Distinctive HR Policies and Procedures at SAS

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Nova Southeastern University H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship Assignment for Course: HRM 5030 Submitted to: Dr. H. Nathan Charles Submitted by: Michelle Callanan Patricia Cardoso Christie Massie Thamara Jean Llanissa Lee Gabriela Mendoza Date of Submission: 6/9/2014 Title of Assignment: DISTINTIVE HR POLICIES AND PRACTICES AT SAS CERTIFICATION OF AUTHORSHIP: I certify that I am the author o f this paper and that any an y assistance I received in its preparation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in the paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used data, d ata, ideas or words, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I also certify that this paper was prepared by me specifically for this course. Student's Signature:

Michelle Callanan Patricia Cardoso Christie Massie Thamara Jean Llanissa Lee Gabriela Mendoza

***************************************************************** Instructor's Grade on Assignment: Instructor's Comments:

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DISTINCTIVE HR POLICIES AT SAS

Distinctive HR Policies and Practices at SAS Michelle Callanan, Patricia Cardoso, Christie Massie, Thamara Jean, Llanissa Lee, and Gabriela Mendoza Nova Southeastern University Wayne Huizenga Graduate School of Business & Entrepreneurship


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Table of Contents Abstract………………………………………….Michelle Callanan ..................... ........... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ............. .. 4 Introduction……………………………………...Michelle Callanan..................... ........... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... ............. .. 5 SAS Background Background ............................ ........................................... ............................. ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ........................ ..........5 Selection Selection of SAS........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................. ............................. ............................ ............................ .......................... ............5 Overview of the Company………………………Michelle Callanan .......................... ........................................ ............................ ............................. ...................... .......6 Distinctive HR Policies and Practices…………...Michelle Callanan ............................ .......................................... ............................ ............................ ................... .....7 Workplace Wellness …………………………..Patricia Cardoso ............................ .......................................... ............................ ............................. ...................... .......7 Implementation of Wellness Plan .......................................................................................................................... 8 Onsite Health Care Center ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Wellness Program Costs ........................................................................................................................................ 9 Work Environment…………………………….Thamara Jean ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ........................ ..........10 Open-Book Management………………………Llanissa Lee .......................... ........................................ ............................ ............................. ........................... ............12 Work-Life Balance …………………………….Christie Massie ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ...................... ........14 Flexible Work Environment ................................................................................................................................ 15 Onsite Childcare and Schools .............................................................................................................................. 15 Interactive Technology ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Recreation and Fitness Center ............................................................................................................................. 16 Company Company Perks........................... .......................................... ............................. ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ...................... ........16 Performance Incentives………………………..Gabriela Mendoza ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ................. ... 16 Profit Profit Sharing Sharing............................ .......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................. ............................. ............................ ............................ ........................ ..........17 Job Security Security ............................ .......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................. ........................... ............18 Compensatio Compensation n ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................. ............................. ............................ ............................ ........................ ..........18 Implications for HR Practices in Other Companies ..................................................................................................... 18 Workplace Wellness ……………………………Patricia Cardoso .......................... ........................................ ............................ ............................. .................... ..... 18 Work Environment……………………………...Thamara Jean ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ...................... ........19 Open-Book Management………………………..Llenissa Lee ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ........................ ..........20 Work-Life Balance ……………………………....Christie Massie.. ........................... ......................................... ............................ ............................ ................. ... 20 Performance Incentives ………………………….Gariela Mendoza ............................ .......................................... ............................ ............................ ................ 20 Conclusion

Michelle Callanan .................... ......... ..................... ..................... ..................... ..................... .................. ....... 22

Reference Referencess ............................ ........................................... ............................. ............................ ............................ ............................ ............................ ................ .. Error! Bookmark not defined.

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DISTINCTIVE HR POLICIES AT SAS Abstract As human resource management evolves into a more strategic role within an organization, HR

policies and practices are measured by how well they support business goals and objectives. One approach to understanding the effect of HR policies on an organizations’ culture is through the study of work-life practices, HR benefits and talent initiatives via benchmarking surveys such as Fortune Magazine’s "100 Best Companies to Work For" annual employee survey. This paper

will examine the distinct human resource policies of SAS and why such policies pol icies make it an excellent place to work.

