Would You Give an Employee $1,000 to Quit?
"Every so often," writes Bill Taylor in an article at Harvard Business Online, "I spend time with a company that is so original in its strategy, so determined in its execution, and so transparent in its thinking, that it makes my head spin. Zappos is one of those companies." The online retailer, which expects $1 billion in sales this year, has made stellar customer service—the type marketing bloggers rave about—a cornerstone of its business.
Zappos has an unorthodox way of making sure its employees share the corporate ethos. At the end of a four-week training period, during which new hires receive a full salary, they are presented with The Offer. They may stay on at the company, or they can take a $1,000 payout to walk away, no strings attached.
"Zappos actually bribes its new employees to quit!" exclaims Taylor.
Around ten percent take the cash, but Zappos considers it money well spent; the employees who stay are far more likely to share the company's values, and to uphold the vaunted standards of its customer service.
Bill Taylor sums up your Marketing Inspiration like this: "Companies don't engage emotionally with their customers—people do. If you want to create a memorable company, you have to fill your company with memorable people."
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