I have to give a huge shout out to St. John Properties in Maryland. This real estate company is modeling how a for-profit company should operate—showing deep gratitude for their greatest asset—by giving every employee a bonus, totaling 10 million dollars. From maintenance workers to receptionists, the average bonus was $50K and the highest was $270K, which were based on how long they had been working for the company.
At their holiday party, employees were given an envelope. Next, at the same time, everyone opened their envelopes revealing the big surprise. Shock and then tears of incredible joy fill the room. Long, heartfelt hugs followed, concluding the joyous night with employees individually giving thanks to their CEO.
When I first heard about this company’s magnanimous generosity, I was stunned. The fact that myself and so many were flabbergasted by this action speaks to its rarity in our profit driven culture. I hope one day this will be the norm and not a surprise. Bravo to St. John Properties for defying our current norm—to equally valuing its workforce to its profitability. It does not have to be mutually exclusive.
Congratulations to all the staff. What an unforgettable ending to their successful 2019.