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DISTINCTIVE HR POLICIES AT SAS Introduction SAS Background

SAS began as a college project to analyze agricultural research. As demand for analytical software grew and the applications for such software expanded beyond agriculture, SAS was founded in 1976 to assist customers in the pharmaceutical, banking, academics, and government segments (Buchannan, 2011). Today Toda y SAS is the leader in producing software for business bu siness analytics, data warehousing and data mining activities to gather, manage and analyze enormous amounts of data (Hoovers, 2014). Customers use the software to find patterns in customer data that will provide a competitive edge. The data is also used to manage resources and target new business opportunities. According to the company’s website, SAS has customers in 139 countries, including 91 of the top 100 global companies on 2013 Fortune Global 500 (). (). SAS has 14,000 employees worldwide with yearly revenues of $3.07 billion. Selection of SAS

SAS was selected by group consensus for a variety of reasons. reasons. The methodology used was that each group member reviewed companies on Fortune’s yearly list of “100 Best

compan y should be Companies to Work For” and provided their insight into why a particular company chosen. A majority of group members selected SAS as their choice b ased on the company’s compan y’s training practices, employee benefits, volume of available research material, repeated rank on the list for multiple years and vast amount of convenience convenien ce benefits offered. In addition, the group considered key statistics including 90% of positions are filled internally, a nd nearly 50% of the workforce is comprised of women with women holding key leadership roles ().


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Overview of the Company

SAS is a privately held company compan y in which founder and CEO James J ames Goodnight owns approximately two-thirds of the company and co-founder co -founder John Sall owns the remaining portion (Yahoo finance, 2014). Jim Goodnight’s philosophy: “Treat emplo yees like they make a

difference and they will” is the cornerstone of the mission and values espoused by SAS. SAS admits that the bar is set high for their employees emplo yees and believes they have provided a culture that fosters creativity and promotes innovation (SAS, 2014). In an effort to provide rapid innovation of products and extreme customer care, both essential to the indisputable success of SAS, Goodnight spent decades perfecting a culture and work environment that values a work-life balance (SAS, 2014). Goodnight has created an environment where employees feel valued. He believes to encourage creativity requires addressing the daily stresses stresses and concerns that employees bring to work. Vice President of Human Resources, Jenn Mann attributes part of their successful ranking to the employee survey. She echoes Goodnight’s belief that SAS culture and work environment make their employees feel valued leading le ading to product innovation, job satisfaction, and company pride (). Statistics seem to verify verify these beliefs with with 37 consecutive years of record earnings (Crowley, 2013). While enjoying this stellar financial record, SAS has maintained a 35% employee turnover rate, compared to an industry average of 20%, and a renewed customer subscription rate of 98%; proving a company’s most im portant asset is creative capital (Florida (Florida and Goodnight, 2005). Prior to launching SAS, Goodnight worked for NASA where he observed an environment that lacked communication and trust. Time cards were used to ensure employees worked every minute expected and metal detectors deterred employees employees from stealing. stealing. In addition, the


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executives enjoyed perks including special parking and private break and dining areas, which included free coffee. The majority of employees did not share in these perks creating creating dissention. Goodnight envisioned a different environment and culture for SAS that placed value in his employees and focused on effectiveness rather than productivity (Bankert, Lee, & Lange, 2000). Distinctive HR Policies and Practices

While SAS sets itself apart by valuing their people above all else, there are several distinctive HR policies that SAS has mastered which separates them from their competitors and has earned them a top spot on Fortune’s list of “100 Best Companies to Work For” ev ery year since its inception. These distinctive policies have been cultivated cultivated by CEO Jim Goodnight and are an intricate intricate component of the SAS organizational culture. Workplace wellness, work work environment, open-book management, work-life balance and performance incentives are points of differentiation that will be discussed in detail. Workplace Wellness

Employer wellness initiatives are increasing among U.S. companies and are positively impacting the workplace. Wellness programs aim to promote healthy lifestyle lifestyle options to employees and their families as well as prevent and control disease. Disease prevention can either focuses on the prevention of the disease, or on the early diagnosis which enables the treatment to be made at an early stage and avoid future complications. Besides the benefits that wellness programs bring to employees’ lives, the programs also

tends to increase productivity, generate higher morale, lo yalty, retention of employees, reduction of absenteeism, and reduce healthcare costs that are associated with the treatments of established diseases (Kossek, Kalliath, & Kalliath, 2012). A healthy workplace plays an important role on employee’s lifestyle, considering that unhealthy workplaces may cause physical or psychological


