Loyalty matters more than money for employees in small companies … What makes ideas stick?

It’s good to be small: employees

Small businesses struggling to hire and retain staff in the current skills shortage environment can take heart from a recent US survey by www.salary.com.

Most of the 322 small business employees surveyed in January this year said they did not want to move to a larger company, even though 68% believed they would be paid more if they did so.

Respondents said non-financial factors keep them working for small business, with the main reasons cited including better work/life balance (46.2%), shorter travel time (38.1%), greater loyalty (34.8%), good relations with their boss (31.4%) and co-workers (29.5%).

Of those who had previously worked for a large business, negative internal politics (62%), lack of loyalty (55%) and a poor work culture (42%) were the main reasons given for not wanting to return.

How to make an idea stick

What makes an idea stick, even if it’s a bad idea? What triggers a viral marketing campaign?

Why do people still believe the Great Wall of China is visible from space? (We thought it was too!)

The quick answer is that the stickiest ideas had a lot in common — the message is simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional and contains a story, according to a new book Made to Stick by coauthors Chip and Dan Heath.

Read this review  by contributing editor of Inc magazine Michael S Hopkins.