GOOD JOBS ARE GOOD BUSINESS

Low and inconsistent pay wreaks havoc on workers' lives, leaving no margin for emergencies and increasing stress, which leads to more errors. As a result, many find themselves in a vicious cycle: low pay hurts their performance, keeping them stuck in low-paying jobs. Here, Ton discusses good jobs which are good business. Walmart's Sam's Club, call centers at Quest Diagnostics, and pet-store chain Mud Bay improved pay and schedules, and redesigned their systems to improve productivity and service. Mud Bay, a chain with 2% profit margins, increased hourly pay 24% over three years. These companies didn't just raise'pay, they made employees' work more valuable, making the pay investment worthy. In addition to lower turnover costs, all these companies saw higher sales and improved productivity. Leaders at these companies realized that to win with their customers and grow, they couldn't afford high employee turnover.