Wellness is key for the 34 employees of Ollis & Co., including, from left, Director of Training Cheryl Maher, Comptroller Dick Pogue, Chief Operating Officer Matt Scheihing and President and CEO Richard Ollis.
Jayne Edley-Thompson applied at Ollis & Co. because she had been told it was a great place to work.
Six years later, she has yet to be disappointed. Edley-Thompson, an account manager, praises the company's focus on supporting employees both professionally and personally and credits it with helping her handle stress and develop goals.
"(That focus) empowers the employee to take charge and be a true leader and be responsible," Edley-Thompson says.
Ollis & Co. wants employees who strive to achieve success in all areas of their lives, because well-rounded people are more productive employees, says President and CEO Richard Ollis.
Ollis & Co. was founded in 1885 by brothers R.A., Alfred and Charles Ollis to provide insurance to families and businesses, and gradually added more products as the need arose. The Springfield-based company became employee owned in 1984.
"We're really interested in a long-term relationship with both our employee-owners and our clients," says Ollis, a descendant of R.A. Ollis and the fourth generation to be involved with the company.
In July, Ollis concluded an intensive and mandatory 18-month leadership training program designed to foster leadership and educate employees on the importance of setting well-defined goals for their business and personal lives - and how to achieve them.
Some employees were immediately excited about the program, others were open to the possibility they would learn something, while another portion wasn't interested at all, Ollis says. By the end of the program, however, many employees were thankful for the opportunity.
Edley-Thompson is one of them.
"I was going in with open eyes and open to any changes and (to) see where I can go with it," she says. "And I can say for me personally, the leadership classes were life-changing. ... It makes you focus internally to your thoughts and what you need to do."
Edley-Thompson is equally enthused about Ollis' comprehensive wellness program. Associates receive a company-paid health-risk assessment and are educated on such wellness issues as adequate water intake, exercise, getting enough sleep, relaxation and nutrition.
Fresh fruit is provided daily, flu shots are offered, and there is on-site exercise equipment. The company also pays 50 percent of the cost of any exercise-related activity - an expanded version of a previous policy that paid for a fitness-center membership only.
Ollis' wellness efforts, which began about three years ago, have translated into a 5 percent reduction in costs associated with health conditions this year.
That's an important savings, given that employee health insurance premiums are all paid by the company. "I have had people come into my office to thank me for starting this. They were the people who were initially skeptical about this in the first place," Ollis adds.
Edley-Thompson credits the wellness program for weight loss and healthier eating, and she appreciates that half the cost of her yoga classes are paid.
Pairing wellness with leadership development fosters loyalty, aids in retention and creates more productive employees, Ollis says. "We think that it is all intertwined, and someone who has a good solid personal life and is physically fit and mentally fit is going to make an excellent associate," Ollis says.
As to other benefits, new, entry-level, full-time employees have 11 to 14 paid days off, and there isn't a waiting period to take them. All employees are eligible for bonuses, which average more than $1,000.
This installment of Springfield Business Journal’s Architects & Engineers Project Report showcases 26 endeavors by area design and engineering professionals.
