At Winning Workplaces we make the argument, backed up by our data on leading small businesses and other research, that when a company's leadership strives for innovative team building and employee engagement best practices, their ROI is stronger camaraderie and higher productivity that yields greater sales and a healthier bottom line.

But there's a second "win" that's part of the win-win we associate with a winning workplace, and that's the one for employees.  America's Best Companies (ABC) discussed this on their blog today.  Here's what they list as small business' inherent advantages for the talent who work for them:

• Less bureaucracy
• Closer relationships between owners, mid-management, and employees
• Employees' jobs have a greater scope
• Owners often treat their work force like family
• Greater flexibility, job diversity, and higher growth potential
• Ability to tailor the job to deal with employees' individual needs

Many of my posts lately have framed opportunity in terms of small business vs. their larger competitors, but here is where employees gain.  If you work for a big company, or were recently laid off from one, you should take a serious look at one of the nation's 27+ million small businesses, or nonprofits.  Despite the recession, they are looking for what you have to offer, and you may find you have greater peace of mind as a result of the advantages above that ABC cites.

Have you made the transition from big business to small business?  What have the positives of this move been for you?

Photo credit: Employee 2.0