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disorders due to issues like excessive pressure, unattainable job demands or abusive/poor management. Implementation of Wellness Plan

In order to implement a successful wellness plan, it needs to b e faced not only as a program, but as part of the organization’s culture. Leaders must get engaged in the program and

serve as a role model, empowering employees emplo yees to dedicate time in their day to take care of themselves. The program should incorporate a variety variety of activities at convenient locations, and a well-executed communication plan. The communication is essential to inform inform and educate employees with meaningful and relevant information about abou t the importance of the program to achieve an overall well-being and healthier lifestyle. SAS wellness program provides a wide variety of activities includ ing: pilates, zumba, yoga, salsa aerobic, hiking, Wii bowling, harmonic sound healing, scent mixology, and campaigns like weight management and smoking cessation cessation (Kaplan, 2010). Besides these coordinated activities, SAS also encourages “passive emplo yee wellness” while providing fitness

facilities. Onsite Health Care Center

SAS has a Health Care Center (HCC) on-site, which provides full-service health care free of charge for employees and their families. The health center was modestly founded in 1984 and now boasts a staff of 56, including four physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, nutritionists, lab technicians, physical therapists, and psychologists psychologists (Kaplan, 2010). The HCC also offers healthrelated educational training online and on-site and has a Health Care Center Pharmacy operated by Walgreens in the same building (SAS Institute, 2014).


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Healthcare services are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days (Friday is the only onl y day that it closes at 5 p.m.). Same-day appointments are commonly available, and usually clinicians clinicians take advantage of employee’s visit to consolidate a variety of services into one appointment,

providing an embracing health care service (Berry, Adcock, & Mirabito, 2011). The service is offered free of charge with one exception, ex ception, a missed appointment without notice costs $10 (Kaplan, 2010). Even though SAS allows their employees to use external healthcare providers, around 75% of their 4,700 employees located at the North Carolina’s headquarters choose the HCC for

their primary care (Berry (Berry et al., 2011). This fact helps the care care coordination, avoiding repeated efforts and misaligned treatments that may occur when dealing with providers in different medical practices. Wellness Program Costs

How much does it cost? cost? It is hard to believe that with such a comprehensive comprehensive healthcare facility that SAS can actually save money on health care. On-site health services enable SAS to save more than $1.50 for every dollar spent to operate the HCC (Berry et al., 2011). SAS estimates that 40,000 on-site visits are made per year, and each visit saves two hours of employee time, resulting in productivity savings of $3.6 million in 2010 (Berry et al., 2011). Considering the high external health-care costs and the time spent by employees to reach off-site health care providers, SAS is effectively capitalizing on the synergies and saving millions of dollars every year from providing on-site services. The HCC is successful because it was created for the right reason and delivers health care services the way it should be delivered: analyzing an alyzing risk factors and preventing diseases instead of just treating them. SAS encourages an attitude of wellness, providing wide range of services and


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healthy activities, and at the same time confirming the company’s commitment to employee’s wellbeing. -one benefit you can give an being. As SAS CEO Jim Goodnight says, “The number -one employee is a good health” (Berry et al., 2011). Work Environment

In the workplace environment of any organization, employee morale, productivity and engagement is impacted both positively and negatively by the practices and philosophies of upper management. A quality work environment affects employee level of motivation and subsequent performance as well as their engagement enga gement with the organization. Employee engagement with their immediate environment also plays p lays a role toward influencing level of innovation, collaboration with fellow employees, absenteeism and ultimately, emplo yee retention rate. Flexible Work Environment

At SAS there is a high-trust, flexible work environment where employees can choose to work from home if needed or in the office (Dobson, (Dobson, 2010). The mood of the place is very competitive, yet most employees consider the work environment to be a layback. layback. The company encourages employees to work a 35-hour week and each employee is empowered to take ownership for his job responsibilities and the completion of those tasks. All employees have their own office and enjoy tremendous freedom toward managing their workload and schedule. SAS leadership views such employee-centric practices as a way to maximize productivity. CMO Jim Davis stated the following (Crowley, 2013): I don’t know anybody who really works 35 hours. The reality is if you trust p eople, and

you ask them to do something--and you treat them like a human being as opposed to a


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commodity where you try to squeeze something out--they’re going to work all sorts of hours. But they’re going to enjoy those hours h ours as opposed to slaving in the office.

