I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m still bristling with frustration over some of the corporate greed that came to light not so long ago: those companies that threw lavish parties on Caribbean islands or continued to fly around the country in their private jets just weeks after receiving billions in bailout money from the government. Granted, justice continues to prevail in some instances: the Securities and Exchange Commission has accused Goldman Sachs of knowingly defrauding investors in the subprime-mortgage meltdown, and GM has announced it’s ready to repay its bailout money by the end of June 2010. This news appeases me some, but I still question, “Are there any honest people at the top?” Well, it turns out some CEOs out there really are looking out for the average Janes and Joes. Here are just a few who manage to make a buck and still treat their employees with the respect they deserve.
　　Jim Sinegal, CEO of Costco
　　Above all else, Sinegal places great importance on not putting himself on a pedestal above the people who work for him. He revealed his strategy to ABC News in August 2006, including his routine of visiting up to a dozen stores a day and wearing a name badge that does not identify him as the CEO of Costco. Instead, his badge just reads: “Jim.” Sinegal told reporters, “We have said from the beginning, ‘We’re going to be a place that’s on a first-name basis with everyone.’” In addition, he rewards his employees with a generous wage—the average hourly rate is $17 an hour—and more than 90 percent of his workers enjoy health care benefits.考试大－全国最大教育类网站(www．Examda。com)
　　Bob Moore, Founder of Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods
　　On his eighty-first birthday, this CEO decided to surprise his employees with a special gift.The Oregonian reported in February that Bob Moore, the founder of Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, had announced the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, a “retirement plan in which the company contributes its stock to the plan to be held in trust for the benefit of its employees.” After just three years of employment with the company, an individual is fully vested in the plan. While Moore will not divulge exactly how much the company is worth, John Wagner, the company’s chief financial officer, stated, “Eventual payouts could be substantial.”
　　Tim Wuest, President of Badger Mining Corporation
　　The fifth-largest industrial sand company in the United States understands that it’s not unusual for CEOs to offer employees a personal stake. However, Wuest takes it a step further: at Badger, employees are welcome to attend all quarterly meetings and are encouraged to ask questions. They also receive a robust benefits package that includes 20 percent profit sharing, a 401(k) with up to 6 percent matching, 100 percent coverage on health care premiums, $350 toward a tobacco-cessation plan, and $200 toward hiring a personal financial planner. Perhaps most notable, though, is the fact that Badger Mining refers to its employees not as employees at all, but rather as “associates.” (Likewise, bosses are known as “coaches.”)
　　In Fortune Small Business in June 2009, Wuest admitted that after the company restructured in the mid-1980s, it was apparent that it had become very “top heavy” and needed to shift its focus back to its employees. Wuest said, “We recognized that if we wanted to retain very good associates, we had to provide above-average wages and benefits. We wanted to give people a sense of ownership so that they were a part of the success or failure of the company.”
　　Mickey McManus, CEO and President of Maya Design
　　This creative consulting firm understands how difficult it can be for a parent to return to the workforce after having a child. To retain the good people it has, the firm allows parents to bring their newborn babies to the office. McManus explained to Fortune Small Business in June 2009, “Babies at work, four-week vacations, continuing education—it’s important to strike a good balance between work and life.” The firm also gives parents-to-be a six-week, fully paid maternity or paternity leave.
　　Jeffrey Hollender, CEO of Seventh Generation
　　Hollender shares equal passion for both the environmentally responsible products his company makes and his model for employee retention. Each person who works for Seventh Generation can take advantage of a generous paid-sabbatical program, health care premiums for the employees are covered 100 percent, and dependents’ premiums are covered 100 percent after the person has spent five years with the company. Employees also have access to up to $5,000 in loans to make either their cars or their homes greener. Evidently, Hollender’s model has paid off: Seventh Generation’s employee-turnover rate is a mere 4 percent, compared with the national average of 19 percent.
　　A Better Way of Doing Business
　　As these CEOs prove, not all motivational tactics involve a monetary reward; some place a high value on just getting to know their people, while others are committed to causes like making sure their employees’ spouses have proper health care coverage. While their tactics vary, they do share one primary goal—happiness. These leaders have found that when their employees are happy, their customers are happy, which results in their businesses’ growing. A large part of that happiness comes from maintaining a good work-life balance, and access to paid sabbaticals, premium benefits, and lenient guidelines regarding childcare can make attaining that balance much easier. Thanks to these CEOs’ good business practices, their organizations not only attract their industries’ top contenders for open positions but also ensure that they stay put once they’re hired.