More Than Just Money

When Patricia Rochester decided to go back to school after ten years as a staff nurse at Toronto Western Hospital, her employer not only cheered her on, but also paid her tuition and gave her a day off with pay every week to study. Throughout her years at the hospital, Rochester has also taken workshops on everything from coaching peers to career development D courses that she believes have helped her advance at work. "I'm now head of the mentoring (指導(dǎo)) program for new hires, students and staff nurses," she says. "There's a lot of room for personal improvement here."

Perhaps as important, Rochester says her employer supports and values her work.

"If you put in overtime," the nurse points out, "you get your meals —— they'll order in pizza or Greek food or Chinese." And if staffers feel stiff and stressed from too many hours on the ward, they can call for a free 15-minute shoulder-and-neck massage (按摩) or even sign up for an eight-week evening course on meditation skills and stress-relief. If that's not enough, employees can take advantage of five family days a year that can be used if the kids come down with the flu or an aging parent needs ferrying to an important doctor's appointment. And they have access to a range of perks (好處) such as special rates on hotel rooms, drugstore purchases, and scholarships for employees' children.

You might wonder how an organization can provide such resources and still survive. But University Health Network is one of a number of progressive employers in Canada
that have discovered that investing in staff is good business.

If such initiatives help companies cut down on turnover (人員更替) alone, they're well worthwhile, says Prem Benimadhu, a vice-president at the Conference Board of Canada. It costs anywhere from $3,300 to rehire support staff, an average $13,300 for technical staff and a whopping (巨資) $43,000 for an executive position, according to one study of Conference Board members.

Innovative initiatives help companies attract talented employees, cut down on sick days (which cost Canadian businesses an estimated $17 billion a year, or an average of $3,550 per employee) and keep employees more interested in their work. With the substantial talent shortage that already exists in Canada and the prospect of mass retirement over the next five years —— as many as 50 or 60 percent in some sectors Benimadhu says that intelligent employers are putting a renewed focus on the people who work for them.

1 When Rochester decided to go to school, her employer

A persuaded her to change her mind.

B fired her.

C cheered heron.

D discouraged her.

2 Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to ease one's stiffness and stress?

A To take an eight-week evening course on meditation skills and stress-relief.

B To call for a free 15-minute shoulder-and-neck massage.

C To use five family days.

D To ask for sick leave.

3 Investment in staff has been motivated

A to attract the public's attention.

B to reduce staff turnover.

C to solve labor disputes.

D to show off financial resources.

4 Canada has been short of

A talented people.

B timber.

C fresh water.

D money.

5 In paragraph 2, the phrase "come down with" could be best replaced by

A "shake off".

B "get rid of".

C "get".

D "cure".

key:1. C 2. D 3. B 4. A 5. C