First Jobs

My oldest daughter Avery entered the workforce this summer and I could not be more thrilled.  She has joined the team as a barista at our local Starbucks. 

As a mom in HR, I am so excited for her to be experiencing first-hand the highs and lows of the world of work.  She is learning about co-worker relationships and how to be a responsible employee.  I love when she relays her interesting experiences of working with the public.  This first-time employment experience has been very good for her so far. 

Do you remember your first job?  We were discussing this at a recent leadership team meeting.  I started at Dairy Queen back in high school (yes, making shakes is difficult.) 

When Avery started her job search, we talked at length about the type of job she wanted and the type of company she wanted to work for.  Obviously, the rate of pay was a top priority for her (she’s 16).  But she also wanted to find an organization that valued its people and was committed to sustainability (her words, I swear).  Ideally, she wants to keep this job throughout the rest of high school and then transfer to a location close to college.  She landed at Starbucks and is beyond thrilled.  They have a great team and a strong leader. 

This week, I had the opportunity to join the ‘HR Lunch Bunch’ hosted by HR Answers Inc.  The topic of the discussion was ‘creative employee benefits.’  One of the attendees shared two of the most employee-centric policies I have ever heard of:

1. Making paychecks whole – when an employee has to take a leave of absence, for any reason, the organization makes the employees’ pay whole during that period of time.  If an employee utilizes the short-term disability policy, the company will supplement the missing 40% of employees’ pay. 

2. Sunset – when an employee gives notice of resignation, the company works with the outgoing employee to ensure they have the financial resources needed while in transition.  Their goal is for no one to worry about money as they are making a change in employment. 

How awesome are these policies?!?  I was blown away.  And then I got to thinking about how important it is going to be for companies to consider policies such as these as they focus on attracting and retaining Avery and her fellow generation.  These are the kinds of things our newer generations of employees are seeking.  Now is the time to consider what ‘out of the box’ offerings you can provide to your employees in the name of attraction and retention.  Even my 16-year-old wants a good company culture with strong community values.  What do your people want?  When is the last time you asked???

I had a proud mom moment this week – I was in my local Starbucks and the store manager stopped by to let me know how well Avery is doing and what a great addition she has been to the team.  My cup overflowed!  I am a proud mama indeed. 

Have a fantastic weekend!