The company fosters an environment that allows people focus on their work without unnecessary distractions, which in turn allows them to be more creative and productive. Management provides employees the right tools and the support to focus on problem solving – all while being surrounded by artwork and scenery that energize and inspire (sas.com, 2014). Management Philosophy

Management at SAS operates with uncommon philosophies, methods, and intentions. The company continually produces top workplace performance because of what it stands for and its leadership values, such as: value people above all else, give to get, ge t, trust above all things, and ensure employees understand the significance of their work (Crawley, 2013). Surveyed employees continuously express that they are valued v alued as individuals where their opinions matter, creating a positive work environment that serves as a great motivational tool. Such sentiments are key ingredients to being able to continuously design innovative software solutions and deliver value to SAS customers. At SAS management understands that harassment does not refer only to sexual orientation, but also to religion, where one is from, the color of one’s skin, how old or young one is, if male or female, if handicap or any other inappropriate or illegal basis; therefore, prohibits unlawful harassment in any form regardless if its non-verbal, verbal or physical to provide a great and safe working environment (sas.com, 2014). Employee happiness is the core of the organizations mission. Another significant feature of the work environment is employee inte rdependence. Collaboration and teamwork are highly encouraged within the organization as a means to


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success. To encourage such behavior, SAS implemented a reward system that places value on organizational performance over individual recognition. Employees enjoy challenging work and are free to take risks, and even fail, as a means to generating new ideas and products. The company’s culture of trust has proven to be an influential factor toward employee

engagement. There is great communication amongst all employees, including top executives, respect from colleagues and transparency into career-paths (Huffington, 20 14). SAS’ work environment is so resource-rich that some employees choose to take a pay cut just to come to work for the organization and take advantage of the great perks p erks and benefits it has to offer. The physical surroundings and facilities make a big difference d ifference at SAS. Lots of companies have campuses, but the amenities at the SAS campus are second to none. The company’s 900acre campus in Cary, North Carolina has a head count of 5,176 employees and a total of 14,000 employees worldwide (Great Place to work, 2014). The office building overlooks stunning well cut lawns and curving pathways linking one building to another, allowing employees to connect and engage in frequent interactions while promoting a sense of belonging and family. Open-Book Management

Managing employees is a challenging yet crucial and essential process of conducting business. In the previous sections, we discussed human resource policies implemented by SAS, such as, workplace wellness and the work environment. This section will further our investigation into SAS’ human resource practices by discussing open-book management and

how the company uses this concept to keep employees engaged. The idea behind open-book management is spreading information through all levels of the company comp any as a means to help employees be more effective in performing their job. job . This motivates employees by empowering them to be fully equipped with proper and adequate information.


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A well-built human resource policy or principle created by b y a company will include establishing a great line of communication about what the company does, their mission mi ssion statement, goals and their part in the company. compa ny. Open-book management eliminates the traditional top-down line of communication. The whole idea of open-book management, in regards to human resource policy, is to generate an open line of communication better known as, “opendoor”, which encourages employees to express concerns or any issues they are faced with. A

benefit of using this approach is that workers are more inclined to report problems early on before they can spiral out of control causing a bigger issue. Companies that involve workers in the decision-making process see a significant improvement in employee engagement. A study by Mone, Eising, Guggenheim, Price and Stine (2011) f ound ound that, “Open-book management style involving employees in decision-making has a positive effect on engagement” (p. 209). Leaders play an important part in assuring that human

resource policies are properly understood by each employee. Lengnick-Hall, Beck, LengnickHall concluded that, “A strong HR system is one in which the messages intended by the organization's leaders are understood and interpreted correctly by employees, and which guide their individual behaviors which aggregate to create organizational capabilities” (p.248).

