FREE ESSAY ON THE EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION

THE EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL
THE EFFECT OF INNOVATIVE BENEFITS AND SERVICES ON
EMPLOYEE RETENTION AT SAS INSTITUTE, INC.
by
A paper presented to the 
Graduate School of Webster University 
in partial fulfillment of the requirements 
for the degree of Master of Arts
July 26, 2000
Pope Airforce Base, NC
Abstract
Employee benefits programs are crucial to the recruitment and retention of employees in
any industry. Effective programs enable employees to better cope with the demands of home
and the workplace. These same policies can also contribute to lower employee turnover
rates, retention of qualified employees, and motivation of workers. The computer industry
has become the leader not only in technology and business, but also in the need for
technically qualified employees. This personnel demand and the strength of the economy
have created a job market in which skilled individuals are difficult to retain. SAS
Institute Inc., based in Cary, NC has successfully created a corporate work environment
that has significantly benefited the company, and placed SAS as one of the most desirable
companies to work for in the US. 
Table of Contents
1.
Overview......................................................................................Page
4, Paragraph 1 
2. Demand for competent employees in today's economy................................Page
4, Paragraph 2
3. How benefits and services falls fits in HR
model.......................................Page 5, Paragraph 1-2
4. Human Resource department responsibilities
a.
Recruitment..............................................................................Page
5, Paragraph 2
b. Retention........................................................Page 5, Paragraph
3-Page 6, Paragraph 3
c.
Compensation...........................................................................Page
6, Paragraph 4
d. Corporate
Culture.......................................................................Page 6,
Paragraph 5
5. The SAS Institute:
a.
Background..............................................................................Page
7, Paragraph 1
b. Comparison of benefits study by Albertson........................................Page
7, Paragraph 2
6. SAS Benefits:
a. Child care
facility......................................................................Page 8,
Paragraph 2
b. Medical
Clinic.........................................................................Page 8,
Paragraph 3
c. 35-hour work
week...................................................................Page 9, Paragraph
1
d. Fitness
facility........................................................................Page 9,
Paragraph 2
e.
Cafeteria................................................................................Page
9, Paragraph 3
f.
Ergonomics............................................................................Page
10, Paragraph 1
g. Vacation/sick
days....................................................................Page 10,
Paragraph 2
7. Comparison to similar
companies........................................................Page 11, Paragraph 4
8. SAS Awards and other
recognition......................................................Page 12, Paragraph 2
List of Tables/Appendices
1. Table of company
comparison............................................................Page 12
2. Data extract: Study of benefits and working conditions among manufacturers...APPENDIX
A
In the computer industry, as in any industry, companies are always striving to 
attract and retain skilled, loyal employees. In today's thriving economy, this task has
become a challenge for some companies. Skilled workers have become free agents who can
invest their human capital in the companies of their choice. The Human Resources
department is at the forefront of this challenge, tackling recruitment, retention,
compensation, and contributing to corporate culture. SAS Institute Inc. is a software
manufacturing company that has recently risen to the top in both business and financial
success, and also in employee retention rates. SAS's innovative approach to treatment of
its employees has made the company an example of how an effective employee benefits
program can reap rewards in many aspects of the business. The list of employee benefits
and new-age perks is striking. A recent survey was conducted (see Appendix A), in which
the benefits and working conditions among manufacturers were compared. SAS Institute
provides better benefits at a significantly higher percentage than most companies,
(Albertson, 2000). Although competitive companies offer similar benefits and services,
SAS remains a leader, evidenced by the company's low turnover rate. When comparing SAS
Institute with Nortel Networks, IBM, Cisco, and Intel the SAS benefits are superior. The
SAS Institute has received many awards in several areas, and has been named as one of the
top companies to work for in the US (Branch, 1999).
The unemployment rate in the United States has reached the lowest level in nearly 11
years, roughly 5 percent since 1997 (Solomon, 1997). The proportion of people with jobs
is at an all-time high, and the economy continues to grow. Economic growth continues to
rise as inflation is remaining steady, and consumer confidence is high (Solomon, 1997).
The "Employment Outlook Survey" of 16,000 companies conducted by Manpower Inc. predicts
that 30 percent will seek additional employees in the near future (Solomon, 1997).
Because of this upward trend in the economy, for many businesses the biggest obstacle is
in labor shortages. Now faced with continual changes in technology and development of new
products, the demand for skilled employees in the computer industry is even more taxing.
Workers possessing these shortage skills are so critically needed that they are able to
"write their own ticket." A programmer may be hired by company A, only to be seduced over
to company B by a list of perks and benefits. The labor market has metamorphosed into a
virtual contest to keep employees. 
