Best Workplaces: No Place I'd Rather Work...
Steph Huber, training coordinator for Midstates Group, points out that the firm has a number of programs that stress training and development, as well as health and safety. On the training front, Midstates provides tutorials for powered industrial truck and leadership development, as well as on-the-job training and new employee orientation. Midstates has a safety committee that monitors safety items, a group of certified first responders and on-site consultation with a nurse and/or physical therapist.
The Midstates Group engages its employees through a number of extracurricular activities, including a company picnic, holiday parties and company-sponsored sporting events. Recognition and reward initiatives include years-of-service awards and an Employee of the Year for each department, Huber notes. Midstates also uses its bi-monthly company newsletter to pass along customer compliments, promotions and "spotlight-on" employee profiles.
Midstates happily accommodates employees who need to adjust their work schedules for appointments and other activities, and permits telecommuting for those who are able to work from home.
"We are family-owned and operated, and have a sales-driven organization," Huber notes. We develop five-year strategic visions for the companies as a guiding path, but we are flexible to adapt as technology continues to change. We believe that this makes our clients and employees have confidence in our vision."
The John Roberts Co., Minneapolis
This heartland printer, which boasts 300 employees, touts itself as a bow-to-stern marketing services provider, offering sheetfed, full- and half-web offset, as well as digital printing for conventional and UV work, packaging, variable data campaigns, static and print-on-demand fulfillment services and full mailing/distribution.
Like Midstates, The John Roberts Co. addresses a wide cross-section of clients, among them health care, financial services, insurance, education, retail and automotive.
The John Roberts Co. takes an aggressive approach toward training, development, health and safety—and that approach is achieved from the top down. Partnering with several outside firms for leadership coaching and mentoring, a number of sessions have touched on topics including conflict resolution, addressing performance concerns, and effective personnel management and communications. Sales and customer service reps are provided courses in building customer satisfaction and managing expectations.