SAS understands that in order to get the best out of one’s employee the company must be willing to share all information. The more information employees have at their disposal the better equipped they are to handle most situations. The company will most likely have a greater percentage of knowledgeable workers. SAS is dedicated to making sure that the employees have the necessary tools available to make the best decision for the company. This type t ype of policy requires a strong communication system. Beck Graebe, internal communic ation manager, stated at a social media conference that, “good communications starts at the top” (Kass, 2012). She


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further explained that the 8-person team is continuously continu ously trying to discover ways to inform 11,000 of SAS’s employees (Kass, 2012). The team has come up with a great internal communication

program that involves using social media. Work-Life Balance

The concept of “work -life balance” is an ideal situation that many employees struggle to

achieve, and an even more daunting task for many employers to translate into formal HR practices. How an individual interprets work-life balance can be viewed as multifaceted since it boils down to personal choice and priorities. A key factor that distinguishes SAS as an employer of choice is its commitment to successfully implementing family-friendly benefits and adopting them as tenants of their overall culture and business strategy. According to Yeo and Li (2011), (2011 ), “Employees believe they have a high quality of work life when there the re is a clear sense of openness

and tr ust ust between management and employees and no fear of being shortchanged or misguided” (p. 39). This philosophy is embraced by SAS CEO Jim Goodnight who believes the foundation of employee happiness at SAS is its culture of trust and is echoed by SAS employees who feel the company goes above and beyond to foster a family-friendly work environment (Crowley, 2013). The company has truly cracked the code on what constitutes a sustainable family-supportive work environment by providing organizational support suppo rt through a variety of programmatic offerings administered by six dedicated social workers within their Work/Life Department (Great Place to Work, 2014). According to the SAS Family website, “SAS is committed to helping employees, their families and retirees achieve balance in their lives by providing problemsolving, coaching, resource and referrals, and edu cational programs” (SAS Institute, 2014). The

company offers an array of employee-friendly benefits ben efits such as a flexible work environment,


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onsite childcare and schools, parent-focused seminars, interactive technolog y, an onsite recreation and fitness facility, and various other perks which we will explore further. Flexible Work Environment

SAS boasts a standard thirty-five hour workweek, three weeks of paid vacation, and unlimited sick days which can be used to care for ill family members (Great Place to Work, Wo rk, 2014). The company offers both formal and informal flexible scheduling arrangements, along with telecommuting, to afford employees who are parents the opportunity to arrange their work schedules to allow them to participate in their children’s school events and activities. Onsite Childcare and Schools

The company is a huge advocate of childhood education and has two subsidized daycare centers for 600 children; the largest onsite daycare operation in North Carolina (Kaplan, 2010). With onsite childcare, parents can visit and interact with their children throughout the workday. Parents, at the main campus, can also take advantage of discounted tuition and enroll their children in the on-site Montessori school, while parents without “access the facility can count on SAS to pay half the tuition of a comparable program in their community ” (Great Place to Work, 2014). The culture of support does not stop there, employees have access to “work -life” counseling and can attend a number of seminars on topics ranging from adoption to divorce to paying for college to help them with managing life’s everyday challenges (Crowley, 2013). Interactive Technology

The company makes use of technology to keep employees connected and informed. Their SAS Life Blog offers guidance on healthy h ealthy living and tips for managing life’s stressors

(Huffington, 2014). Employees can also take part p art in the company-wide intranet community, known as The Hub, that enables real-time interaction with SAS executives during town h all


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meetings in addition to functioning as a mobile device-enable social network with question que stion and answer app capability (Great Place to Work, 2014). 2014 ). Recreation and Fitness Center

The company has a 36,000 square foot gym, complete with full-service laundering, which is provided to employees and their family at no cost (Fishman, 1999). The fitness center is complete with weight machines, pool tables, two full length indoor basketball courts, a natatorium which houses a 75-foot pool, tennis and racquetball courts, a robust schedule of aerobics classes including triathlon training program and weekly messages (Buchanan, 2011). The recreational complex on campus has soccer and softball fields, bike and walking trails, a Frisbee golf course and dozens of sculptures to compliment the beautiful landscape - all in an effort to promote a balanced environment (Great Place to Work, 2014). Company Perks

In addition to the benefits detailed above, SAS does much more to show employees just how much they care about their needs. The company provides gourmet cuisine accompanied by a piano player in its subsidized cafeterias, which serve 500 breakfasts and 2,300 lunches a day -and provides takeout to bring home for the family” (Kaplan, 2010). The family-friendly culture

of the organization is regularly on display in the cafes where parents and kids have the option of eating lunch together. Other perks for all employees include a hair salon where the CEO gets his crop chopped, dry cleaning, car detailing, a UPS depot, a book exchange, a meditation garden, an in-season tax prep vendor, and an orthotics store (Kaplan, 2010). Performance Incentives

There is no doubt that SAS employees enjoy the perks on their envious campus. As noted by Kaplan (2010), the idea that work is easy and that employee’s coast through their day is a


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misconception. Employees “work hard here, because they’re motivated to take care of a company that takes care of them”.