Company benefits and services programs fall into the Compensation and Protection cycle of
the Human Resource Development model, (Werther & Davis, 1996). Human Resource
professionals have realized that the task of recruiting and retaining qualified employees
could effectively determine the success or failure of the company. The Human Resource
department of a company maintains an array of responsibilities, to include recruitment,
retention, compensation, and to some extent, corporate culture.
The Human Resources department spearheads the recruitment and hiring of qualified
individuals. This involves aggressive recruitment practices, especially when seeking
technically skilled workers. Once hired, the department must ensure that these
individuals are correctly placed or staffed, into positions that correspond to their
skill level and abilities. Once these employees are in place, the focus shifts to
retaining these individuals. 
It is when business slows and downsizing is a threat that workers become concerned with
their jobs. However, in today's economy the employer is the one concerned with losing
workers. These highly trained individuals have come to the company with a variety of
human capital: their ability, behavior and energy (Davenport, 1999). Retention of these
sought-after employees is crucial. Fitz-Enz identifies three costs of losing good
employees as follows: employee-based costs, customer retention, and expenditure in
marketing and sales to win new customers (Fitz-Enz, 1996). 
Any time a company is forced to replace an attrited worker there is a cost. Efforts must
be refocused on recruiting a replacement, orienting and training the individual. The
company could miss valuable sales opportunities among other potential losses during this
turnover. 
Consumers can be fickle people. Some customers become accustomed to doing business with
the same company representative. If the customer becomes annoyed with the new employee,
he or she may take their business elsewhere. This results in profit loss for the company.

Finally, if a customer were lost, the time and money it could take to attract new
customers would be a loss of profit for the company as well. Therefore, employees are a
valuable asset to any company, and their retention is crucial. 
Compensation of employees is a key element in the hiring and retention of quality
workers. Compensation does not necessarily imply salary increases or health plans.
According to Leonard, to draw loyalty from employees, a company should "demonstrate that
it cares about their development by exposing them to things that help them grow"
(Leonard, 1999). 
"Corporate culture" is a new buzzword echoing through the business and Human Resource
arena. This term refers to the general working atmosphere of the company, whether it is
hostile, friendly, family-oriented, or autocratic. In the recent past, employees were
simply fortunate to have work, and employers were at times authoritarian. That
environment has started to change. As a society we are changing. Employees are people who
want quality of life, not just a paycheck. 
The SAS Institute Inc. based in Cary, North Carolina is the world's largest privately
held software company with an estimated net worth of 871 million dollars (Branch, 1999).
SAS provides high quality software to business and government agencies. Founded in 1976
by Dr. Jim Goodnight, CEO, SAS currently employs 7,000 (Kalgaard, 1999). SAS has more
than 3.5 million software users at more than 31,000 customer sites in 110 countries
(Maczka, 2000, paragraph 1), and revenue is expected to reach 1 billion dollars by the
end of 2000 (Cole, 1999). SAS has long been the leading provider of statistical and data
analysis software. Its users are fiercely loyal, even as the market exploded in recent
years with new software (Stodder, 1997). To stay on the leading edge, CEO Jim Goodnight
re-invests 33% of SAS's revenue in research and development each year, 2.5 times the
industry average (Anthes, 1997). What sets SAS apart from comparable software firms
however, is the rate of retention. SAS has a 5.9% turnover rate, or roughly 130 people
per year, which is drastically lower than the average 20% rate (Leonard, 1999), or 1000
people per year for a typical computer firm (Williams, 1999). According to Martinez,
SAS's high rate of retention is attributed to its exemplary labor relations and employee
benefits program (Martinez, 1993). 
In a recent study, random employees working in 1,116 manufacturing companies were
surveyed to obtain information on benefits and working conditions, (Albertson, 2000).
Among the findings, the average overall cost for fringe benefits for employees was
between 29.3 to 29.7% of payroll, (Albertson, 2000). This percentage becomes more
reasonable when considering the high cost involved in turnover rates. 
SAS has developed many innovative programs that keep their demographically diverse
employees happy and loyal. Among the programs are an on-site child-care facility, an
on-site medical clinic, a 35-hour workweek, a full gym and recreation area, two gourmet
cafeterias, and many other perks. According to David Russo, Human Resources
Vice-President, SAS encourages people to "have a life outside of work" (Willard, 1999)
In 1981, when SAS was still a small company, several female employees became pregnant.
