Why Big Ass Fans pays 30% above national average

[A Little Weird]

Smith's policy of paying employees well goes back to a remark he heard in his 20s when he worked for an insurance company. A senior executive said the insurer could afford to pay people much more than they did -- but since employees were willing to accept low wages, why bother?

The comment, and the attitude behind it, rankled Smith so much that he began thinking of starting an enterprise "where employees could share in the company's financial success," Smith said.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/18/smallbusiness/big-ass-fans/index.html?iid=obnetwork

I don't think I've ever seen this brand of fan before but I will be on the lookout now. I'm always happy to hear about companies like this.

[FSogol]

1. Doubtful you'll ever see the brand, they make gigantic industrial fans. n/t

[A Little Weird]

4. Ok that explains it

I live close to Lexington so I was surprised that I hadn't heard of them.

[Esse Quam Videri]

6. They used to be known for their large industrial fans but I've

noticed them doing very modernistic varieties for residential use as of late:

http://www.haikufan.com/

[s-cubed]

11. They have started to move into residential. nt

[Initech]

14. My company does a lot of work with them.

They even sent some representatives a while back to give a presentation. Their specialty is large overhead fans that are used in factories and airport hangars.

[FSogol]

15. Yeah, I've had contact with them over the years, but our bigger buildings are too complex

and have too many other services to accommodate that large of a fan.

[Adrahil]

2. My company is a bit like this....

... while they don't (and can't) pay 30% above average for most workers, they do pay substantially better than most places and the philosophy of the owners is straight forward: We take care of our people and they take care of us. The managing director makes 75% more than the average worker. EVERY employee gets health insurance and other bennies, even part timers. WE have a peer-based bonus system in addition to a management-based one, and employees get 2 hours a week to research any potential new project they want the company to pursue. If the company adopts the project, the employee is paid a bonus. The result? We tend to retain employees. Although bizarrely, recruitment has been tough lately.

Good things can happen when management and ownership treat employees like "one of us."

[hootinholler]

10. Where and do you need software engineers?

I would love to get out of the dog eat dog contracting ratrace.

[A Little Weird]

16. Sounds like a great company

I wish more places had that philosophy!

[get the red out]

3. Love it!

They are in my town too! It's nice to read something good happening in Kentucky for a change.

[A Little Weird]

5. Hey I'm not too far from you!

I agree that it's great to hear of positive Kentucky stories. Especially after so many embarrassing one - like the recent snake handling pastor fiasco.

[get the red out]

8. Ugh, the snake handler

That's hideous, and thankfully not a very popular religious group, but you wouldn't know it by the media.

We wear shoes here too, that might need to be publicized also!

[tabbycat31]

7. I've only seen the fan at my gym

They're not exactly a housefan (this one is a giant ceiling fan that takes up most of the first floor of the gym). They live up to their name.

[SamKnause]

9. Kudos to Big Ass Fans !!!!

[oldhippie]

12. Now c'mon, be truthful. Did anyone else take the thread title .....

.... to mean something entirely different?

[Initech]

13. Cool! My company does a lot of business with them!

My company does a lot of work in the aerospace industry and we've installed a couple of their products at Santa Ana, San Bernardino, and Van Nuys airport hangars.