Don't go overboard on insurance that pays benefits only upon death. Generally, your employee will greatly appreciate benefits that protect him during his working life or during retirement.

In granting bereavement leaves, specify the maximum time off and list what the worker's relation to the deceased must be to qualify. Thus, you avoid headaches when an employee wants off for his fourth cousin's funeral. Also, reserve the right to demand proof of death despite the fact that you'll probably never use it.

Coffee breaks can be a real headache if not regulated. Vending machines can alleviate the long hike to the cafeteria during the break with resulting waste of production time. If coffee is sold at the cafeteria, let a few workers in each department get it for the whole group. Consider installing supplemental serving lines in production areas. Make sure milk for the coffee is placed in dispensers rather than in containers, if you are supplying the coffee. Otherwise, you may be saddled with a good size milk bill by milk drinkers.

Keep the retirement age flexible so skilled craftsmen such as tool and die makers can be kept on the job for the convenience of the company. And so deadheads on the payroll can be eased out at the earliest possible age. Make sure you have minimum age and time on the job requirements tied into your pension plan. Younger men usually don't think of pensions as an important job benefit factor anyhow and they're liable to change jobs several times before settling down.