Yesterday, a TV station based in Oklahoma (Griffin Communications) gave every employee $500 cash in appreciation. The only reason given for this was that the company is doing very well and wanted to reward their employees for their work. This action was confirmed by the VP of marketing.
There are similarities between this case and the way Zappos runs their business (as discussed in class). Zappos is unlike most other companies in that they focus on customer service as well as keeping their employees dedicated and happy. Happy employees have more motivation and can do more work. The atmosphere in their offices is light, and they have multiple events for the employees, boosting morale. Which, essentially, is what this “gift” from Griffin Communications is accomplishing. By rewarding their employees for good work, they are motivating them to keep it up as well as showing that the employees will be treated fairly. So while it can be said that they’re nice for doing such a thing, it is also true that there is another reason behind it.
Sources:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/14/090914fa_fact_jacobs