I just finished reading a fascinating article on Slashdot about Pay vs. Happiness and I think I’m feeling a little better.

Let me explain.

One of my employees came in today and tendered his resignation. Now, I’ve had this happen before but I really was blind-sided by this one. He came on with us a few years back with almost no professional experience, and over those years we’ve spent a lot of time, effort and expense to bring him to a point where he really was good at the position. Now that he’s trained and productive, off to the quick bucks he goes. I’m afraid I took this one a little more personally than I should have.

Then this evening, I spent some time reading the forum I mentioned on Slashdot. It ran the gambit from employers, to employees, to the unemployed… An amazing treasure trove of perspective.

In the end, I truly think I offer a good environment for my employees. No, we can’t afford to pay the big bucks the corporates do for menial tech work. What we do provide to our staff is a good, friendly work environment, room for professional and financial growth, and the benefits and flexibility to make sure their personal lives and families are taken care of. It’s a nice place to work, and I’m very proud of what we do. Also, as our company’s grown over the years, I’ve worked hard to make sure the people who helped move us forward have been compensated for their efforts. And as we continue to expand, the ones that stay and make that growth possible will be the ones to reap the benefits.

As I said before, I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and excited about what we have on the horizon. We’ll just have to see who else will have the vision and drive to come along for the ride. One thing’s for sure, it’ll never be boring.

Phil Malmstrom
philm@mycoffeecuphasfeet.com