Money Isn't Everything to Workers in Small Businesses; a Company's Culture and Satisfaction at Work Matter More

Marlton, NJ, January 2008 - In every job interview, the question of salary hangs heavy in the air between the candidate and the hiring manager. For many seeking jobs at small businesses, however, that may be less important than how congenial a place it is to work.

Values, how people work together, a sense of community, teamwork and recognition for outstanding work - an attractive company culture can even be an important tool for weeding out the wrong employees and recruiting the right ones.

Employees appreciate an amenable corporate culture over pay and benefits, according to a recent national survey. The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, a trade association, asked 352 small businesses to rank the reasons their employees liked working for them; almost 40 percent ranked corporate culture first over pay, benefits, bonuses, opportunities for advancement and the company's financial health.

The results indicate small businesses may need to rethink their strategy for recruiting workers; they may have a valuable asset they don't think much about - their culture.

"Small businesses may not be able to offer as lavish a pay and benefits package as big companies, but they have an advantage over many larger companies in having distinct cultures, where the leaders express certain values and encourage individual expression. For many people, that's going to be very attractive as long as the disparity in pay isn't too great."

Small businesses outsource chores to Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) including recruiting and retaining employees so the small business owners/management can focus on developing their desired corporate culture helping them to hire the best possible candidates.

At National Employee Management Resources, we advise small businesses to really "sell" the company as a great place to work.

Underscore the desirable aspects of the culture: Does the company encourage philanthropy and involvement in the community? Does it cater to working mothers? Does your company create a "family type" environment? Does your company encourage creativity? Emphasize these aspects of your business and you'll be on the fast track to creating a workforce full of truly satisfied and productive individuals.