2010 Choice Employers, 301+ Employees No. 2: T-Mobile USA Inc.

T-Mobile has 757 employees in Springfield, with all but 80 of them full-time. Among all Choice Employers companies, T-Mobile tied for the No. 5 score in incentives, and it ranked in the Top 10 for corporate culture and people development. Bonuses are available to all employees, with an average annual amount of more than $1,000. T-Mobile has an employee mentoring program, and between 70 percent and 89 percent of employees in managerial roles were promoted from within. Other benefits include flex time, discounts on phone plans and an employee assistance program that helps with issues such as stress management and financial counseling.

General Manager Mark Conrad answers SBJ’s questions:

How would you describe your company’s culture?
T-Mobile USA (has) a performance-based culture. We believe that getting great results is only part of the equation. We expect everyone to get the right results in the right way. Performance and our company’s values are both required for success at T-Mobile. Our values dictate the way we interact with our customers and with each other. Our employees make a difference by solving challenges creatively and working effectively to inspire personal and professional growth.

When employees ask for raises, what factors do you weigh?
T-Mobile has an annual performance review process, and compensation adjustments are considered based on the company’s performance, the employee’s performance, and the employee’s rate of pay in comparison with other employees, as well as comparing our salaries with those in similar industries. Our customer service representatives also are eligible for monthly incentive payments based on achievement of various performance metrics.

Beyond financial compensation, what benefits are most important to your staff?
We consistently hear from our new employees how important our health care benefits are to them and their families and how much that was a part of their decision to pursue employment with T-Mobile.

How does your company support professional development?
We have an … eight-week training program for new customer service representatives, followed by numerous continuing education classes throughout the year to educate employees on new products and services. We have an excellent tuition reimbursement benefit, and the Springfield call center has a career center for all employees to use. All Springfield employees have an individual development plan customized to their career aspirations, and the company has an online career portal (with) leadership development resources.

How do you reward employee accomplishments?
T-Mobile USA has an annual award for employees that is peer-nominated and selected for an all-expense-paid trip to Hawaii; an annual trip for top performers to locations such as New York, Las Vegas or Miami; as well as numerous other enterprise and local recognition programs.

What makes your company a family-friendly employer?
Our comprehensive benefits package is one of the best ways we can tangibly show our support of families. Employees also are encouraged to bring their family members to our facility to have a meal together in our on-site cafeteria, as well as to our annual summer picnic, which this year was a Springfield Cardinals baseball game.[[In-content Ad]]