CEO, Jim Goodnight realized that he could not afford to lose these valuable workers. In
the basement of the company's second building, SAS began its first daycare center
(Fishman, 2000). Now the company's pre-school facility boasts a 700 child capacity, 10
times the number of employees when the daycare was first formed (Fishman, 2000). This
benefit allows employees with families more flexibility with childcare, as the facility
is located at the SAS complex. According to a recent survey, most such companies do not
provide day care for employees, (Albertson, 2000). Parents are free to pick up their
children for lunch, or to stop in to check on them. With 52 percent of employees being
women, this program is appreciated. 
SAS provides an on-site medical clinic staffed by 2 doctors and 6 nurse practitioners
(Anthes, 1997). This facility is available to employees and their dependents, and may be
selected as their primary care provider. The clinic offers not only medical care but
nutrition assessment and education, physical therapy, massage or "stress" therapy,
psychological counseling and vaccinations as well (Cole, 1999). Nearly no other such
companies provide this service, (Albertson, 2000). By providing this convenience to the
employees, less time is spent traveling to doctors for appointments.
In today's world of 60-hour workweeks, SAS is bucking the trend. The company does not
demand long hours from employees, although the industry average is at least a 40 hour
work week (Albertson, 2000). SAS enforces a 35-hour workweek (Cole, 1999). At 6:00 P.M.
each evening, the gate to the Institute shuts and even full-time employees go home for
the night. According to Cole, Goodnight discovered that the productivity curve drops
radically after 5:00 P.M. (Cole, 1999). SAS employees are able to enjoy their evenings at
home after picking up their children from the company's daycare facility. Today's
generation of workers not only wants a terrific job, but a quality home life as well.
SAS employees have every reason to be physically fit. The company has a 36,000
square-foot on-site gym. Again, this is a rare service to industry employees (Albertson,
2000). The gym is furnished with cardio machines, a dance studio, a gym child-care
facility, and an indoor lap pool. This facility is available to both employees and their
dependants at no cost. To make it even easier to stay fit, SAS offers a free laundering
service of gym clothes (Anthes, 1997). At the gym employees may purchase a low-fat snack
or lunch at the food bar (Williams, 1999).
Unlike most such firms (Albertson, 2000), Two subsidized on-site cafeterias make it easy
to have a good meal at SAS, where the average cost is $3.44 (Williams, 1999). The food
service facilities just make enough to keep them open. The cafeterias also provide live
piano music for diners (Anthes, 1997). Employees can check the day's menu on their office
computer (Williams, 1999). Because SAS has many international employees, the cafeterias
offer "theme days," where recipes from various countries are prepared (Williams, 1999).
The cafeterias save employees the money and hassle of going outside the workplace for
lunch, and cut down on business lunches. Parents may pick their children up from the
daycare facility and bring them to lunch at the cafeterias, which are equipped with
highchairs (Fishman, 2000). It is estimated that over half of the Cary location employees
eat lunch on the SAS premises (Williams, 1999). 
When one SAS employee developed a carpal tunnel syndrome, the company realized that
ergonomics was a concern. SAS's focus on health and safety have brought about the
staffing of two full-time ergonomics specialists. The team has no set budget and responds
to problems as they arise (Mottl, 2000). The goal is for the workers to be comfortable on
the job and to have safe surroundings. Offices in the Institute are equipped with
ergonomic keyboards, footrests and adjustable chairs. SAS also believes that the workers'
environment can either inspire or depress them. The company has built an on-site
greenhouse to provide fresh flowers to offices (Mottl, 2000). An in-house artist paints
pictures to hang in the 19 SAS buildings (Anthes, 1997). 
CEO Jim Goodnight offers discounts on property in his subdivision as well as to
memberships to his country club, and stays at his hotel. Every white-collar employee has
a private office and the opportunity to create a flexible work schedule (Fishman, 2000).
All workers receive three weeks of paid vacation each year with an extra week from
Christmas to New Year's Day. This contrasts greatly to the data found in Albertson's 2000
survey, where it was discovered that the majority of companies require individuals be
employed for at least one year to accrue two weeks of paid vacation, and the median
number of paid holidays is nine annually (Albertson, 2000). There is no limit to sick
days for SAS workers, although industry average is only 17% allowing paid sick leave
(Albertson, 2000). Employees also receive a year-end bonus and profit sharing.
Other perks include an elder care program, an on-site ATM, a putting green, sky-lit
meditation rooms, soccer fields, baseball diamonds and pool tables (Fishman, 2000). SAS
Institute also recognizes domestic partners in unconventional relationships as
dependents. SAS employees are sweetened a bit each week as well with free M&Ms on
Wednesday, fresh fruit on Monday (Anthes, 1997), and free juice and soda always (Fishman,
2000). 
