The Economics of Being Fair

People at the bottom of the pay scale often struggle to support their families. You can help ease that stress by raising their hourly pay with a seemingly small amount. The benefits of your empathy are many, including saving the cost of turnover and rehiring, preserving institutional knowledge, increasing productivity, and lifting morale. Everyone at every level is important in your business; everything touches customers in one way or another. Not everyone wants to be a leader, and those who want to show up and do a good job deserve respect and fair pay. Penny-pinching makes no economic sense when it comes to your people.

• How fair would you say your pay rates are at the various levels in your organization? How do they compare to those of your competition? What factors should be considered when deciding rates of pay, particularly at the blue collar or entry levels?
• What is your turnover rate? How much attention do you pay to turnover for hourly versus exempt employees? List all costs, monetary and other, associated with turnover. Then list the changes you can make to reduce those costs.
• How do you show hourly workers how much you value them? What perks do you offer? What kinds of flexibility? How do you recognize and reward their work and loyalty? How do you show empathy?

 

Kathleen is an accomplished performer, business owner and leader. Find out more. about how she can help you attract and retain your most valuable asset – people.