$1.6 million (over Rs 12 crore) can buy you a lot of things?- from a luxury car to a huge house. If you have that kind of money, you do not have to think about working ever again. However, when Larry Connor made that sum in a span of just eight days of coronavirus volatility in the stock market, instead of using the profit to get something for himself, he decided to give it to his employees.?
Connor is the owner and founder of The Connor Group, that is an Ohio-based real estate investment firm. He received the gratitude of his employees when he made the video announcement of the bonuses.
The company has about 400 associates and it has continued to keep its luxury apartment communities open as an essential business during the Covid-19 outbreak.
"These are challenging times, but the way our people have responded has been nothing short of heroic. Our No. 1 core value is 'Do the right thing.' So when I think about how I made the money compared to what our associates do on every day, to me, (paying the bonuses) was the right thing to do,¡± Connor reportedly said in a company news release.
Bonuses that range from $2,000 to $9,000 will be paid by the company to all ¡®non-highly compensated associates¡¯.?
"Family comes first. I love that about this company. That's what keeps me here. They've always made me feel that they care not only about me, but about my family's health and well-being. They're always there to help." CNN quoted Memo Alba, a partner and a senior maintenance technician who is nearing his 13th year at The Connor Group.?
Beyond the bonuses, The Connor Group also committed to paying unexpected childcare expenses for all employees and expand its associate loan program. At a time when other companies and firms are firing employees/cutting salaries, this gesture means a lot. It would have been easy to have kept the money, spend it on something extravagant or save for a rainy day, but Connor's response was empathetic and heartwarming, to say the least.?