& CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For Supplemental Information 2015
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Contents Compensation, Benefits & Employee Solutions Employee Enrichment, Engagement & Retention Employee Education & Development Recruitment, Selection & Orientation Employee Achievement & Recognition Communication & Shared Vision Diversity & Inclusion
Work-Life Balance Community Initiatives Strategic Company Performance Additional Information
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
• 401K match
Compensation, Benefits & Employee Solutions
• Specialized Christmas gifts and bonuses • Special outings to reward employees and encourage team building • Special treats on holidays • Hand-written notes from the CEO to employees and their spouses
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This year’s company management meeting was a blast! All the office employees were split into groups and led on a scavenger hunt around West Michigan. At the end, we all grouped back at the office headquarters for drinks and pizza! It was a great way to connect with coworkers and come together as a team. The best part of all was paying it forward to unsuspecting customers at various restaurants and gas stations.
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Tammy Kiekentveld Accounting/HR Respresentative
• Encourage healthy living through discounts and motivation • Provide outstanding health care coverage to employees and families
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Please describe any innovative solutions your organization offers with regard to compensation and benefits. Of course we would love it if everyone came to work only because of their passion for the work and the people they work with. However, the reality is that most people’s top priority at work is to make a living for themselves and their families. At Elzinga & Volkers, we constantly explore new ways to reward our employees for their hard work and commitment while keeping costs and pay scale competitive with the market.
Getting Outside of the Office Underwriting unique and fun activities outside the office and the normal workday has been a great way to reward our employees for their combined efforts. Some of our activities and outings in 2014 included:
Basketball Tournament
»» Tubing and overnight stay in a large cabin outside Newago, MI for all of the support, accounting and administrative staff. »» An all-expenses-paid trip to attend a Detroit Tigers game including a coach bus, fun activities and prizes, dinner and a ticket to the game. This outing was attended by 36 employees. »» Our annual golf scramble and lunch is a half day event attended by over 40 employees. »» Our annual family fun day at Michigan’s Adventure included well over 100 employees including kids, spouses and other guests. »» Over 60 employees participated in the Warrior Dash to support St. Jude’s last September Even regular operations and management meetings are used as an opportunity to thank our employees through unique events. On one occasion, our normal management meeting was substituted with a surprise scavenger hunt ending in drinks and pizza on our office rooftop. While these events don’t necessarily affect an employee’s take-home pay, they represent a significant, but very worthwhile, investment in our team members.
Personalized Gifts of Appreciation E&V Iron Chef Pot Luck
We were again blessed this year with strong business growth and financial strength. This strength has again allowed us to share the fruits of our labor with those who work so hard every day. This year, in addition to cash bonuses, employees received a gift to open with their families on Christmas morning. Each gift was accompanied by a hand written note to the employee and, in many cases, to the employee’s spouse. One of the most satisfying activities for our leadership team is surprising employees with personalized gifts for going beyond the normal demands of the job. Employees this year received gifts such as an all expenses paid trip to a casino in Michigan, which included hotel accommodations, gift certificates and gambling money and a brand new guitar for a music lover. Our leadership team prides ourselves in knowing our employees on a deeper level. Some argue that it is easier to stay disconnected with your employees, but we benefit greatly from knowing the people we work with and understanding their joys and sorrows. This connection and care allows us to get the very best out of each person.
Outstanding Healthcare Coverage
Dan Blamer’s Retirement Party
Insurance renewal is not typically an exciting time for our employees, so it was a pleasant surprise when we were able to switch to a new insurance provider that would not alter insurance costs or benefits from 2014. We were told directly by our insurance providers that our healthy workforce, safety practices and wellness program have positioned us well in a very uncertain insurance marketplace. We are extremely proud of these efforts and will continue to work hard at keeping healthcare coverage affordable and accessible.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
An Office Prank...
Don’t spend too much time away from the office or your desk might end up like this!
