Best Places to Work 2007: Environmental Works Inc.

The staff at Environmental Works Inc. isn’t surprised by the company’s selection as one of the Best Places to Work. After all, owner Robin Melton just took all 47 of them – along with one guest each – on a Caribbean cruise to celebrate the company’s 15th anniversary.

“Sometimes you just have to splurge and show you care,” Melton said.

Environmental Works pays for life insurance policies for the employees, 95 percent of employee health care premiums, 100 percent of employee dental coverage and 50 percent toward dependent health care coverage. The company also offers supplemental insurance products. Vacation and sick leave, paid training, telecommuting and flextime round out the benefits package.

Environmental Works also offers employees a salary-reduction simplified employee pension – or SARSEP – retirement savings plan, which is very employee-friendly according to Michelle Williams. After two years of employment, employees may contribute up to 12 percent of their gross wages to the plan annually. In addition, Melton has contributed 10 percent of employees’ gross wages to the plan the last two years.

Melton also rewards her employees with quarterly discretionary bonuses that depend on tenure, company profitability and individual performances.

“That’s one of the really big things about Environmental Works that makes it absolutely awesome,” Michelle Williams, controller/administrator said. “Your reviews, your bonuses, your compensation reviews are based on your performance primarily.”

Every quarter, employees write self-evaluations that go straight to Melton. These can include employees’ perspectives on their attitudes, exceptional customer service, client relations, dependability, efficiency, new business contributions and how they saved the company money. Through another program, Service Magic, employees meet off-site each quarter to nominate co-workers for providing excellent service. The employee with the most mentions wins a gift certificate. Then, each employee talks about two things that were done during the quarter that were above and beyond expectations. After a secret-ballot vote, the winner takes home $100.

“ … If you want to keep excellent people, you have to do whatever it takes to keep them,” Melton said. “It’s a constant quest to figure out what that is, but I try.”

Only 3 percent of Melton’s employees left the company in 2006, and annual pay increases have continued at a rate of 7 percent to 9 percent for the last three years. The company, which now has satellite offices in Kansas City and Rolla, also will move into new facilities at 1455 E. Chestnut Expressway next year.

Environmental Works Inc.

Founded: 1992

Address: 1016 W. Battlefield Road, Springfield, MO 65807

Phone: (417) 890-9500

Web: www.environmentalworks.com

Employees: 47

Services: Environmental consulting and services[[In-content Ad]]