8th Annual Best Places to Work

Thorough employee communications and adherence to mission, values drives excellence for our 2009 winners

Story by Sean Fitzgerald

 COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COMPANY management and employees might seem like a subtle component of an employer’s human resource efforts. Without it, though, operations within an organization can quickly turn into an absolute mess.

Our 2009 New North B2B Best Places To Work recipients keep employee communications high on their list of priorities, going above and beyond to provide unique forums – not only to disseminate information to staff – but for management and ownership to receive critical feedback from employees as well.

Of course, progressive communication wasn’t the only reason that we honored Thrivent Financial for Lutherans of Appleton and WOW Logistics of Appleton in our 8^th annual award. A solid resume of employee appreciation activities, top-notch benefits packages and safe, pleasant and productive work environments also make these employers among the best places to work.

As in past years, our goal in recognizing such efforts toward workplace excellence are aimed at providing examples our readers might be able to implement into their own operations. We recognize that a Fortune 500 company like Thrivent might have greater resources to offer tangible luxuries to employees that a small mom-and-pop shop could never dream. But we also believe there’s some characteristics of the workplace culture at Thrivent and WOW Logistics that are transferable to any employer.

Both of our Best Places to Work honorees in 2009 foster an open environment in which employees are encouraged to provide feedback. Management and ownership of these firms don’t go above and beyond just to fill job openings, but genuinely want existing staff to stick around and grow with the company.

They treat employees the same way they expect employees to treat customers and clients. In turn, these employers have cultivated a dedicated and loyal workforce that looks forward to coming into work each day and advancing the goals of their company.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

HOW DOES A ONE-TIME SMALL, FRATERNAL benefits organization grow into a Fortune 500 company and an employer of choice?

It’s not necessarily a well-kept secret, but Thrivent Financial for Lutherans has been able to thrive through the years by keeping its corporate mission and values closely interwoven into its workplace culture and the programs offered to employees.

“We’re in the business of helping families,” said Jon Stellmacher, a senior vice president and the company’s chief of staff and administration.

That mission is illustrated in the company’s encouragement of its employees to volunteer in the community. In fact, it’s encouraged so strongly that Thrivent provides some paid time away from the workplace for employees to attend board meetings and work on various volunteer projects, such as building Habitat for Humanity homes.

“We try to remind new employees to get out and volunteer,” said Stellmacher, himself a board member for several community organizations and a past campaign co-chair for United Way Fox Cities. “They’ll meet other people. They’ll get new contacts.”

The culture of volunteering is a characteristic of Thrivent that drives would-be employees to apply for positions in the company, explained Dave Anderson, the senior vice president of centralized service for Thrivent.

“I think people actually look for it from us,” Anderson said.

In addition to donating time, the Thrivent Gift Multiplier Program allows any employee to essentially double their own gift of $25 or more to a nonprofit organization by matching the employee’s contribution.

Thrivent additionally offers its 1,800 Fox Cities employees a menu of flexible work options including compressed work weeks, job sharing, telecommuting and its Nine-Day Flex program that it makes available from April through October.

Unused flex time afforded to employees can even be donated to other employees who are unexpectedly away from work due to an illness or other unforeseen circumstance. Donna Mulder, a 10-year employee and editor of the company’s quarterly Thrivent Magazine, benefited from the generosity of her co-workers as her husband suffered through and eventually succumbed to terminal brain cancer a few years ago. When Mulder exhausted her own allotment of paid leave to attend doctors appointments with her husband, co-workers donated their unused time off to Mulder. She was given and able to take the maximum-allowed 12 weeks of gifted paid time off so that she could spend quality time with her family and minimize the stress of leaving work behind.

“It was the best possible place I could be at that time,” said Mulder. “I’m thankful to work for an organization that not only allows, but encourages, us to find ways to help people in their time of need. We get to work side by side and make a difference together.”

Thrivent pays between 72 to 82 percent of employees’ health insurance premiums, as well as providing $57 in flex dollars each pay period for employees to use toward their benefits. In addition to the health insurance, Thrivent also has an employee health center on its Appleton campus, employing two physicians and a nurse practitioner to provide basic services like flu and allergy shots, first aid for any injuries or basic ongoing care, and most recently, even providing wart removal.

With such a heavy investment in the health of its employees, Thrivent also provides a top-notch wellness program to encourage healthy lifestyles and allow employees tools to monitor and best manage their own health risks.

Perhaps a luxury of being a Fortune 500 company, Thrivent’s on-site fitness center rivals many private health clubs in the region, with an exercise studio for instructor-led classes, a workout room with weights, treadmills and stationary bicycles, as well as locker rooms.

The 600-acre, well-manicured grounds of Thrivent’s Appleton campus provide several miles of scenic walking trails through natural prairie and around glistening ponds. The rounded, contemporary atrium – the facility’s signature design feature visible to passing motorists on Highway 41 – houses the cafeteria. 

The variety of what might appear to be lavish amenities and benefits are geared toward allowing employees to be more productive. An employee who can exercise during their lunch break doesn’t have to make arrangements to travel across town to the gym after work; and employees using Thrivent’s on-site child care center don’t need to worry about making daily arrangements for their little ones. 