As in past years, Elzinga & Volkers continues to offer health insurance co-pay discounts of up to 30% are given to non-tobacco users. Flu shots and TB testing are also offered free of charge to all employees and are administered conveniently at our offices. In addition, premiums for 2015 have been reduced and savings were passed to employees. We also continue to add services and benefits to our wellness program. This year, Elzinga & Volkers added Rx optical membership to our healthcare coverage options. We also reinstated our gym membership reimbursement program for all employees and gave away exercise equipment including podometers, weights and exercise balls and mats. We have very few employees who smoke and our random tobacco screenings combined with smoking secession programs have kept this number low and encouraged some long time smokers to quit. We are very proud of our employees for the life changing health decisions they have made in 2014.
Employee Events from 2014 included: »» Milestone birthday meals and gifts
»» Massage for the ladies of the office on Valentine’s Day
»» Referral bonuses in 2014 totaling $2,500 for referring 14 new employees
»» Change in health insurance with a cost savings that was passed along to employees in the form of an HSA match
»» Tailgate party with prizes and games for Michigan/Michigan State game »» A Halloween costume and pumpkin carving contest »» A Detroit Tigers game with coach bus
»» A fantastic Christmas party with more than $15,000 in raffle prizes, candy bar and a photo booth
In addition to our many annual events, our plans for 2015 include: »» Continuing wellness program with cash prizes »» A companywide stakeholders meeting, set up like a high-end convention with a team building opportunity open to all employees.
»» Hosting our annual Safety Week (alive365) with a kick-off, free training and certifications for our subcontractors and an end of the week celebration for subcontractors who reached 365 Days with No Lost Time in 2014.
»» Establishing a Field Leadership Team and a Division Leaders and Department Managers where key individuals can discuss opportunities and challenges within their departments and the organization.
»» 70 Random Acts of Kindness project in celebration of our 70th anniversary. We are sending our employees out into our community and will share stories from their experiences on our blog at evrandomacts.com.
»» Celebrating 3,000 safe days on August 1 with a company celebration
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
• Employee on-boarding process
Enrichment, Engagement & Retention
• Employee Satisfaction Guaranteed • “Savoring our Successes” board • Friday celebrations • Supporting personal & professional goals
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We work on a horizontal ‘hierarchy’ here at E&V. I know if I have a problem, I can bring it up with the executive committee. There’s no jumping through hoops, and they respect ideas that employees bring to the table.
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Brad Giha Project Manager
• Company monthly meetings – breaking the blue/white collar perception • Nationally recognized safety program -- 2,800 days without any lost-time injuries • Open door policy
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Please provide additional details regarding your organization’s initiatives to build a more engaged workforce and how your company demonstrates employee enrichment by treating them as a whole person (not just within their job functions). A Warm Welcome When we hire a new employee, we work to engage them before they even begin their job. Our employee on-boarding process allows new employees the opportunity to sit down with senior management personnel on their first day and get to know each other as well as the company’s history, the markets we serve, and our strategy for obtaining future work. We hand them gift bags with E&V logoed clothing and accessories and tell stories about our rich history to get them excited about their future. This process has been very effective and helps the employee feel like part of the team right from the start.
Monthly safety meetings
Our President and Vice President of Operations have regular breakfast meetings with all tradespeople throughout the year. At these meetings, tradespeople are encouraged to express any needs they have and offer up suggestions for improvements in the field. The executives follow up on these items to ensure they are addressed. These meetings are especially important in our industry because they help to bridge the gap between the office and the field. Through this, field employees, who are not in the office very often know they have a voice that it is being heard, which builds in them a sense of loyalty and pride.