SAS has been called the "sanest place on the planet to work" (Cole, 1999). SAS has an
infrastructure with little stress, treating employees as adults. Vice President of Human
Resources, David Russo says "policies and procedures generally are written for the 20
percent of people who are going to violate them, not the 80 percent that do right by
them" (Cole, 1999). CEO and founder Goodnight's philosophy is stated as such: "It is
important to the success of the organization that employees are treated with respect and
care; that they are given interesting work to do; that they are paid a fair and
competitive wage; and that they are allowed to participate in the fruits of their labor"
(Cole, 1999). 
Potential employees in technical fields go through "SAS bootcamp" (Leonard, 1999). This
program includes 8 weeks of training, team building and professional development to
prepare graduates for jobs within the company. 
SAS Institute is certainly not the only software company in the Research Triangle Park
area in NC. Compared to neighboring companies such as Nortel Networks, IBM, and Cisco,
SAS still stands ahead. 
SAS Cisco IBM Nortel
Flexible work Schedule Flexible work schedule available and standard 35 hour work week
Telecommuting in some areas. Work schedule dependent upon location Flexible work schedule
available, if standard work week is met Dependent upon direct supervisor
Fitness facility on-site or local membership On-site facility, or membership to local
facility branch offices Fitness center with professional staff. For employees only
Fitness center Fitness program, does not include facility or membership
Child care Two on-site day care centers Referral service Referral service Referral
service
On-site cafeteria Two on-site gourmet cafeterias Yes No No
Dry-cleaning service Yes Yes No No
Sick days Unlimited sick days, and health clinic on-site Can be earned with time in
company Can be earned with time in company Can be earned with time in company
On-site medical clinic Yes No No No
Vacation days Three weeks paid vacation, as well as a week off for Christmas Nine paid
holidays per year, vacation days can be earned with time Ten paid holidays per year,
vacation days can be earned with time Unspecified number of days, dependent upon years
with company
www.sas.com www.cisco.com www.ibm.com www.nortelnetworks.com 
(Table 1)
Variety is another key to retaining employees. At the SAS institute, employees are able
to easily move from one position to another within the company. According to Goodnight:
"It is extremely important to keep employees motivated, to keep the creative skills
flowing and try and build an environment where they can thrive in, reach their potential
and feel challenged" (Hein, 1999)
Most of the company's savings come from not having to recruit and train new employees
(Nash, 2000). 
The SAS Institute has created a corporate culture worthy of praise. The people at SAS
think of themselves as a community and not simply co-workers (Nash, 2000). The company
was named in the top 10 of Fortune Magazine's 1997, 1998 and 1999 "100 Best Companies to
Work for in America (Branch, 1999). It was also listed by Working Mother Magazine as one
of the top 10 companies for working mothers (Cole, 1999). Business Week conducted a Work
and Family survey in 1997 in which SAS ranked fourth (Anthes, 1997). These awards are
testimony to the effect of creating a superior corporate culture. 
The SAS Institute Inc. is a company that values employee health, well being, and personal
and professional growth as the key to success. It is a workplace that respects
individuals and encourages creativity, quality, and innovation. The philosophy is; "If
you treat employees as if they make a difference to the company, they will make a
difference to the company. The corporate culture at SAS has built the business strong,
attracted talented workers, retained those employees, and may well serve as a model for
other companies to emulate. 
References
Albertson, David. (2000, June). Data Extract: Benefits and Working Conditions among 
Manufacturers. Retrieved June 30, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database of the
World Wide Web: http://www.web2.infotrac.com
Anthes, Gary H. (1997, November). Pillar of the Community. Computerworld. 31, 91-
92. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide
Web: http://www.web2.infotrac.com
Branch, Shelly. (1999, January). 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. Fortune. 
135, 1, 118-144.
Cole, Joanne. (1999, May). SAS Institute Inc. Uses Sanity as Strategy. HR Focus. 6. 
Davenport, Thomas O. (1999, July). Building the Perfect Workforce. Workforce. 78, 7, 
78-80.
Fishman, Charles. (2000, March). Moving Toward a Balanced Work Life. Workforce. 
79, 3, 38.
Fitz-Enz, Jac. (1997). It's Costly to Lose Good Employees. Workforce. 76, 8, 46-53.
Hein, Kenneth. (1999, August). Success Secrets. Incentive. 173, 8, 48-50.
Kalgaard, Rich. (1999, June). A 35 Hour Week? It's the SAS Way. Triangle Business 
Journal. 14, 41, 59.
Leonard, Billy. (1999, September). The Best and the Brightest Shine in HR. HR 
Magazine. 44, 9, 7-14.