“HR is trying to take the view that our employees are human capital, not just human resources,” said Anderson.

Development opportunities abound for Thrivent employees through the company’s talent development program. Employees conduct an annual assessment of their work environment, work with their immediate supervisor to map out their career goals, and take periodic employee attitude surveys to help management minimize barriers in the workplace. A vast majority of training is done on the job, Anderson said, and about 70 percent of open positions are filled internally. As a result, there’s very little turnover within the company.

Circling back to its mission and the founding principles of the company, its Lutheran background not only has an intangible presence in the company’s culture, but a more visible one as well. Thrivent has a chapel at its Appleton campus for employees to use. During each meeting of Thrivent’s board of directors, a sermon or prayer delivered by an ordained pastor is broadcast over the office public address system. And its annual employee Christmas celebration always ends with a communal singing of “Silent Night.”

“It’s part of who we are,” Stellmacher said. “It’s a very strong faith culture that tries to respect diversity of faith and tries to respect those with no particular faith.”

 WOW Logistics Company

A WAREHOUSE MIGHT SEEM the unlikeliest of outstanding workplaces, but WOW Logistics Company of Appleton has gone out of its way to build an employment environment where staff takes pride in their work and pride in their employer.

Turn over is nearly non-existent among those employees who stay longer than a year, with many of those leaving during the first year typically being second and third-shift forklift operators wanting daytime employment.

“I tell people during the hiring process, ‘Once you’re here a year, you’re a lifer,’” said Lisa Van Straten, senior vice president of human resources for WOW Logistics.

With 175 employees spread out across 13 cities in three different states, communicating a clear consistent message across every level of the organization can have its challenges. But WOW Logistics has implemented a multitude of communication venues to share information with employees, as well as receive valuable feedback.

“We’ve increased it over the last three years because of being so spread out over so many locations,” said Van Straten.

The company’s intranet allows any employee to lodge an anonymous question, concern or complaint that goes directly to the executive vice president as well as to human resources. A response to that employee’s concern is generated within a few days and shared with the rest of the employees if appropriate. The intranet also provides a daily update on employee birthdays and anniversaries and changes and other new developments within the company. Monthly employee meetings at each location are attended by executives to update the state of the company.

In addition to the companywide newsletter, each location includes a suggestion box and an “opportunity board” where employees can write their ideas – or write problems that need to be addressed – for everyone else on staff to see. It’s up to the manager for the location to take accountability for what’s written on the board and respond with a solution or an answer to the idea or concern.

Last year the company revived its Above and Beyond program, recognizing subtle, spontaneous efforts by employees to exceed the responsibilities of their job description. Managers have the authority to grant that employee a gift card for a local coffee shop or fast food restaurant.

Like Thrivent, WOW Logistics’ support of the community is endearing to many of its employees. The company donates to a number of not-for-profit causes in the communities in which it has facilities, and provides sponsorships for charity events and allows employees a role in determining how those philanthropic gifts are made. It even donates its Lambeau Field skybox for one game each year to Make-A-Wish Foundation to treat children to a dream Packer game experience.

“They have helped in so many ways, and when I see the ‘WOW’ name at functions that are near and dear to my heart, it makes me proud to say ‘I work for that company!” said Laura Kimball, a two-year employee and operations coordinator at the Menasha location.

Loyalty and longevity is generously recognized and rewarded. Upon reaching a 20-year anniversary with the company, WOW foots the bill for an all-expense-paid trip for the employee and their guest. The employee even receives additional paid time off to take the trip. Another trip is awarded for every five years the employee is with WOW after the 20-year mark as well.

“What we wanted to do is to make it a memory for the employee,” Van Straten said, indicating the aim is that the employee will always link the experience of the travel with the experience of their long-time employer.

WOW Logistics pays 85 percent of its employees’ health insurance premiums. Since it has such a large investment in the health and well-being of its employees and their families, the company provides a comprehensive wellness program. Those on the insurance take a health risk assessment every year. Wellness events have included a companywide walking challenge, as well as a mock “Biggest Loser” challenge that awarded prizes such as an iPod.

Other perks include an opportunity for employees to watch a Packer game from the company’s Lambeau Field skybox. For every home Packer game, WOW holds a tailgate party in the Lambeau parking lot for customers and employees to attend, even if they’re seated separate from the skybox during the game.

WOW offers a tuition reimbursement program for all employees which can provide up to 100 percent of the costs of books and tuition if the employee earns an “A” or equivalent in their coursework. Even with a mark of “C,” employees will at least be reimbursed for 50 percent of their educational costs.

The company’s 401(k) plan matches up to 2 percent of an employee’s contribution. Additionally, WOW has two financial incentive programs to promote strong company performance. The first, a profit sharing program, pays employees quarterly as a percent of their base pay when the entire company is in the black. The second incentive – a newly implemented gain share program – pays a monthly bonus to all employees at a location which is able to improve its deliverable over and above what’s promised to the customer. Van Straten said the company paid out an extra $95 to each employee at one of its facilities this past July, the first month in which the program was in place.

The company also maintains a small fitness center at its corporate office in Appleton to complement its wellness initiative.