Safety First Once a month, our entire company gets together for our “Safety and Update” meeting. The goal of these meetings is to communicate important items to employees such as projects we are pursuing, new work that has been recently awarded, employee updates, and construction techniques that will keep everyone safer in the field. We want all employees to be heavily engaged in all aspects of our business! These meetings have been very successful because they bring all areas of our company together to create a team feel and keep everyone in the loop. We work diligently to break the blue/white collar perception; every worker is significant in our organization! Another place that our employee engagement shows its strength is in our regionally recognized safety program. For the policies and procedures of this safety program to be effective, our employees must truly care about each other and the well-being of their fellow workers. Our industry record-setting safety tally of over 2,800 days (and counting) without any lost-time injuries also illustrates a strong commitment to making our environment a safe place to work.
Our pre-construction team working on an estimate together
Open Door Policy It is no mistake that our executive leadership team’s offices are situated in the middle of the first floor of our offices. The E&V leadership team is extremely accessible, taking the open door policy to the next level. If a carpenter or field employee has a question, they can take it directly to one of the executives with no hesitation. This example is only one of many ways that E&V has been able to break down the roles and hierarchy of traditional companies. We have an inverted organizational chart and firmly believe the CEO is here to support the management staff, and the management to support the field operations. It’s all about the people who most often touch our clients directly – our tradespeople. Communication flows in all directions through the company - not just from the top down.
Employee Encouragement Impromptu meeting on a jobsite Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Warrior Dash
When an employee commits to a goal, whether it is a professional goal like obtaining their Master’s degree, or a personal goal like running a marathon or losing weight, everyone in our office, from the top down, offers support and encouragement throughout the process. We understand that when employees feel supported and ask others to hold them accountable, they can accomplish great things. We allow for flexible working hours, and we offer tuition reimbursement to lighten the financial burden when an employee is already using much of their free time to expand their knowledge base. In addition, we encourage employees to share any personal and professional success at our Friday meetings (more about “Savoring our Successes” in Employee Achievement & Recognition).
Continuing to Improve We started our office renovations in 2012 and have continued them through 2014 with modern, tech savvy updates to our first floor and second floor offices. The spaces were very dated and didn’t have any aesthetic appeal, but with the new finishes, offices have warm colored walls and lighting and new furniture. We surveyed employees before the construction process started and respected their request to go against the open office trend and instead implemented spacious, private office alonside community space.This significant investment in the space our employees utilize on a daily basis encourages a sense of commitment to the company and allows for bonding over exciting, positive change to occur during employee gatherings.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
• Continuous training
Education & Development
• Attending and presenting at conferences • Participating in professional organizations • Investing in targeted skill and safety training • Mentoring programs • Leadership programs • E&V University classes
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Please provide additional detail regarding your organization’s educational and development initiatives. Continuous Training
Project Administrator, Morgan Weaver, graduates with her MBA
Continuous training is one of the most important ways our company can stay competitive and experience continued success. Elzinga & Volkers has channeled our educational and development initiatives toward finding ways to increase our skill sets to make our clients’ industries more successful. Examples from the past year include participating in professional organizations, investing in targeted skill and safety training and in office training and education. We also attended a variety of conferences this year. One targeted conference, Leading Age, was specifically geared toward learning about the senior living industry and the unique challenges to their facilities. In addition, two of members of our executive committee completed the Innovative Management Certificate Program through the New North Center in Holland, MI. With the new tools and techniques we acquired from these initiatives, our office and field employees are able to work more efficiently and effectively. These educational initiatives make our company a sought after expert in our field. We would have only a small fraction of our success if we didn’t invest in these extensive, continued trainings.
Additional innovative educational programs include: »» Employee participation in Chamber of Commerce leadership programs throughout the West Michigan/Greater Grand Rapids area. »» Executive team attends multiple training/educational sessions hosted by the Young President’s Organization (YPO) each year. »» Operations staff attended leadership training through the Associated Builders and Contractors of West MI. »» E&V hosts our annual Stakeholders’ Conference to keep employees informed of happenings in the company.
