One reason for holiday hollowness

Several experts in workplace motivation tell the same story. It may be a passed-around truth or simply a good legend. Doesn't matter; the effect is the same.

The story is about an unhappy workplace where employer-employee relationships were foul. When management gave out the traditional employee Christmas turkeys, a tremendous squabbling arose.

Some of the turkeys weighed more than others! What did that mean? Was the recipient of a 14-pound turkey more valuable to the company than the recipient of a 13.8-pounder?

The following year, the story goes, management appointed a turkey czar to oversee fair and equitable bird distribution. Needless to say, there were complaints then, too.

It isn't easy to give or receive holiday gifts in a workplace that's dysfunctional the rest of the year. Somehow, the spirit isn't right.

That's why it's good tonic to learn about owners or managers who convey staff appreciation year-round. One of them is Tom Mertz, chief executive of TradeNet Publishing Inc. in Gardner, Kan.

Mertz isn't the only person who heads a workplace where employees know they're valued. Fortunately, there are other great places to work. But this is Mertz's story about attracting and keeping workers at the promotional products supply company that has about 140 employees. And keep them he does.

TradeNet's annual turnover rate is about 5 percent -- far below the manufacturing and printing industry standard of 10 percent to 15 percent. Hardly anyone leaves by choice. Most of the few departees are asked to leave because they fail to measure up to performance standards.

There's also a waiting list of people who want to work there. It's filled through word of mouth from current employees, some of whom have been there since Mertz founded the company in 1986.

Mertz throws monthly company-sponsored dinners and weekly lunches when the fourth-quarter busy season heats up. Everyone gets seven paid holidays and three weeks of vacation. Workers earn between $8 and $18 an hour and receive full benefits. They get time-and-a-half for overtime above 40 hours and double time for anything above 50 hours a week -- and all employees know when they're hired that fourth- quarter OT is routine.

That is the basic, competitive and measurable stuff. Then there are the intangibles, such as:

"We give people a lot of freedom and self-control," Mertz said. "They're under minimal supervision. We teach supervisors to teach people their jobs, then get the heck out of the way.

"We operate from the premise of teamwork and from the premise that every employee is a wind in our sails or a boat anchor. There's nobody in between. Basically, we cut the boat anchors loose. The ones who make it through the first six months generally become long-time, good TradeNet employees."

Make no mistake, Mertz said, TradeNet employment isn't like going to a year-round party. Employees work long and hard. But some choose to drive to Gardner from as far away as St. Joseph because the year- round atmosphere at TradeNet makes meaningless holiday gestures unnecessary.

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