Working at a place that wants to keep it's employees is weird

[AshleyAshes]

My workplace has a concern, that concern is employee attrition/retention.  This is Toronto, there are LOTS of different places that someone in my field can work, so if they get fed up with one company and they aren't useless, they can easily move on to another place.  On my first day at this company I had to politely decline a fresh offer from a near identical company across town.

So yeah, if someone gets fed up with their hours or pay or benefits, they can bail for somewhere else.  Today there was a bank issue, direct deposits wouldn't happen, so the company has to issue paper cheques.  We'd still totally get paid on payday, just a bit later in the day.  ...So to 'apologize', they brought in a film set catering company to do lunch for everyone.   Roast chicken, two different kinds of curry, all this stuff to make us feel better about a minor payment inconvenience.  ...Crazy, right?  This is just one bit of evidence of the company's growing concern for attrition/retention is growing more apparent and it's so weird to see.  It also means I'm going to leverage that when it comes time to negotiate my next pay raise in about 5 months.

Normally, places that people work are like 'Fine, we can replace you in a second!' but it seems to be the opposite.  It's just so weird and crazy, it's hard to process at times.

[Conker]

My current place is like that too. It really is kinda strange to walk into a place that actively shows they appreciate you and doesn't treat you like some little number that they can white-out and fill in again at their leisure.

[DrGravitas]

Job security can be very creepy some times. It feels like its all a trick sometimes, or that you're secretly being duped into thinking you're getting a good deal when you're really not.

I have been conditioned to beat my way around the bush instead of coming out and saying exactly what I want (more money, keeping my cube, etc) so it's very surreal when the head of HR calls me in to ask if I've been looking for jobs (I always am; it's just good practice) ask me why some similarly long standing employees have recently left and what I think employees would want to stick around. Money was obviously what I wanted (and everybody wants) but I could help but dress it along side intangible crap they have little control over like project stability, good coworkers, and career prospects (all of which I have already, maaaaybe a bit light on the career direction).

I'm fine with being direct with subordinates, team members, clients, and immediate superiors, but I really need to work on that skill when faced with the higher-ups. -_-;