Sure, the economy is down and there's not much light at the end of the tunnel reassuring you that sales are about to pick back up but the last thing you need to do is stop investing in your staff. Your staff is feeling the beat down just as you are but the answer for reducing company expenses to maintain stability should not be to reduce or remove benefits and programs.

Successful companies come from positive work environments where employees feel valued, appreciated and excited to help the company succeed. When you take away the things that make them feel valued and appreciated you create a negative work environment.

Brigid Milligan and Ryan Wells of Burson-Marsteller's Corporate Practices collaborated with The Great Place to Work Institute to ask the top 25 companies in the global workforce ranking about the value of a positive work environment.

Twenty of the 25 companies responded and this is what they found:

• They invest in their people and in fact, are invesing more in various types of employee benefit plans and programs. Those that aren't increasing due to the economy are still maintaining the same benefits offered instead of reducing or eliminating.
• Offered stability and growth programs providing career development opportunities.
• Culture is critical to talent retention and the most important element to the companies daily operations.

Deidre H. Campbell, Managing Director in Burson-Marsteller's Corporate Practice, states "Becoming a great workplace is not a transition that will happen overnight. Being a great workplace is the result of a long-term investment in their employees."

Are you investing in your people, providing stability and career development opportunities and building a positive environment?