Creating Culture 101

January 25, 2011

For the second year in a row SAS topped FORTUNE’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” SAS, a world leader in business analytics technology, has made the list every year so far. What’s their secret? How do they create a culture that attracts and retains the best talent in their industry?

SAS CEO Jim Goodnight’s attributes it to a single, simple philosophy: Treat employees like they make a difference and they will.

Wow. That’s it? Yup, that’s it. People have a funny habit of living up to (or down to) your expectations of them.

Now, it doesn’t hurt that SAS can afford to provide on-site healthcare, high quality childcare, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, a beauty salon, a state-of-the-art gym, and other incredible perks. But those perks weren’t what sent SAS to the top of the list. It was employee feedback like this:

People stay at SAS in large part because they are happy, but to dig a little deeper, I would argue that people don’t leave SAS because they feel regarded — seen, attended to and cared for. I have stayed for that reason, and love what I do for that reason.

– Manager at SAS

You may not be able to afford the epic perks that SAS offers, but you can create an environment where your employees feel “regarded — seen, attended to and cared for.” That’s the first step in creating a winning culture and a great place to work.

What are your ideas for how to treat employees like they make a difference?

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