No. 4, 100–300 employees: MWM Dexter

It’s that happiness and team spirit among the 120 employees that have kept the four-state area’s largest four-color printing house running strong for more than 80 years.

It’s also part of what makes the company No. 3 in Springfield Business Journal Inc.’s list of Best Places to Work among companies with 101 to 300 employees.

A lot of the happiness in the work force can be attributed to the benefits offered to the employees, according to company President Chris Dale.

“I think what makes it a good place to work is that it’s a team atmosphere and there’s participative management,” Dale said.

“The way we achieve that is through a bonus program that is based off of profitability.”

He said the company has paid bonuses to employees five out of the last six years; last year’s payout was equivalent to 19 percent of hourly employees’ wages for one paycheck.

The bonus program, Dale said, instills a sense of purpose and a feeling that “everyone has a direct contribution into how well the company does.”

The bonus, however, is not the only attractive incentive for employees. The company also offers profit-sharing opportunities and 401(k) plans with matching contributions dollar- for-dollar up to 6 percent of salary. Employees also pay less than 10 percent of their premiums for insurance, which includes health, dental, life and short-term disability coverage.

The wide array of benefits has led to high levels of employee satisfaction – the company’s annual employee turnover rate is less than 2 percent. The company keeps track of satisfaction levels as well, using regular employee satisfaction surveys and reviews.

Charlotte Brooks, the company’s customer service lead, has been with the company for 20 years. She says the team atmosphere permeates most aspects of the work environment.

“We have good benefits, but I think we’re a big family here,” she said. “Everyone thinks of their co-workers as family. We all strive to get the job done and get it done properly.”

She also cited the company’s various team-building exercises, including Six Sigma programs, which help “teach what the other person is up against, so we can get information to them the way they need it, so they can get the job done.”

Dale said the company’s results speak for themselves.

“I think once an employee is at the company and sees what it is like to work for a company that truly believes in a team management style and the financial benefits that are derived from that,” Dale said, “they’re hard-pressed to find another place that’s as good to work.”