It’s a well-accepted axiom that if you want to attract the best employees, you need to provide an attractive compensation package. Good salary and benefits are an important part of this, but nowadays there is more to attracting and keeping employees than offering the traditional benefit package of health insurance, life insurance, vacation days and retirement plans.

In the last several years, more and more credit unions are thinking outside the box by offering amenities that address the physical, mental and emotional well-being of their employees. So, now we are seeing credit unions that appeal to employees by equipping their facilities with shower rooms, exercise rooms, outdoor walking trails, more plush break rooms—even special “quiet rooms” and easy access to daycare. Some credit unions also strive to create a more appealing atmosphere in the employee work spaces, painting the walls with more cheery colors, placing nice artwork on the walls, even ensuring that such factors as furniture, lighting, sound levels and the internal temperature are conducive to a new work experience.

“The key is to make the workplace as pleasant, productive and rewarding as possible to the point where employees are eager to come to work,” states Paul Seibert, CMC, VP/financial services for CUES Supplier member EHS Design, a Seattle-based strategic planning, interior design and architecture firm that works extensively with credit unions across North America.

Seibert contends that various on-site amenities are conducive for a better staff experience, helping them to feel appreciated and wanted, making them more satisfied and productive. He sees the addition of such amenities as a way of both attracting and keeping employees for the long term. “One major addition we’ve seen over the last several years is showers,” he reports. “You don’t see a headquarters building without a shower. The cost is about $2,000 per shower in a new building. This accommodates people who exercise during the day or who cycle to work and need to have access to a shower.”

In addition to showers, Seibert has seen a rise in the number of indoor exercise rooms or outdoor tracks. “We’re seeing more and more credit unions introducing these into their facilities,” he reports.

Seibert says a number of factors impact what credit unions offer to their employees. “First is the competitive situation in the market and what other financial institutions are doing for their employees,” he says. “Urban markets are more likely to offer these amenities than rural ones, and larger credit unions are more likely to offer them than smaller ones. They simply have more resources.”

A Healthy Workplace

At $1.4 billion in assets and 89,000 members, Spokane Teachers Credit Union has the resources to offer exercise facilities for the benefit of its employees. At its Spokane, Wash., headquarters, where nearly half of its 400 employees work, the credit union has a fully equipped exercise room complete with stair steppers, treadmills and elliptical machines. The building also has a ping-pong table in the cafeteria, and management is considering the addition of a Wii gaming system.

Chief Operations Officer Terri Wilson explains that the exercise area was already part of the building when the credit union bought it several years ago. “It was one of the things that attracted us to this facility when we purchased it,” she reports. “Since moving in, we’ve greatly improved it.”

Wilson contends that amenities that cater to the physical and mental well-being of employees help to keep them actively engaged through the course of the workday. “We feel that if we are able to engage our employees, they in turn will be able to engage our members,” Wilson, a CUES member, states.

Northwest Federal Credit Union also has a gym on its headquarters campus, which is located in Herndon, Va. “The gym is fully equipped with weights, strengthening equipment and treadmills,” says Phyllis Ziakas, VP/human resources and organization development for the $2 billion credit union. The CU serves employees and family members of the Central Intelligence Agency and over 450 select employer groups representing over 100,000 members.

The gym is just one example of the emphasis Northwest FCU places on wellness and physical fitness for its 330 employees. Recently, the credit union began a walking program under the auspices of CareFirst, its health care insurer. “We are participating in the WalkingWorks® program, and more than 65 percent of our employees have signed up for it,” Ziakas states. “We feel it helps build morale, builds teamwork and will contribute to a healthier employee population, which in the long run can have a positive effect on benefit costs.”

The 10-week WalkingWorks program entails employees tracking their steps and encourages practicing good nutrition. The credit union is providing pedometers to its employees so they can keep track of their steps, as well as some incentives along the way. “Our goal is to accumulate enough steps to ‘walk’ across the United States and back multiple times in the 10-week period,” Ziakas reports.

