in the world.
Your employees still have job security while the company still has access to tried and tested talent pool.
Not all positions lend itself readily to remote workers. Jobs such as inventory, store clerks, logistics, quality assurance, and those with access to sensitive information. Marketing, HR, accounting, programming, and cyber security can be outsourced.
4. Flexible working time. What the pandemic has taught us is that people can be trusted to do their work wherever they are.
Working from home or telecommuting used to be on the fringes of working for a company. With technology, that is not the case anymore. Employees can remotely punch in and start their working day.
Many companies plan to increase work-from-home workers. Less office space, low utilities, less capital expenses, and operating expenses are just some of the benefits that convince companies to jump the fence.
You can also reward them with more paid leaves or earlier time off when team milestones are reached. Treat them to free lunch to celebrate minor wins or just to blow off steam.
5. Other non-monetary benefits
- In-company daycare. A lot of single-parent, mostly women, struggle with taking care of their babies or toddlers. Knowing their children are being taken cared of by a qualified person just within a short walking distance will help them become more productive.
- Breastfeeding station. Formula milk is one of the major expenses that a mother has to contend with. It’s also a lot less healthy. Being able to bring the baby to the office and a private place to feed the baby will save a lot of money. Breast-fed babies are more resistant to diseases, which means fewer leaves for the mother.
- Free parking. Parking is a problem especially in big cities and a major expense if you have to pay for one. Employees will appreciate the help you can provide with free parking instead of spending precious time looking for parking.
- Free gym membership. A healthy employee is a productive worker. After a hard day’s work, they can blow off steam working out. Physical exercise is one of the best ways to relieve stress.
- Rewards system. Whenever an employee reaches a milestone like three months without any leaves or absences, you can reward them with simple gifts. Small appliances like toasters, vacuum cleaners, or spin bikes will boost the spirit. You can display these items in a common area to keep them motivated to their goals.
- Post-studies tuition assistance. MBA education is important for employees who want better-paying positions or jobs. It could be expensive. You can subsidize or give them full assistance as part of their benefits.
- Mentoring and training programs. There are companies that specialized in mentoring and training using Biblical principles.
- Health insurance. Health is wealth. And expensive if you get sick. Very few people can afford it without insurance. Having health insurance as a parachute will be greatly appreciated by your employees.
- Company car. Your gonna pay taxes eventually. Why not purchase a company car, put it in the books, and let your best-performing employees drive it. You hit two birds with one stone by managing your taxes and rewarding your workers.
- Vacation plan. Everyone loves to go on vacation. You can save a lot by purchasing in bulk for the company.
- Free pantry goodies. Simple joys of life like free coffee, tea, or sandwich with colleagues and friends.
Conclusion
Making the people around you better and helping them succeed is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world.
This is what Jesus was all about when he said. “I have come into the world so that you may have life and have it to the fullest” John 10:10. He wasn’t talking about things we can buy or own. Those material blessings are just icing on the cake if they do happen.
Jesus was talking about transforming people’s lives and leading them into the kingdom of God. And this for sure is the biggest benefit that you can give to your employees.
