Wow! How about this potential perk for a new employee? A new house.

Last month I wrote about Florida-based Mechanical One. The AC and plumbing provider is giving away two mortgage-free homes to employees. It’s my most viewed and commented-on post ever on LinkedIn.

The company has bought two lots for the three-bedroom, two-bath homes and has set aside a $500,000 budget for the project. Two employees will be randomly selected this December for the benefit.

CEO Jason James shared with the Orlando Sentinel, “My passion is really trying to reinvent employee appreciation,” James said. “Our business model is really, if we take care of our people, they are going to do more for us than any marketing budget.”

About 100 employees will qualify for the drawing if they meet three requirements:

1. Retention – work with Mechanical One a full year before the drawing
2. Training – take a financial literacy class paid for by the company
3. Pay It Forward – give 20 hours of community service at a nonprofit

Is this over the top? Maybe not. A study by PwC found that upwards of 65% of employees are searching for a new job. Retention is more critical than ever.

My concept of a Green Goldfish is the idea of giving little extras. Fifteen different ways to drive engagement and reinforce culture beyond dollars. To be clear, this isn’t a little extra. This is a big bold action. Perhaps the biggest I’ve ever seen.

Is this too much? Will other companies follow suit?

My answers: NO and I wouldn’t bet your house on it.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Stan Phelps walks the walk. He stands out in the sea of sameness by modeling his own Differentiated Experience (DX) message: Differentiation isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what you do and, more importantly, how and why you do it. Stan leverages his unique collection of 5,000+ case studies on customer, employee, and brand experience to engage audiences with informative learning-based experiences. He believes purposeful DX wins the hearts of employees and customers, and differentiation ultimately boosts loyalty, retention, referrals, and results.

Find Stan’s in-person and virtual keynotes, workshops, and Goldfish tank programs at StanPhelps.com.