There is a perception that that small businesses pay much less and are as good to their employees as are large corporations. The latest data from the SBA tells us that the low pay is not exactly true — small business pay is up to 90% of that paid by large businesses. And the just released list of top small businesses to work in from the Wall Street Journal and the non-profit Winning Workplaces shows that they are at least as good to their employees.
While each company is very different, we encountered some common themes: These small businesses tend to let employees at all levels make key decisions, and they groom their future leaders from within. They offer generous traditional and untraditional benefits (how about a six-week sabbatical?). And they constantly hunt for new ways to improve the employee experience or engage employees.
And many share a sizable slice of their profits with employees, teaching them to read company financial statements so they grasp how their job is connected to the success of the organization.
These small businesses set a high standard that any small business owner should aspire to achieve. The article offers compelling profiles for each small business on this list. These offer a road map to help entrepreneurs build truly good cultures for their employees.
If you think your business or one that you come in contact with should be on this list, you can nominate them for the 2008 list here.