Seniority brings certain benefits in the workplace.
For Mike Walker, it helped give him the keys to a $20,000 motorcycle.
The Studon Electric & Control Inc. employee’s name was drawn on Tuesday in a company raffle for a 2013 Polaris Victory 1500 motorcycle.
Staff were given one chance to win for each year of service with the Red Deer-based company, with Walker’s 15 years giving him an edge over many of his coworkers.
Louie McCullagh, Studon’s director of human resources, said the raffle — part of the company’s Rev Up Your Career campaign — was a way to recognize employees. He added that worker retention is critical in the increasingly tight labour market.
“The two Rs in Alberta today are recruitment and retention of your current workforce,” said McCullagh.
Not only does losing an employee trigger the costly process of finding a replacement, it represents the loss of an investment in training that person, he said.
“You’re just watching dollar bills walking out the door.”
McCullagh took the motorcycle to Studon job sites during the past year to raise awareness and interest in the campaign. He joked prior to the draw that things could backfire.
“We’ll maybe excite one person and tick off 999.”
But those who missed out on the big prize will get another chance next year, if they remain with Studon, and in fact two chances.
McCullagh told staff following Tuesday’s draw that Studon will conduct a similar raffle next year.
First prize will be a holiday trailer, with a second winner to receive a quad.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com