Movies, kids, pets at work boost Snellville firm's productivity

It's one of the ways The Myers Group of Snellville, a growing health care market research company in business since 1993,  maintains a small family atmosphere – and boosts productivity.

Executives at the firm know that in a sluggish economy employees can feel insecure, over-worked and underpaid by bosses who pile extra duties onto their plates and expect deadlines to take priority over home lives.

Instead of using the fear of downsizing to get business done, the Snellville firm makes family a focus.

“Our expectations are very high,” said A.C. Myers, president and CEO, who founded the company in his garage, initially staffing it with relatives and neighbors. “We recognize that individuals who are treated well and with respect are more apt to meet company expectations. We get better dedication from employees by being flexible. They work harder and longer."

That could mean allowing an employee to bring in a new puppy that's too young to roam at home alone. Or a child  in between summer camps. Or a stray cat.

It's okay, as long as they alert a supervisor, and as long as they keep the barking and chatter to a respectful level.

The firm has 62 full-time and 100 part-time employees, about 70 percent of whom are female.

"You’re going to have to drag me out of here," said Pamela Holland-Riddle, human services director who schedules Movie Day, free car washes and staff community service projects at Quinn House. She plans on working for The Myers Group until she retires years from now.

“It allows me to do the things I need to do as a mother without feeling the stress that someone is going to be upset because I’m away from work," she said. "I don't have to miss my daughter's concert. I can take my son to the dentist.”

When Holland-Riddle's  mother began to show signs of dementia, she was allowed to bring her to work for a short time after adult day care ended.

“I couldn’t leave her at home by herself,” Holland-Riddle said. “She sat here with me from 3 to 5 p.m.”

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) lists stress as one of the 10 leading work-related problems. Studies show being over-burdened can lead to accidents and health issues and can impact productivity. Work stress can be amplified especially when an employee is concerned about home.

That's why The Myers Group defines "family" broadly.

Occasionally, an old dog will follow its owner into the office and sit under the desk. One employee found a baby squirrel in a yard and nursed it back to health during her breaks.

“It had fallen out of the nest and was very close to death,” said Midge Coker, client services director. “I brought it to work with me in a cat carrier with a heating pad and took it out every two hours to feed it. I love squirrels."

For Zachary West, the company's flexibility allows him to reboot with a puppy. West and his girlfriend Elizabeth Basmajian, an analyst at Myers Group, volunteer for Dog House Rescue and Adoption off the clock. Sometimes, they need to bring new foster pets to work so they can bond.

“I think it is great that we can bring animals,” said West, a desktop support technician hired after interning in 2009. "Yesterday, when I was  running around like a chicken with my head cut off, I [got] to stop and take a puppy break. It put a smile on my face.’’

Myers said pizza parties and barbecues don't replace raises and bonuses. Last year's bonus pool, he said, was more than $100,000. Even in a financial pinch, he said, Movie Day and the other extras would be the last thing he would cut. "It's a strong booster of morale [with] proven results."

Because of its growing profile, The Myers Group was among the winners of Gwinnett Chamber's 2010 Pinnacle Small Business Awards. Later this year, the firm plans to move to a 30,000-square-foot office complex in Duluth, nearly doubling its current space.

“It is different here because every employee feels valued,” said Clarissa Payne, marketing services manager, who has sometimes brought her daughter to work. “We have the flexibility we need so everyone can be on their best game.”