Do your employees feel appreciated? Do they feel a sense of community at work? Is there a sense of connection to the geographical community in which your business operates? Giving back to these interrelated communities goes a great way toward building employee morale and creating and enhancing a positive image of your business in the larger communities.
While all of these connections have always helped businesses to thrive, they are even more important today. If you are looking for young people to come and work for you, then you are trying to capture the attention of Millennials and Gen Z. While pay is still important to all workers, these groups tend to embrace the ideals of social consciousness to a greater degree than earlier generations have. Showing younger people that you care about your employees, your community, and the larger world is important.
In the Community
MWI Components, manufacturer of doors, horse stalls, ridge ventilation, cupolas, and more, cares about giving back. One of the ways they have turned that care into something tangible is by partnering with the Chamber of Commerce to help the community. The group works to create jobs, pool resources, and lend a helping hand to companies with the events they sponsor. The group also works as a resource hub for business loans, and they are involved in pulling together more childcare centers for working parents. Last year, there was flooding in the area and the Chamber of Commerce went to the aid of the people involved, finding housing and resources for them.
The Chamber has helped put on programs for the Young Professionals group so that they can see what MWI actually does. Young people will see that many of the opportunities in manufacturing can be very fulfilling, which aids in employee recruitment. It also helps the community understand their business since most of their product is shipped out of the area.
The company supports the Manufacturing Day initiative, which aims to engage the next generations in all things manufacturing across numerous fields. This national organization helps companies from all industries to create events and social media posts to share their support of Manufacturing Day. Last Year, the company held a couple plant tours and presentations with community leaders for their Manufacturing Day Event. They are still working out the plans and possibilities for this year’s Manufacturing Day.
MWI collaborated with other agencies to build and donate this addition to the Clay County Fairgrounds.
Santa delivers treats both healthy and sweet!
MWI’s Manufacturing Day Tour Team.
MWI donates to the police department annually.
Employees are encouraged to participate in other community events such as the Keep Iowa Beautiful Campaign. A group went out to do a litter cleanup, improving the community and working together for a good cause.
The local annual town fair is called Flag Fest, as it coincides with Flag Day. Jasmine Williams, employee of MWI Corporation and coordinator of the committee in charge of employee involvement, partners with Fest coordinators, and employees are encouraged to volunteer. They gather employees, family, and friends to participate in the parade, the 5K, and other activities.
“Not only do events like this boost morale because participants feel they are doing something for the community, they also have fun doing it!” said Williams. Further, Williams said many of the company’s people are involved in the community and many sit on local committees and boards.
At the end of the year, the company makes donations to the police department, firefighters, sheriff’s office, EMTs, and first responders. These entities use the funds for new gear or whatever they may need. There is one notable exception: the police department.
The Spencer Police Department uses its funds to implement a “Shop with a Cop” program. This is an event where policemen are paired with children to shop for holiday gifts. This brings joy to the children and helps the police bond with the community.
Inside the Business
Creating a sense of community in a business naturally has a lot to do with respect and fairness, which management has a large impact on. MWI’s culture is intentional; it is focused on the idea that every employee is a professional and should be respectful of each other and everyone with whom they come into contact.
Beyond that, there are definitely other things they do to enhance the team feeling. Having specific people, teams, or other groups lead these efforts is very helpful. Although you may have real intentions to create team events for employees, everyday business can get in the way and then those good intentions aren’t realized. One way to counteract this problem is to designate a team to take on the task of finding and implementing programs and events.
“We formed a Wellness committee because we think wellness is important for our employees,” Williams said. “The committee has organized various wellness initiatives including the 75 Hard Challenge, which includes 75 straight days of workouts along with reading and other healthy habits,” she added.
The Wellness Committee includes seven people from a variety of departments across the company, including the CEO. This group’s role has evolved from simply reviewing and implementing wellness programs to deciding on a variety of activities and events for employees based on boosting morale and encouraging people to bond socially, such as lunches throughout the year, a disk golf tournament, and a picnic event at the Nature Center in town.
Santa makes an appearance in December to deliver clementines to employees at MWI. Why clementines? They’re a healthy alternative to all the sweet treats during the holidays and employees appreciate it. The company hosts an annual Chili Cook Off in October and they will present a BBQ Smoke Off Competition for employees during the 4th of July week.
“Being involved is important,” Williams said. “I encourage every manufacturer to find ways to encourage employee engagement and to get involved with your community, too. The results are noticeable; these kinds of involvement can enhance employees’ pride, sense of belonging, and feeling of fulfillment.” RB
