Scientific Opinion Poll: Michigan Small Business Owners Offer Array of Benefits to Employees

DETROIT— A scientific opinion poll released today shows a majority of Michigan small employers offer benefits like paid vacation to their employees, and the majority provide family-friendly benefits to allow their employees to accommodate their responsibilities at home.

The telephone poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on behalf of Small Business Majority, found a majority of Michigan small employers offer family-friendly benefits to their employees to accommodate their responsibilities at home, including 63 percent that allow their employees to take time off from work to attend their children's school activities, such as parent-teacher conferences. Additionally, more than 1 in 3 small business owners provide flexible work schedules or opportunities to work from home, and 23 percent offer childcare benefits, such as subsidized childcare or onsite childcare facilities.

"I invest a lot in training my employees, so I want them to stay with my business for a long time," said Kelly Vore, owner of Downtown Home and Garden in Ann Arbor. "I've found one of the best ways to reduce turnover and keep my employees happy is offering paid time off. They know I care about their wellbeing, and that helps strengthen their loyalty to my business."

What's more, nearly half (46 percent) of Michigan small businesses offer paid vacation to their employees, and nearly 1 in 5 (18 percent) of Michigan small employers offer health insurance benefits to employees, either through an employer-sponsored plan or by paying a portion of employees' own health insurance.

"Small business owners often think of their employees as family, and they believe in taking care of them in order to retain a happy and loyal workforce and to attract top talent," said John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority. "They also know it's important for their employees to address their and their family's daily needs, and many have implemented family-friendly policies that allow their employees to balance their work and family responsibilities. We encourage small businesses to continue this practice and urge policymakers to pass laws that help small businesses offer additional benefits to keep their workforce happy and healthy."

Many Michigan small business owners offer a variety of financial incentives. More than four in 10 small business owners in Michigan offer on-the-job training or financial assistance for education and training outside the job, such as tuition reimbursement. Small business owners offer additional financial incentives to employees, including 13 percent who offer retirement benefits and 17 percent who offer financial counseling or access to financial institutions, products and services. Funding for the poll was provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

"These findings show that small businesses understand the importance of family friendly workplaces that afford working parents the flexibility they need to work and raise a family," said Loren Harris, director of family economic security at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. "At the Kellogg Foundation, we believe employers that invest in benefits like paid leave give working parents the opportunity to provide a better future for their families."

Survey respondents were predominantly Republican, with 39 percent identifying as Republican, 32 percent as Democrat and 21 percent as independent or other.

For the full Michigan poll report, please visit: http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/workforce/p...

For the national report, please visit, http://www.smallbusinessmajority.org/small-business-research/workforce/psd/