Investing in Targeted Skill and Safety Training Alive 365: Safety Symposium
»» Elzinga & Volkers will reimburse college level programs in order for employees to obtain their A.S., B.A., and graduate degrees in related fields. Three of our employees have taken advantage of this in the last year. One employee is working on her B.S., two employees are working on their MBA, and one completed her MBA. »» Field staff attended specialized training from Hilti and STI on firestopping details in medical and nursing home facilities. »» One employee became an active member of Leadership Holland. »» Elzinga & Volkers will reimburse for specific computer training applicable to our operations including project management software, accounting software and design software. »» Field staff received training and certification on aerial lift equipment, hi-los, powder actuated tools, firestopping installation and first aid/CPR. »» Several carpenters attended and graduated from Construction Workforce Development Alliance (CWDA) ABC skilled trades where they updated their job certifications and skills.
Internal Education Training at an early age...Take Your Child to Work Day at E&V
»» At our monthly, company-wide meeting, we invite guest speakers to present on a range of pertinent topics
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Internal Education
including managing investments, health insurance, safety and healthy lifestyle choices. »» Every new employee hired in both the office and the field gets assigned an E&V buddy. This one-on-one peer training fast tracks knowledge and skills transfer. »» Elzinga & Volkers employs a formal mentoring program for employees to grow and develop within the company. This mentoring effort has contributed to a high retention rate, exceptional employee longevity and a successful transfer of knowledge and wisdom. »» E&V University classes held every other month covering various topics such as trim installation, concrete finishing, door hardware installation, plans and specs, D.O.T. training, best practices, computer training skills for field personnel and more. »» Monthly healthcare and senior living team meetings are held to train and share techniques for complex construction projects in these industries. Members of these teams then train staff on the jobsite, passing along valuable “best practices” to all staff on the sites. »» Executive team members participate in executive coaching sessions to improve leadership and management skills »» Pertinent topics in risk management are discussed at field manager meetings with the aid of the E&V Quality Standard Manual (a working document distributed to field staff for reference of construction best practices) »» The Power of Storytelling class hosted by Varnum Consulting for office employees to hone skills »» Executive members hold regular subcontractor round table meetings with a group of leading trade contractors in the area to discuss struggles, trends, innovations and the general market. »» Consultants are hired to tour the jobsites and identify potential safety issues. The consultants educate those in the field on the various hazards and ways to manage the risk. »» An expert in meeting management was brought in to discuss efficient and effective ways to run a meeting. This training was especially helpful for our operational staff, including field managers and project managers. »» New technologies that may be helpful to the project management staff are shared and discussed. A training session for the new program/item will be provided at the following meeting if needed. Some items that have been implemented this year include: new file share software, building punch-out apps, electronic checklists, new and improved management spreadsheets and electronic document control.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Recruitment, Selection & Orientation
• Employee referrals • Networking • Unconventional ways of recruiting • Internal job postings • College job boards • On-boarding binder • Company orientation with President and VP of Operations • Assigned a “buddy”
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Employees Learn the History of E&V during their New Hire Orientation Please provide additional detail regarding your organization’s recruitment, selection and orientation practices. Recruitment Process We strongly believe that we have the most talented employees at Elzinga & Volkers. Because of this, referrals from current employees are given special attention, as this is a key indicator that the referral may be a good cultural fit with our company. Any person with the talent to perform a job in our organization and will to thrive in our culture is welcomed into the family. Elzinga & Volkers uses networking through friends, family, churches, non-profits and trade associations to recruit our staff. Monthly, we communicate with our employees about referrals they have made and, if we hired their suggestion, the bonus amount they receive. We are proud to report that over 58% of the new employees hired in 2014 were referred by current Elzinga & Volkers employees. This year, we continued our focus on posting job opportunities within the company. These postings are updated monthly and offer employees the chance to apply for different positions within the company or recommend a friend before we start advertising publicly to fill positions. These internal job postings have become an effective resource in recruiting new employees. In an effort to recruit up-and-coming talent, our company posts positions on area college job boards. We want diversified talent and viewpoints in our workforce and actively pursue new talent to reflect this. In addition, we spent very little money on job ads this year– almost all our recruits were found by referral, word-of-mouth or internal recruiting. We believe this is evidence of our standing as an employer of choice and a 101 Best and Brightest organization.
