Attract and Retain Talent With Concierge Services

Attract and Retain Talent With Concierge Services

by Tillie Hidalgo Lima

An employee leaves for lunch only to find his car in the parking lot with a flat tire. Instead of wasting company time dealing with the tire store or perhaps roadside assistance, what employee wouldn't love to be able to hand off this problem to someone else? If the company offered concierge services, that's exactly what could happen.

Workforce Priorities

Everyone in the workforce today is time-starved, but younger generations in particular have a strong desire for work-life balance. In 2006, The Herman Group reported that members of Generation Y often demand to know how their work will help them live the lives they want to lead. Work is an enabler of life for them, not the reason for it.

One practical way to support a healthy work-life balance is to employ concierges to offload simple but time-consuming chores from employees. Some of the most popular services are:

a) Personal shopping: picking up gifts or supplies.

b) Automobile: car repair or fill-up.

c) Mailing, shipping and postage: going to the post office.

d) Information research: from child and elder care to product comparison.

e) Dry cleaning and laundry: dropping off and picking up.

These services allow employees to stay focused on their jobs, be more productive while at work and make their free time more enjoyable when off work. This gift of time is useful for all employees, unlike some benefits, such as tuition assistance, which only apply to a subset of workers.

Results Prove the Value

Companies that use concierge services often see increased employee retention, sometimes cutting turnover in half. The associated cost reduction in recruiting expenses drops directly to the bottom line. In 2005, Bronson Healthcare Group, a network of hospitals, clinics and health care providers in Michigan, reported $250,000 in annual savings as a result of offering concierge services.

Productivity also increases, giving employees approximately two hours back for each fulfilled concierge request. Many employees will pour this time back into their work. Further, based on 2008 client surveys, Best Upon Request Corporate Inc. reported that more than 90 percent of respondents said concierge service reduced their stress and helped them achieve a better balance between work and their personal lives.

A Good Investment

It is important to take care when establishing a concierge service program so that it is robust enough to provide real support for employees. Proper setup likely will include:

a) Staffing the concierge position with the right person.

b) Establishing a tracking mechanism for requests.

c) Insuring and bonding concierges so they can enter employees' homes and drive employees' cars.

d) Providing an easy-to-use payment system for employees.

Most businesses will pay for concierge services, while employees pay for directly incurred costs, such as car repair or dry cleaning bills. The benefits companies derive from offering the service - improved retention and increased productivity among them - make it relatively easy to justify the investment. As illustrated by Bronson Healthcare, the return to the business far outweighs the cost.

[About the Author: Tillie Hidalgo Lima is president and CEO of Best Upon Request Corporate Inc.]