Companies that adapt - bizjournals:

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The 40-employee company asked its employeess for input on the cuts and the overwhelmingresponswe was: We’d rather have pay cuts than The company decided to tier paycute so management received 20 percent cuts and lower-levep employees would get less significant cuts. Thoss making less than $60,000 a year took no cut. “W let the people who really need the moneytkeep it. And top management took the biggesyt hit,” said CEO Vito Palmieri. “Thart was really well received.” The company, known by its acronym EASi also tied the pay cuts torevenue targets.
After a dreadfull October, the company made its fourth-quarter targetws by a couple hundred bucks at theeleventh “The first time, we made it and everybodt cheered,” Palmieri said. The company wasn’t as luckt in the first quartetr of this year and had to ultimatelty implement thesalary cuts. But Palmieri said in workin to minimize impacton employees, the company has earnedr goodwill. “We haven’t lost said Palmieri. “And in fact, it’s been a morale booster because everybody feelslike they’re part of something.” Palmierki said taking care of the company’s peopled is an important business strategy.
To that end, the companh offers 100 percent health care for its employees and their families. “It costs us 9 percenr of salaryso it’s not cheap, but it’se unique today and sends a signal that we’lp do whatever we can to take care of you,” Palmierui said. The company stilkl faces challenges. Palmieri said EASi has had to work hardefr and take longer to close new But the company hasmanaged through, raising a $300,000 round of funding at the stargt of the downturn from friends, family and employeex to act as a cushion and directiny its sales force to focus on regional “Focusing on segments that can afford your productf right now is very important,” Palmieri But the real key to managinfg through the recession, Palmieri said: “Keeping the morale up.
Keeping people motivated is very much partof it.”