Old school business ethics, modern day luxuries. What reward incentives really work?

Facebook has announced it will build a $120 million, 394-unit housing community. The area will feature cafes, bars, stores, pet care, pools, spas, gyms and entertainments. Ringing any bells? Its is slightly reminiscent of the factory towns of the past, but with the added benefit of choice – a company as large as Facebook has candidates begging to work for them, and in turn may even have Facebook fans desperate to live in this area.

Is there an advantage to having your employees so close? On the one hand, the services you provide could be envied by those who are not in receipt of them but with us being such a well connected race these days does the same loyalty apply?

It seems important to very large companies to really make the effort to show their appreciation to their employees, and rightly so – many of these individuals are highly desirable and could easily find work elsewhere if they found themselves in a position which was not working for them. These large companies easily afford reward incentives and outrageously fun office set ups, but what can the average Joe do? It’s not expected that every company be able to install sweet shops, slides and go karts into their office blocks.

I’d like to know what incentives you’ve conjured up, or what you’ve been treated to that really made you stop and think how much you’ve been thanked for the work you’ve done.

Source: Wall Street Journal