Maczka, Wally. (2000, June). SAS Institute Press Center. Retrieved 26 June, 2000 from 
the World Wide Web: http://www.sas.com/new/newsroom
Martinez, Michelle N. (1993). Family Support Makes Business Sense. HR Magazine. 38, 
1, 38-44.
Mottl, Judith N. (2000). Computer-Related Injuries: IT Helps Ease the Pain. Information 
Week, 17 June 2000. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.iweek.com/
Nash, Kim. (2000, June). To Have and to Hold: Best Places to Work are Finding Ways 
to Make Themselves Too Attractive for Employees to Leave. Computerworld. June 12, 2000.
60. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide
Web: http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Solomon, Charlene M. (1997, August). Keep Them! Don't Let Your Best People Get 
Away. Workforce. 76, 8, 46-53.
Stodder, David. (1997, December). The Database Dozen: Companies Defining the 
Direction of the Industry in 1998. Database Programming & Design. 10, 9-17. Retrieved
June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide Web:
http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Werther, W. & Davis, K. (1996). Human Resources and Personnel Management. Boston. 
Irwin/MacGraw-Hill.
Willard, Christina. (1999, July). No Mystery in this Triangle; The Only Things that 
Disappear for IT Staff at the Vendor Companies in Research Triangle are the Usual Rigors
of the Long Workday, Standard Benefits and Conventional Corporate Culture. Computerworld.
July 19, 1999. 1. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on
the World Wide Web: http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Williams, Lisa. (1999, February). Utopia, Inc.: SAS Institute Inc. Offers Employees 
Multitude of Perks. Restaurants & Institutions. 109, 5, 67-70.
Bibliography
References
Albertson, David. (2000, June). Data Extract: Benefits and Working Conditions among 
Manufacturers. Retrieved June 30, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database of the
World Wide Web: http://www.web2.infotrac.com
Anthes, Gary H. (1997, November). Pillar of the Community. Computerworld. 31, 91-
92. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide
Web: http://www.web2.infotrac.com
Branch, Shelly. (1999, January). 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. Fortune. 
135, 1, 118-144.
Cole, Joanne. (1999, May). SAS Institute Inc. Uses Sanity as Strategy. HR Focus. 6. 
Davenport, Thomas O. (1999, July). Building the Perfect Workforce. Workforce. 78, 7, 
78-80.
Fishman, Charles. (2000, March). Moving Toward a Balanced Work Life. Workforce. 
79, 3, 38.
Fitz-Enz, Jac. (1997). It's Costly to Lose Good Employees. Workforce. 76, 8, 46-53.
Hein, Kenneth. (1999, August). Success Secrets. Incentive. 173, 8, 48-50.
Kalgaard, Rich. (1999, June). A 35 Hour Week? It's the SAS Way. Triangle Business 
Journal. 14, 41, 59.
Leonard, Billy. (1999, September). The Best and the Brightest Shine in HR. HR 
Magazine. 44, 9, 7-14.
Maczka, Wally. (2000, June). SAS Institute Press Center. Retrieved 26 June, 2000 from 
the World Wide Web: http://www.sas.com/new/newsroom
Martinez, Michelle N. (1993). Family Support Makes Business Sense. HR Magazine. 38, 
1, 38-44.
Mottl, Judith N. (2000). Computer-Related Injuries: IT Helps Ease the Pain. Information 
Week, 17 June 2000. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.iweek.com/
Nash, Kim. (2000, June). To Have and to Hold: Best Places to Work are Finding Ways 
to Make Themselves Too Attractive for Employees to Leave. Computerworld. June 12, 2000.
60. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide
Web: http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Solomon, Charlene M. (1997, August). Keep Them! Don't Let Your Best People Get 
Away. Workforce. 76, 8, 46-53.
Stodder, David. (1997, December). The Database Dozen: Companies Defining the 
Direction of the Industry in 1998. Database Programming & Design. 10, 9-17. Retrieved
June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on the World Wide Web:
http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Werther, W. & Davis, K. (1996). Human Resources and Personnel Management. Boston. 
Irwin/MacGraw-Hill.
Willard, Christina. (1999, July). No Mystery in this Triangle; The Only Things that 
Disappear for IT Staff at the Vendor Companies in Research Triangle are the Usual Rigors
of the Long Workday, Standard Benefits and Conventional Corporate Culture. Computerworld.
July 19, 1999. 1. Retrieved June 24, 2000 from Eden-Webster Library Computer Database on
the World Wide Web: http//www.web2.infotrac.com/
Williams, Lisa. (1999, February). Utopia, Inc.: SAS Institute Inc. Offers Employees 
Multitude of Perks. Restaurants & Institutions. 109, 5, 67-70.