Since its second year in business SAS has offered profit sharing, a benefit provided by by organizations to give employees incentives to put forth quality work. Some metrics that indicate how well a company “takes care” of its employees are longevity, turnover percentage, and wages. Job security and ownership are those intangibles that leave employees feeling “taken-care of” even if there isn’t data to quantify it. The CEO considers the company’s employees the most

important asset stating stating it is his job to make sure they come back (Kaplan, (Kaplan, 2010). Although specific performance incentives are not public knowledge, one can extrapolate from management requirement and remarkable stats that employees perform and are happy with their work. Profit Sharing

As a performance incentive, profit sharing serves two purposes; one pu rpose is to promote employees to think more like owners. Since they have a stake in the success of a certain project employees are motivated to produce good quality work. This empowers employees to do top quality work because they the y will reap the benefits in terms of profits made by the company. The second reason organizations implement profit profit sharing is that it provides a way to reduce labor cost in the event of economic hardships faced by the company. If the company is is not making a profit they are are not able to share it with employees. It is a clever way to accomplish a feeling of ownership and a way to keep labor cost low (Noe, Hollenback, Gerhart, & Wright, 2013 p. 534). Part of SAS’s success is impressive not because they have yet to report a loss in their 30

plus years of business, but more so because they are still a private company. This fact lends itself to the first first metric mentioned earlier-turn earlier-turn over. Turnover at SAS reported at 2 %, 20%


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percent lower than the industry at about 22% in 2009 (Kaplan, 2010). Compared to the industry SAS seemingly knows how to keep their most important asset engaged and committed. Job Security

A company on the verge of reporting a loss for the first time shows their employees how indispensable they are. In 2009 when competitors were announcing massive layoffs SAS CEO announced no one would be laid off. That year no raises were reported and the company pulled together and minimized unnecessary spending (Kaplan, (Kaplan, 2010). Difficult economic times force force companies to decide what type of company it wants to be. With average tenure at 10 years management has succeeded in creating a culture where employees know their worth. Compensation

Employee compensation in form of pay is traditionally thought of as a way to influence behaviors and attitudes of current employees (Noe, Hollenback, Gerhart, & Wright, 2013, p. 525). According to Kaplan (2010), SAS is not known for paying the highest salaries salaries in its field, field, probably the one ordinary thing it does. Salaries are just a part of employee compensation when it comes to public companies. Since, SAS is still a private company salaries are not complemented by stock options. Similarly S imilarly to SAS, Google, a competitor and a client, showers employees with perks in addition to above industry standard pay (Cook, 2012). Another way SAS fosters performance is through ownership. All employees to include programmers and landscapers are given the opportunity opportunit y to “own” their work as long as the y are employees with the company- program or acreage, respectively. Implications for HR Practices in Other Companies Workplace Wellness


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SAS has a well-structured wellness program that benefits not only the employees but also the company in a variety of aspects. aspects. Employees benefit while having the opportunity to take care of their health and improve their lifestyle; and the company benefits while increasing productivity, retention of employees, competitive advantage, and on the top of it, saving money. HR departments in other companies can learn a lot from SAS in this field. It is clear that investing on health is cheaper than sickness. That fact is proved with numbers by SAS, and should be benchmarked and analyzed by other companies. Even small companies that don’t have the possibility to implement a structured wellness

program can take advantage of SAS experience and increasingly improve their HR practices. Companies should start promoting informative campaigns about the importance of the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, encouraging employees e mployees to keep track of their blood pressure and weight, while also adhering to healthier eating habit. Monthly/weekly events like walking at the park or zumba classes can be offered to stimulate employees to exercise and at the same time interact and exchange successful healthy experiences with with co-workers. Investing on benefits like “free gym membership” may also be an excellent opportunity to stimulate employees to include

physical activity as part of their daily routines. Starting with small steps, companies can develop its processes day-b y-day with simple attitudes that are powerful enough to improve emplo yee’s lifestyle and consequently their

individual satisfaction. Work Environment

Human Resources plays an essential role in devel oping an organization’s strategy as well

as handling employee activities. By providing a great working environment, SAS employees emplo yees are motivated to produce more effectively and efficiently. The company’s workplace design


