Great Ideas for your Small Business:
Send Flowers to an Employee’s Spouse
Being on the road away from home can be a drag. But when you get to spend time with people like Dr. Allan Weis, it’s worth the trip. Weis and I met a few years ago when we were part of a traveling faculty hired by IBM to speak to entrepreneurs.
Weis, credited as one of the key developers of the technical backbone of the Internet, has founded several small, high-tech companies. Through the years, he has learned how to keep employees happy, especially when they are working long hours on complex, technical projects.
One of his most inventive morale-boosters is to send a bouquet of fresh flowers to the spouses of busy employees as a special thank-you gesture. “I never send roses,” said Weis. “That’s too emotional.” He said the flowers serve several pur- poses: They cheer up the upset spouse and show his appreciation for the extra effort put in by his staff.