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May 06, 2002 (Computerworld) -- Two years ago, Steve Seidner, senior manager of technology planning at Georgia-Pacific Corp., a paper manufacturer and distributor in Atlanta, became the father of twins. He and his wife already had a 3-year-old, so the new arrivals meant even more demands on them as parents. In response, Seidner's company allowed him to occasionally work from home.
"I try to schedule my meetings so they don't fall every day of the week," Seidner says. "On the days when I don't have meetings, I can often work from home. I also work from home on snow days and on days after we've had a particularly bad night."
If he couldn't telecommute, Seidner says, he might have left his job at the company's downtown offices and looked for a position closer to his suburban home.
"It would have been a tough choice to continue working downtown because of the commute time—an hour each way," Seidner says. "Being able to work at home some days makes all the difference."
That's one reason why Georgia-Pacific ranked among Computerworld's top 10 best employers for benefits and why other leading employers are able to hire and retain the industry's best staffers.
"I have three small children of my own, and I work at home occasionally," says Jim Hudak, CEO of UnitedHealth Technologies, a division of UnitedHealth Group Inc. in Minnetonka, Minn. "There's a big difference if you can be with your kids in your jammies, having a cup of coffee in the morning, instead of having to rush out the door. It's amazing how much more connected you can feel."
"One member of my staff is running an $85 million development project, but she works at home every Friday because she has small children," Hudak says.
Offer Generous Vacation Time
Another way top companies attract and retain IT staffers is by giving them plenty of time off.
At Capital One Financial Corp. in Falls Church, Va., full-time employees get three weeks of paid vacation during their first year at the company and can take an extra 40 hours of vacation without pay if they choose. The hours are prorated based on salary and are deducted from employees' paychecks in regular amounts over the entire year.
"The ability to have four weeks' vacation in a year is really extraordinary," says Laura Olle, senior vice president of IT at Capital One and the mother of a teenage daughter. "It's a big help when your children have spring breaks, winter breaks and so on."
Similarly, at PwC Consulting, an Edison, N.J.-based division of PricewaterhouseCoopers, employees receive 22 paid vacation days after their second year. "I don't think you find that in too many places," says Ed Pillard, a partner at the firm.
Let Workers Pursue Their Dreams
Some companies will provide extended leaves of absence so IT workers can pursue educational goals, or even fulfill their lifelong dreams.
"We have one long-term employee who really wanted to pursue his interest in astronomy," says John Moon, CIO at Baxter International Inc. in Deerfield, Ill. "He was able to take a sabbatical sponsored by Baxter."
This astronomy buff traveled the world for six months. "He worked at some of the most advanced astronomy centers," Moon says. Meanwhile, the employee was able to draw a partial salary, and his job was waiting for him when he returned.
And despite the tough economy, IT executives at these leading companies say they aren't cutting back on employee benefits.
"Many companies are cutting their 401(k) contributions—we paid 100% of our match," says Hudak. UnitedHealth also offers stock options based on employee performance, and even in this down market, the share price has risen from approximately $25 to about $70 in the past two years, he says. "I just went to a party at someone's new house that the person bought with the help of stock options," says Hudak.
"Downgrading our benefits doesn't enter our thinking," says George McKinnon, vice president and CIO at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. in Columbus, Ohio. And the current glut of job candidates isn't changing the company's retention strategy, he adds.
"Whether there are 100 people out there or 1,000, we still need to attract the best," McKinnon says.
Zetlin is a freelance writer in Woodstock, N.Y.
How to Provide Great Benefits Make telecommuting viable by setting up technology for fast network connections. Offer plenty of time off. Vacation time is always a welcome perk. Offer extended leaves of absence for workers to pursue educational goals or fulfill lifelong dreams. Get creative. Consider a concierge service that reduces daily hassles for traveling employees.
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