The birthday present your staff really want – the day off

The mad race for talent in these days of labour shortage is producing some creative responses from employers. The latest? Giving employees the day off on their birthday.

The Australian Financial Review reports that businesses such as Fone Zone, Colmar Brunton and law firm Sparke Helmore are offering employees at least a half-day off on their birthday.

Apart from the general boost to morale the policy delivers, the policy is also proving a useful weapon in the battle to attract and retain staff. Fone Zone, for example, uses it to encourage longer service by offering the birthday holiday option as a reward to workers who have been with the business for more than 12 months.

Management at Colmar Brunton, a market research firm, believe their half-day off policy has helped improve the way they are perceived in the employment marketplace.

“It does seem to have a positive impact on people looking at the company,” Colmar Brunton human resources director Gabrielle Carman told the newspaper. “I don’t think we could get rid of it now without having a riot.”

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