For the first time since 1966, employees who are terminated by Cleveland’s Loxon Group will no longer be shown the door.
Instead, they will be presented with two options: They can either be handed their hats or given their walking papers.
“Getting let go is never a pleasant thing,” says HR Vice President Thomas Petroniak. “By offering them a choice we’re letting them know we’re concerned about them and we understand the difficulties a job termination may cause them.”
The option they choose, says Petroniak, doesn’t matter to the company – though he acknowledges that one is more cost effective, because while exiting staffers are handed their own hats, it’s necessary to purchase and prepare walking papers.
“But at a time like this,” he says, “the last thing we’re concerned about is money.”
The terminations choice is just one of many perquisites offered to employees, says Patroniak. They also get free nail clippers, half-off doughnut days, and an opportunity to ask the CEO any question once a year (She is not required to answer).
Also of note: In 1966 the company was one of the first in the US to end what was then the most common method of terminating employees: Having the axe fall on them.