The 220 employees at $832 million/50,400-member Black Hills Federal Credit Union also have amenities that allow for exercise. The credit union’s headquarters is located on a sprawling eight acres in Rapid City, S.D. “We’re located in a 43,000-square-foot building that was previously a call center,” reports Julie Annicchiarico, VP/administration.

While the campus doesn’t have what is technically an outdoor track, many employees use their lunch hour to walk around the perimeter of the property, which borders a beautiful golf course. The campus itself is very picturesque, featuring large expanses of grass and pine trees. There’s a patio and picnic area outside, which employees can access from the break room.

“Employees use these areas for lunches or breaks, and we also have department meetings and employee barbecues out there,” Annicchiarico reports.

Inside the headquarters, shower facilities are available for those who need to freshen up after exercising out of doors. “We also have a quiet room, where employees can relax or read,” Annicchiarico says. “There’s no food, no talking, and no cell phones allowed.”

In addition, Black Hills FCU sets aside another room that’s reserved for the privacy of nursing mothers.

Work/Life Balance

Providing opportunities for exercise is one way to make employees happy and help them achieve a pleasant work/life balance. Others include amenities for parents such as an on-site daycare or a lactation room.

Seibert concedes that not many credit unions have their own on-site daycare centers, but they may make arrangements with nearby facilities.

Another parental amenity is allowing parents the benefit of flex-time or work-from-home arrangements. “This can work out particularly well for call center employees,” Seibert observes, “especially if the credit union has limited room for accommodating these employees at the office. It can be both a benefit and stall building expansion cost.”

Northwest FCU offers an onsite daycare center that has been well received by employees. Built in 2000, the daycare is located in a 7,100-square-foot stand-alone building across the parking lot from the credit union’s two main buildings. Northwest FCU leases the building to a third-party daycare provider, Chesterbrook Academy. The daycare center is open to the public, but about a dozen of Northwest FCU’s employees take advantage of this option and receive a 10 percent discount.

“It’s working very well,” says Ziakas. “Employees are able to see their children during the day. A lot of our employees find daycare close to home, but there are those who love having an option right where they work. They can have lunch with their children or stop by and see them during the day.”

Ziakas adds that it’s enjoyable to have the daycare center so close to the headquarters. “At Halloween, the children come to our offices to go ‘trick-or-treating’ in the various departments, and they just have a blast. Our employees love it and they enjoy treating the children to a few Halloween sweets.”

Creating a Pleasant Atmosphere

Beyond the grand gestures of offering exercise areas, showers or onsite daycare options, credit unions also are putting emphasis on providing a facility that is pleasant based on the physical surroundings and the workspace accommodations.

Seibert reports that such factors as ergonomically designed chairs, work surfaces set at the right height, the proper lighting, a comfortable temperature and even noise control can all add up to a more pleasant and productive work environment. The challenge, however, is balancing practical standards with personal control.

Take, for example, the simple matter of setting the thermostat. It can be quite difficult to find a temperature that everyone can agree on. “What’s wonderful about people is they are all unique, but from a facilities standpoint, that can also create a challenge,” Seibert observes. “Individual controls are not realistic, so if someone is cold, they can put on a sweater, or you can institute a more relaxed dress code that allows for casual wear or T-shirts.”

Similarly, workstations cannot always be customized to accommodate each individual circumstance. “As a practical matter, you can’t have 100 different types of workstations,” Seibert states. “You have to have some consistency, but there are still ways to be responsive to individual needs.”

For instance, he cites the example of one worker who was concerned about potential carpal tunnel syndrome from typing on his keyboard all day. The rather ingenious solution was to attach a guitar strap to his keyboard. “He works standing up and is able to reach his keyboard without putting strain on his wrists,” Seibert reports.

