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> I also found it weird when businesses identified employees as a significant and therefore negative cost center But they are pretty much the biggest cost cent

> I also found it weird when businesses identified employees as a significant and therefore negative cost center But they are pretty much the biggest cost center for any employer? I'm not saying employees should not be valued and treated well, but salaries add up to a lot of money.

kcbanner 11y ago
and without them, a company adds up to a whole lot of nothing
mcv 11y ago
Yes, employees are expensive, but they're also the companies biggest assets. It's worth treating them well. Without them, you're nothing. If a company wants loyalty from their employees, they have to demonstrate their own loyalty towards their employees first. Edit: maybe calling employees assets is wrong, because you don't own or control them. The relationships with your employees (and those with your customers) are your biggest assets. Ruin those relationships, and you squander your biggest sources of expertise and revenue.
- sillygeese 11y ago
  > It's worth treating them well. Again, I agree. > Without them, you're nothing. Plenty of lifestyle business owners would beg to differ. > If a company wants loyalty from their employees, they have to demonstrate their own loyalty towards their employees first. How? What's loyalty in this context anyway? Working your ass off for your employer? Or perhaps not firing someone even though he's holding your business back? I would recommend neither.
  - mcv 11y ago
    You seem to have a very limited view of employer-employee relationships. Work is a big part of our life, but not all of it. We don't live to work, but work to live. Just acknowledging that would go a long way. Give employees the room they need to get their lives in order if they need it. Don't work them til they drop, but give them a healthy amount of vacation time, and only ask them to work overtime in extreme cases. Make sure they're happy. Invest in their training. Don't screw them over. Don't treat them as expendable resources. And when someone is holding your business back, maybe figure out why that is, before you blindly fire him.
    - sillygeese 11y ago
      What exactly prompted you to give me that advice? I'm planning to treat my employees very well, if I ever have some.
      - mcv 11y ago
        Did you miss that I responded to you? You asked, I answered the question. That prompted me. It's great that you intend to treat your employees well. I hope every company does that.
        sillygeese 11y ago
        Nope, I just didn't see how you reached the conclusion that I needed to be told to treat my employees well. I still don't :p But nevermind.
        mcv 11y ago
        You asked: "What's loyalty in this context anyway? Working your ass off for your employer? Or perhaps not firing someone even though he's holding your business back? I would recommend neither." I consider those very short-sighted interpretations of loyalty, so I gave some better examples. If you don't want them, then don't ask for them. I'm completely baffled by your reaction to receiving an answer to your question.

kcbanner 11y ago

and without them, a company adds up to a whole lot of nothing

mcv 11y ago

Yes, employees are expensive, but they're also the companies biggest assets. It's worth treating them well. Without them, you're nothing. If a company wants loyalty from their employees, they have to demonstrate their own loyalty towards their employees first. Edit: maybe calling employees assets is wrong, because you don't own or control them. The relationships with your employees (and those with your customers) are your biggest assets. Ruin those relationships, and you squander your biggest sources of expertise and revenue.

sillygeese 11y ago
> It's worth treating them well. Again, I agree. > Without them, you're nothing. Plenty of lifestyle business owners would beg to differ. > If a company wants loyalty from their employees, they have to demonstrate their own loyalty towards their employees first. How? What's loyalty in this context anyway? Working your ass off for your employer? Or perhaps not firing someone even though he's holding your business back? I would recommend neither.
- mcv 11y ago
  You seem to have a very limited view of employer-employee relationships. Work is a big part of our life, but not all of it. We don't live to work, but work to live. Just acknowledging that would go a long way. Give employees the room they need to get their lives in order if they need it. Don't work them til they drop, but give them a healthy amount of vacation time, and only ask them to work overtime in extreme cases. Make sure they're happy. Invest in their training. Don't screw them over. Don't treat them as expendable resources. And when someone is holding your business back, maybe figure out why that is, before you blindly fire him.
  - sillygeese 11y ago
    What exactly prompted you to give me that advice? I'm planning to treat my employees very well, if I ever have some.
    - mcv 11y ago
      Did you miss that I responded to you? You asked, I answered the question. That prompted me. It's great that you intend to treat your employees well. I hope every company does that.
      - sillygeese 11y ago
        Nope, I just didn't see how you reached the conclusion that I needed to be told to treat my employees well. I still don't :p But nevermind.
        mcv 11y ago
        You asked: "What's loyalty in this context anyway? Working your ass off for your employer? Or perhaps not firing someone even though he's holding your business back? I would recommend neither." I consider those very short-sighted interpretations of loyalty, so I gave some better examples. If you don't want them, then don't ask for them. I'm completely baffled by your reaction to receiving an answer to your question.