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generates an atmosphere that is supportive, layback, fun and stress free, influencing employees to remain with the organization and resulting in a low turnover rate for the company. compa ny. By providing such a unique, accommodating and flexible environment based on trust and respect ,the company in return benefits greatly through the hard work, determination and commitment of it’s employees. Open-Book Management Work-Life Balance

In the eyes of SAS leaders, family-friendly benefits and perks are symbolic representations of how they trust and value their employees and remind workers that they important to the success of the firm (Crowley, 2013). What sets SAS’ apart from other

organizations is the forethought and dedicated support sup port they put toward their employee/familycentric work-life programs, which are designed to be convenient and reduce work distractions. Organizations aspiring to be recognized as “family-friendly” should first start by fostering a

culture of trust with its employees and construct an environment env ironment that workers genuinely want to be apart of. Next, employers need to understand the unique needs of their employees and then engage them to create work-life wo rk-life programs that embrace those needs holistically. By doing so, they are more apt to implement implement programs that employees will truly benefit from. from. Lastly, for programs to be truly accepted, senior leaders and management must partake in the benefits offered, as well as encourage employees to take advantage of the options provided, to demonstrate the organizations commitment the concept of a balanced life. Performance Incentives

Some performance incentives like profit sharing, competitive wages and comprehensive benefits packages are the norm for most organizations including SAS. There are other


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intangibles, like ownership and job security, that other o ther organizations will have a difficult time implementing or duplicating. Changes that empower employees and give them a sense of ownership in their projects starts with a policy change allowing employees to “own” their work while they remain employed with the company and continue with a change in the culture. Changing the culture in an organization involves more than simply adding or amending a current policy or procedure. “Culture has an important impact imp act on approaches to managing people” (Noe et al., 2013, p. 656). It can determine the value of different aspects of jobs. For example, in a company that prides itself in providing excellent customer cu stomer service a complaint from a customer is frowned upon, while in a sales driven company it may not be as long as the sales goal for the day was met. Performance alone nowadays does not guarantee job security. Outside forces in the economy and speed of technology and business play a big role in the success of an organization. Businesses find a way to weather the storm and get get through tough times. Decisions to conduct massive layoffs or cut back drastically on nonessential expenses ex penses are some strategies used to stay afloat. Goodnight’s decision to put employees at ease announcing no one would lose their job and cut expenses is an unorthodox move. Employees were able to get back to work knowing they would all come back the next day. Decisions made by CEO Goodnight may not have been an easy however; it was possible due to an absence of outside pressures pressures from stockholders. Public companies face the reality of such pressures and may not have the liberty of such decisions. As far a monetary compensation, SAS compensates employees fairly proving that employee’s performance is driven by things other than pay. Employees need challenging,

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DISTINCTIVE HR POLICIES AT SAS interesting assignments, they need to be inspired and employers have the responsibility to make things easy for them and “to make sure they come back”(Kaplan, 2010).

Conclusion

(will write after other sections are completed)

References

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yourself-employee-health-care/


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Buchanan, L. (2011, September). How SAS continues to grow. Inc. Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.inc.com/magazine/201109/inc-500-james-goodnight-sas.html Cook, J. (2012, May 27). How Google Rewards their employees. Retrieved from http://thinkingleader.hubpages.com/hub/How-Google-Motivates-their-Employees-withRewards-and-Perks Crowley, M. C. (2013, January 22). How SAS became the world’s best place to work. Fast work. Fast Company. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/3004953/how-sas-became-

worlds-best-place-work Dobson, S. (2010). Benefits, values basis of strong corporate culture. Canadian HR Reporter, 23(4), 23. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/220783926?accountid =6579 Fishman, C. (1999, January). Sanity inc. Fast Company. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/36173/sanity-inc Great Place To Work (2014, January 15). Great rated SAS . Retrieved from http://us.greatrated.com/sas Huffington, A. (2014, January 22). The success secrets behind fortune’s five best companies to work for in 2014. The Huffington Post . http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/fortune-reveals-100-best-_n_4610585.html Ijose, O. (2010). Strategic human resource management, mana gement, small and medium sized enterprises and strategic partnership capability. Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 5, 113.