Another working condition that can be regulated to suit the individual is task lighting. “It’s best not to use typical fluorescent lighting throughout a facility,” Seibert states. “Natural lighting is better, as is the use of task lighting that allows for individual control. We’re also seeing more use of full-spectrum lighting, which has a positive influence on attitude and mood.”

Yet another consideration—especially in the modern cubicle-based workplace—is the concern about sound and noise control. “The whole issue of sound masking is huge and under appreciated,” Seibert reports. “There’s a need for privacy and quiet but, at the same time, offices want easy interaction by placing the workstations closer together.”

The solution can be to put a sound masking system in the ceiling or to use walls or soundproofing panels or even to purchase sound masking machines for individual work stations. “It works magnificently,” promises Seibert. “It increases privacy, reduces distractions and makes them more productive and happy. It costs less than $100 per staff member, and you are still able to maintain the same space efficiency.”

Spokane Teachers CU puts tremendous emphasis on creating a positive and upbeat atmosphere for its employees to thrive in. Having employed the services of EHS Design, the credit union has been able to ensure that such factors as furniture, HVAC, lighting and sound control make for a positive work experience.

The physical surroundings, as well as amenities such as the exercise room and shower facilities, are conducive with Spokane Teachers CU’s overall business culture. “We employ the FISH! Philosophy, which advocates the four practices of ‘Be There,’ ‘Play,’ ‘Make Their Day’ and ‘Choose Your Attitude,’” Wilson reports. “As part of this, we display a passion for integrity, a passion for people, a passion for service, a passion for innovation, a passion for education and a passion for celebration.”

Evidence of the FISH! Philosophy is found all around the credit union offices. “A lot of our employees even decorate the work spaces with fish,” Wilson reports.

In addition, the overall appearance of the credit union offices projects a positive atmosphere, with the use of bright, cheerful colors. With this atmosphere in place, employees are in a frame of mind to tackle what Wilson describes as Spokane Teachers CU’s three-pronged strategy for success: (1) to grow market share and wallet share; (2) to provide member delight; and (3) to operate efficiently.

“We feel the way to reach our goal of delighting members is to create an atmosphere that delights our staff,” Wilson contends.

This philosophy apparently has merit, as the credit union has experienced a growth rate of 20 percent over the last couple years. In addition, Spokane Teachers CU was ranked very highly in a prestigious “best places to work” list. In 2005, the credit union was named the seventh Best Medium Size Company to Work for in America, as selected and ranked by the Great Place to Work® Institute. As a testament to its focus on a positive workplace environment, the credit union also is applying for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.

Black Hills FCU also provides a pleasing work environment, right down to the paint colors and the carefully selected artwork that decorates the walls. “We’ve painted the walls with vibrant accent colors, like violets and blues, to tie in with the rich hues and patterns in our fabrics. Our walls feature nearly 100 pieces of art by local artists,” Annicchiarico reports.

The natural beauty of the Black Hills area is depicted both photographically and in painted form in this artwork. The artwork was carefully placed throughout the building, adorning the office areas, break rooms, and the eight beautifully appointed conference rooms, which were inspired by and named after local sites such as Lookout Mountain and Cascade Falls.

In addition, Black Hills FCU paid very close attention to such factors as the ergonomics of the furniture, task lighting and ventilation to ensure the comfort of employees. “Benefits in general are so important to attract and keep employees—a good retirement plan, good health insurance,” Annicchiarico confirms. “Do your work conditions also make a difference? Without a doubt. We believe it’s important to have a nice, clean working environment. It helps build a positive attitude and camaraderie among employees.”

Northwest FCU also ensures that its facilities accommodate the needs of employees in terms of comfort and efficiency. “Our office and branch locations offer our employees a very pleasant work environment. All work areas are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to enable our employees to efficiently provide service excellence for our members,” Ziakas says. “We understand the importance of integrating and balancing work, life and family.”

Diane Franklin is a free-lance writer in Florissant, Mo.