Do you consider your business a career employer? When you hire skilled workers, do they stay for long periods of time? Do they talk up your business to prospective clients and other potential employees?
The 2016 Best Workplace in the Americas recognizes companies that fit all of those benchmarks. It’s the only graphic communications industry competition of its kind to recognize outstanding workplaces and the companies that develop them.
Last year, the full-service integrated communications firm MOSAIC was chosen as a 2015 Best Workplace in the Americas recipient in the medium-sized company category. Sarah Wilson, HR manager of the organization, spoke with us about HR practices in her company, what it means to be a Best Workplace in the Americas winner, and why recognizing employees is so important in the graphic communications industry.
PIA: The Best Workplace in the Americas competition judges companies on eight key human relations areas: management practices, work environment, training and development opportunities, financial security, work-life balance, recognition and rewards, health and wellness programs, and workplace health and safety. Which one of these areas do you feel that MOSAIC excels at the most and why?
SW: In particular, work environment is the area in which MOSAIC excels. The Best Workplace in the Americas application asks for data on voluntary turnover, involuntary turnover, and layoffs, and we compare that information year-over-year both internally and with industry trends. However, work environment doesn’t always easily compare to a numeric ratio. It compares what companies are doing to ensure the work environment is conducive to the production of a superior product and a place where employees are stimulated to achieve.
To make the work environment and culture more satisfying, MOSAIC holds events throughout the year that are not only employee focused but also concentrate on the community. Some of our employees’ favorite events include: the All-You-Can-Eat Crab Feast, our Holiday Party (where Santa always makes an appearance), and the Spring BBQ where our sales representatives prepare food for an afternoon party to say thanks to everyone in the plant for their efforts. Community facing activities include the following: Toys for Tots, Stop Hunger Now (volunteers package over 20,000 meals during this event), and holding a company-wide “Crock Pot Cook Off” (where the donations are given to a charity of the winner’s choice). Because of all of these great events and more, MOSAIC is consistently better—on average—than the industry in terms of work environment.
PIA: A Best Workplace in the Americas win can do wonders in promoting your business to prospective employees and clients. How do you publicize the Best Workplace in the Americas win at MOSAIC?
SW: MOSAIC takes great pride in our string of Best Workplace in the Americas wins, and we promote it proudly in several ways. First, we display our awards in our main lobby entrance where employees, customers, visitors, and suppliers can review them. We also share the honor and accomplishments with employees through our company newsletter, Viewpoints.
As a recruiting tool, we leverage the award and promote our achievement with potential employee candidates. It is also marketed on our website, with job descriptions, and with our benefits package. During interviews, it is often a center of conversation. PIA is well recognized in our industry; and therefore, PIA’s brand recognition with the competition is leveraged.
PIA: Some recipients of the Best Workplace in the Americas see increased business as a result of the honor. Is this the case for your company? How has winning the Best Workplace in the Americas competition helped your organization grow?
SW: Having the Best Workplace in the Americas award reinforces MOSAIC’s value system with our clients—especially since a third party judges the award. By being a continuous achiever for multiple years in the Best Workplace in the Americas competition, it gives anyone externally the assurance of consistency in our value system and our commitment to excellence.
PIA: With over 100 workers employed at MOSAIC, why do you think it’s important to recognize their efforts in the workplace?
SW: MOSAIC strives to recognize employee efforts in the workplace since they are one of the keys to the company’s success. Employees make the extraordinary occur every day at MOSAIC; their expertise, attitude, and passion for customer satisfaction are the components to our winning recipe for success. If MOSAIC did not take the time to appreciate its employees, no matter how small, we would be in jeopardy of losing two stakeholders—employees and clients.
PIA: For those companies that struggle to excel in the eight key human relations areas, what are some ways that other businesses can amp up their human relations efforts?
SW: One way that other businesses can amp up their human relations efforts is by staying current with workplace trends. They should also hear and listen to employees by conducting employee satisfaction surveys. Utilizing tools on the PIA website such as continuous improvement and collected HR metrics also helps a lot.
Do you think you have what it takes to win the 2016 Best Workplace in the Americas competition? Enter today at www.printing.org/bwa.