V.I.P. Mortgage Reveals ‘Shoot from the Heart’ Employee Philosophy

While some employers may be struggling to find practical and cost-effective strategies to keep employees happy and productive, ""V.I.P. Mortgage"":http://www.vipmtginc.com/ aims for the heart.

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The Scottsdale, Arizona-based mortgage bank points to a number of charitable causes undertaken for its employees, including V.I.P.'s sponsorship of one employee's efforts to raise awareness for multiple sclerosis. The employee biked more than 150 miles through New Mexico, and the company contributed $1,000 to his fundraising efforts.

V.I.P.'s Colorado Springs office has taken similar steps, raising more than $1,800 to assist juvenile diabetes research in support of an employee's son - $1,000 of which was pledged from the firm's corporate team. In addition, the Colorado Springs branch hosted a ""Support Our Troops"" drive in the spring, handing out corporate-sponsored custom T-shirts to donors.

While V.I.P. has a history of reaching out, its employees also work to create solidarity within the company family. When one employee lost her hair in a battle with cancer, the company's founders, along with a number of colleagues, showed their support by shaving their heads.

In a release, the company said its goal is to ""make employees' passions and lives feel more valued and supported.""

""In five short years, V.I.P. has grown from two to more than 200 people, and company culture has been a key in solidifying employees as a family,"" the release reads. ""By supporting employees' not only within the work arena, but in their other endeavors, one begins to feel part of the bigger picture, which leads to company loyalty and retention.""