Did you know that some companies offer their new hires the option to get paid a “quitting bonus”?  That’s right, if after initial training the employee doesn’t think the job is the right fit, the company is willing to pay them ($5,000 at Zappos) to walk away, just to make sure that only the true believers stay on.

Why do that? Well, someone figured out that it’s more cost effective to pay to get rid of those not-fully- committed employees early, than to keep them around indefinitely.  In other words, Zappos figured out the “hidden long-term” benefit was worth the current expense/cost.

I mention this example because it’s a good segue to another “hidden-benefit” proposition I came across:  It is actually more cost effective to offer paid sick leave, than to have sick employees come to work.  In other words, the benefits of offering paid sick leave (SL) far outweigh the expense/cost.  Skeptical?  So was I.  But here’s why having no paid SL can be costly for business:

• Employees without SL are more likely to come to work despite feeling ill, spreading the illness and infecting other employees, causing even more absences.
• Sick employees are more likely to make errors and mistakes.
• They’re more likely to have accidents, injuring themselves or others.
• Even if they’re not making mistakes and having accidents sick employees are simply less productive.  (And also understandably cranky and irritable.)
• Employees who DO have SL will likely stay home and spare others from the flu.  They’re also more likely to seek preventive care, thus avoiding more serious health problems in the future that may require longer absences.

So that’s the case.  I, for one, had always classified SL as an expense benefiting only the employee and never considered that there were benefits for the employer too.  Still skeptical?  Well, it’s food for thought.

Some Interesting Stats:

• About half the American workforce doesn’t have SL; that’s about 50 million workers.
• Each week about 1/2 million of them go to work sick.
• Low-wage workers are more likely to have no SL, (but can’t afford to stay home) therefore more likely to work while sick.
• About half of employees at hospitals and restaurants (were disease can spread more easily) report going to work when they have a cold or the flu.

Source:  New York Times

©Copyright Eva Del Rio

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to [email protected]