Bodacious bennies
Dallas Business Journal - by Stephanie Patrick Staff Writer
GREATER METROPLEX -- She gets back rubs, free drinks and 500 bucks from the boss.
Then Brandi Bates gets her paycheck.
The advertising account executive, who spends long hours finding new ways to entice customers to eat Whataburger hamburgers, herself was swayed by the employment benefits at Dallas-based Square One.
In addition to a casual dress code and standard health and 401(k) plans, Square One's benefits include subsidized weekly massages, a fully stocked liquor bar in the office and annual bonuses for personal development.
Other perquisites include paid pet and child care while employees are on business trips, and 20 days or more vacation every year.
"I wanted a creative workplace and, while it sounds too good to be true, all the perks make work fun, and I look forward to going to work every day," Bates said. "I work long hours sometimes, but the freedom here allows me to do what I do best."
The definition of workplace perks is expanding. It's no longer unusual to find even the most conservative companies offering fitness centers, laundry services and spa days as incentives for long hours at the office.
"Dot-coms, known for their casualness, for better or worse, have changed the face of the work force," said Jeff Kaye, president of the recruiting firm Kaye/Bassman International. "People were attracted, in part, to those companies at first because they stressed interpersonal relationships and individuality. The more conservative brick-and-mortar companies have taken notice.
"Quirky perks, as you call them, show an employee you took the time to show them some personal attention and that you appreciate the work they've done."
Flexible schedules and concierge services are becoming must-have perks for many in the workplace who only a few years ago were impressed by promises of 401(k) plans and dental benefits.
With 115 employees and doubling in size every year since it opened in 1995, the Square One advertising agency has long had a bar and a casual work environment. In recent years it's added a massage room with candles and, for veteran employees, a sabbatical program.
"We wanted people to feel very comfortable here," said Ernie Capobianco, a partner at Square One. "We didn't want them to feel as though they are coming to the office every day and working in the office. We wanted them to feel like this is just an extension of their life."
There are five kitchens stocked with food in the agency's office in downtown's San Jacinto Tower. Ideas for many of the offered perks have come from the company's employees themselves, including the still-evolving personal development program.
Originally conceived as a tuition reimbursement program, employee requests have included paying for trips, pool repairs and a washer and dryer. To get the up-to-$500 that's allowed each year, employees must put in writing why they need the money and then, after they receive it, tell on the company Web site how that money has enriched their lives.
That "prevents people from not using it for personal enrichment," said Jolyne Doyle, human resources director.
The company is considering subsidizing day care for its employees, as well as offering personal shopping services at Christmas and car-detailing services.
Square One spends between $1,500 to $2,000 a year per person for its more unusual benefits, Capobianco said. But the biggest advantage is the company's turnover rate, which is less than 5% in an industry where 30% is the norm.
That stability has allowed Square One to land clients Miller Brewing Co., Dr Pepper and The Container Store in recent years. The agency reports more than $140 million in annual billings.
Bates had heard of Square One's unusual perks before joining the agency a little more than a year ago. It was a lateral move for Bates, who had worked at both American Airlines and Temerlin McClain, but declined to say where she worked just prior to Square One.
"I looked at and worked at a lot of companies that said they had open-door policies and casual workplaces, but were really very formal and didn't want to hear about it if you had a better idea," Bates said. "I wanted something that would allow you to do what you do best and get your work done."
Free laptops
Her sentiments mirror a national survey by recruiting firm Robert Half International. That study found 70% of job seekers rate benefits and corporate culture among the biggest concerns when considering a company. And, despite a slowing national economy, companies in Texas still face unemployment rates in the 3% to 4% range.
"Right now the stock market is lousy, but unemployment is still extremely low," Kaye said. "Companies a few months ago needed 10 people, and now they need maybe two. It's not any easier to keep people, because there are still a lot of places to go."
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