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Kaplan, D. A. (2010, January 22). SAS: A new no. 1 best employer. Fortune Magazine. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/21/technology/sas_best_companies.fortune/ Kass, K. (2012). SAS delivers a personalized internal communication strategy for employees. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from Simply Communicate: http://www.simplycommunicate.com/case-studies/internal-communications/sas-delivers-personalizedinternal-communication-strategy-emplo Kossek, E. E., Kalliath, T., & Kalliath, P. (2012). Achieving employee wellbeing in a changing work environment. International Journal of Manpower, 33(7), 738-753. doi:10.1108/01437721211268294 Lengnick-Hall, C. A., Beck, T. E., & Lengnick-Hall, M. L. (2011). Developing a capacity for organizational resilience through strategic human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 21(3), 243-255.

Mone, E., Eisinger, C., Guggenheim, K., Price, B., & Stine, C. (2011). Performance management at the wheel: Driving employee engagement in organizations. Journal of Business and (2) , Psychology, 26 (2) , 205-212. doi:10.1007/s10869-011-9222-9 Noe, R., Hollenbeck, J., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. (2013). Human Resource York, NY: McGraw Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage (8th ed.). New York, Hill/Irwin. SAS Institute. (2014). SAS employee and retiree services. Retrieved from http://www.sas.com/en_us/company-information/employee-retiree-services.html

DISTINCTIVE HR POLICIES AT SAS SAS institute inc. revenue and financial data. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/revenuefinancial.SAS_Institute_Inc.098d0548db52e9db.html SAS ranks No. 2 on 2014 Fortune list of Best Companies to Work For in the US | SAS . (2014,

January 15). Retrieved from http://www.sas.com/en_us/news/pressreleases/2014/january/great-workplace-US-Fortune-2014.html SAS.com. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2014, from

http://www.sas.com/content/dam/SAS/en_us/doc/other1/code-of-ethics.pdf Yeo, R. K. & Li, J. (2011). Working out the quality of work life: A career development perspective with insights for human resource resource management. Human Resource Management International Digest, 19(3), 39-45. doi:10.1108/09670731111125952

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Grade Rubric for Term Paper – Paper – (Measures (Measures Course Competency #6) Criterion

Does not meet basic criterion

Meets basic criterion

Proficient

Outstanding

Provides overview of team’s employeremployer of choice through effective Table of Contents, introduction and conclusion

Does not provide Table of Contents with authors’ names, introduction and conclusion (0)

Introduction and conclusion related to the chosen employer-ofchoice; may lack Table of Contents with names.(2.75)

Provides sufficient information about the chosen company to provide robust context for the rest of the paper; provides conclusion and Table of Contents with names. (3)

Gives detailed and compelling information about the company and why it was chosen, provides robust conclusion and Table of Contents with names. (4)

Discusses at least 5 distinctive HR policies and/or practices of chosen company

Does not discuss at least 4 distinctive HR policies and/or practices (0)

Lists and describes 4-5 HR policies and/or practices (5)

Assesses at least 5 HR policies and/or practices in terms of why this company is an employer-of-choice employer-of-choice (6)

Assesses each of the 5 HR policies and/or practices with specific examples of how these add up to being an employer-of-choice. employer-of-choice. (7)

Recommends implications implications of these policies and practices for other companies

Did no analysis of how these Best Practices can have implications implications for others.. (0)

Presents implications implications of 1-3 Best Practices in terms of what other companies could learn from them.(5)

Presents recommendations for other companies based on all 5 Best Practices of the team’s chosen company.(6)

Demonstrates detailed team analysis and mastery of applying all 5 Best Practices to other companies (7)

Writes at graduate level including sufficient and appropriate references in APA style

Poorly written, incoherent sentences, poor spelling, unacceptable grammar and/or total lack of references (0)

Numerous writing errors but sufficient, appropriate and correct references or vice versa (2.75)

Very few errors in writing and referencing (3)

Virtually no errors in writing and referencing. referencing. (4)

Total points for Term Paper = 22

Distinctive HR Policies and Procedures at SAS

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