With a workforce of 17 full-time and two part-time employees, Springfield Paper Co. offers a full range of employee benefits including 401(k), 20 paid days off per year and pays a portion of health insurance premiums for full-time employees. All employees are eligible for bonuses. With a low turnover rate, the company offers flex time, transportation assistance and allows employees to donate time to charity during work hours.
What do you find makes your business a desirable place to work?“For decades there was relatively no change in the way Springfield Paper Co. ran as a business, but the past year has been much different. We’ve updated our technology in several ways giving our employees state-of-the-art tools to help make their jobs easier, more productive and enjoyable by lessening the time spent on dull and mundane tasks or ridding them of those tasks altogether. Our employees appreciate a professional environment, being treated with respect and being held accountable without the feeling of high pressure.”
What tools does the company use to recruit and retain staff?“We utilize a number of ways to recruit, from employment agencies and head hunters to temporary staffing companies and the Missouri Career Center. Retaining our staff has never been an issue. We provide a work environment that is very enjoyable. I’ve had employees tell me over the past couple of years things such as ‘this is the best place I’ve ever worked,’ ‘it’s fun coming to work’ and ‘I love working here.’ One of our truck drivers, who started just over a year ago, had a chance to go back to a previous employer who actually paid more than he was making here, but he declined. When I asked him why, he simply said ‘because I like it here.’”
What is the average length of employment among staff, and what fosters such loyalty?“Even though our turnover rate historically has been very low, we’ve had a few employees reach retirement in the past few months. Two gentlemen had 77 years combined working for the company. The average tenure with our current employees is 15 years, not counting the employees who have recently retired or the people who have started in the past three months.
"I believe the personality of the company is what fosters the loyalty from its employees. From the drivers to upper management, the positive energy and overall atmosphere is a culmination of everyone’s attitude and willingness to be on a team working toward the same goal."
What is the most celebrated benefit/perk among your staff?“We offer health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance and paid vacations, but the most celebrated benefit is our 401(k) plan. The staff member can contribute what they like, with a company match plan available. For example, at a 3 percent contribution level the company matches that 3 percent, plus contributes an additional 3 percent, for a total company contribution of 6 percent, bringing the staff member’s total to 9 percent."
To what extent does the company share its financials with the staff?“Depending on the person’s position in the company, upper management and supervisors are privy to more sensitive financial information than others. We do share percentages of increases and decreases with nearly everyone in the company. We also are in the developing stages of an employee profit sharing program, that will, in part, allow participants to view more information into the company’s financials.”
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