Showing Your Employees That You Care

Julie Starr • June 5, 2020



One of the things that all employers need to be aware of is the importance of showing your employees that you really do care about them in a professional sense . If you are doing that, then you are going to find that you are much more likely to keep them happy, and that is going to make a huge difference to the business going forward. For one thing, you will be much more likely to retain those people. For another, you are going to find that the business becomes more popular for people to want to work for. All of that is helpful, so what can you do to show your employees that you really care?

Offer Medical Benefits

It is not good when employees have a distinct feeling that a company cares more about their work for the business than their wellbeing. If your employees feel this way, you will want to see whether you can prioritize their wellbeing in some way to show that you care more about that than using them as a tool or function of the company. Something that will go down particularly well here is to offer them some kind of medical benefit, even if it is vision insurance or outright health insurance, as a part of working for you. You’ll find that this is greatly appreciated and that your employees are going to be working harder as a result of that kind of improvement.

Allow Plenty Of Break Time

If you are too stingy with break time, it has a number of negative effects on the business and the people who work for it. For one thing, you are going to find that your employees end up actually working less hard because that’s what happens if you become overworked. You will also find that they are much more likely to rebel in various ways, including not doing the work that they are supposed to. And morale is going to generally lessen too. So make sure that you are allowing plenty of break time every day for your employees, otherwise, you might struggle to actually keep them working as you want them to.

Good Pay

One of the most important ways in which you can show your employees you care is by giving them good pay. This is something which you can always work on, and which you should be thinking about carefully if you want to be seen as a good employer. Good pay means that it is fair and equal , of course, but also that it is competitive with other companies in the same area as yours or the same industry. If your people feel that they are not getting what they deserve, then you are simply not going to get everything you want out of them.

Providing Working Resources

You don’t want your employees to struggle with their work, and you need to make sure that you are making that absolutely clear. For that reason, it’s important that you make a point of providing them with working resources which you can, therefore, give to them, and which they can use in order to do their job as well as possible. That is going to mean that they feel appreciated and that they find their jobs much less stressful on a daily basis.

Increase Security

Employees want to feel safe at work, so going the extra mile to implement both cyber and physical security options can help them to feel supported when carrying out their job roles. Of course, the different security options can differ from business to business, but having robust cyber security options and guidelines can prevent an unwanted cyber attack or phishing scams from being accidentally activated. 

Physical security can be having security guards patrolling your premises, installing an office intercom system , implementing key card access or restricting access to certain employees and visitors, using floodlights in car parks for those working after dark and so on.

Being Sustainable

It’s also important to show them that you care by making it clear that you care about the planet they are on. That’s one good reason to try and be as sustainable as possible, and to show that you are engaged in trying to make the world generally a better place. Put into place as many green initiatives as you can, and you will find that you are going to keep your employees much happier indeed and that they are going to be a lot more proud of who they work for too. This is actually more important than many businesses seem to realize.

Being Careful About Hiring & Firing

You need to show a great deal of care when it comes to hiring and firing . You don’t want to do either too flippantly, as doing so will demonstrate this feeling of not really caring about people as much as you care about the business. That is not the feeling that you want people to have. So make sure that you are taking great care here if you want to show your employees that you really do care about them first and foremost.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.