Orientation for New Hires Once a new employee is hired, Elzinga & Volkers goes through an extensive orientation process to ensure the employee feels welcome. At an initial meeting with Human Resources, an employee on-boarding binder is reviewed and the new employee receives a welcome package with logoed clothing items, a hard hat and company stationary. The on-boarding binder features a letter from the president welcoming the individual as well as important benefit and company policy and procedure information. A checklist is sent around to current employees before a new employee’s first day with over 60 items, and everyone checks off their to-dos before the new employee arrives. This way, on the employee’s first day of work, they already have important items such as business cards and a company email signature. Also, their phone and computer login are ready to go and they have a personalized name plate at their office. All of these little touches decrease first day stresses and enable the new employee to feel welcomed and excited to be here. At our monthly company-wide meeting, each new employee is welcomed and sits down with the president and vice president of operations for a presentation of the company’s rich history, current projects and clients as well as stories about our culture and what drives our success. Also, every new member of the Elzinga & Volkers family is assigned a “buddy” who will help them make friends and quickly acclimate to our culture.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Achievement & Recognition
• Personalized gifts • Bonuses • Personalized notes from the CEO • One-on-one recognition • Employee celebrations
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At the end of each work day on-site, our Field Managers thank their work force for a full day of hard work. This really helps keep a positive attitude in the field and creates respect between employees and managers.
• “Savoring our Successes”
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Guy Descloux Project Manager
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
What creative methods does your organization employ to recognize employee achievement? Personalized Gifts At Elzinga & Volkers, we have made it a priority to creatively recognize employee achievements on a consistent basis. Our leadership team prides itself on knowing each employee on a personal level. In addition to traditional cash bonuses, the leadership team will try to include a gift that is related to that employee’s hobby or interest. Personalized gifts given in 2013 include: »» Customized wedding and baby gifts from the happy couples’ registries »» An all expenses paid trip to a local casino for an employee and their spouse for a job well done »» An electric guitar for a retiring employee »» Tickets to major sporting events These bonuses may have equal monetary value as traditional bonuses and be evaluated in the same ways, but these personal touches let our employees know that leadership knows, appreciates and values them as part of the E&V family. This past Christmas, in addition to cash bonuses, the president wrote hand-written notes thanking each employee for their hard work. In addition, each employee received a customized gift including treats, gift cards, and cash wrapped in a festive box for them to share with their family on Christmas day. We make it a point to recognize employees on their work-anniversary date with a breakfast and/or lunch. On larger milestone anniversaries employees receive an additional monetary gift. On milestone birthdays, we will recognize employees on the jobsite or at the office with a breakfast and/or lunch, gifts and even decorating their office. Our management team is trained to recognize and reward small successes by our staff, which could include the achievement of a schedule milestone, a good job reference from a client or the resolution of a difficult problem or project. We not only publicize “good job letters” from owners and clients but also post internal letters of recognition from one employee to the other, which creates a common respect. Management also has the flexibility and authority to direct small gifts and rewards to outstanding personnel. These small, ongoing forms of recognition engage employees and keep energy and morale high, especially in stressful, difficult situations.
Celebrations In response to all the negativity in the media and the world around us, Elzinga & Volkers decided to make a conscious decision to focus on the positive. Starting in 2011, we created a special time every week that is set aside for “Savoring our Successes.” Every Friday at 9:00am, employees come together to share successes from the week. We have a large celebration board where employees can tack photos or awards of personal achievements or professional accomplishments. We socialize together and encourage and congratulate one another. It has proven to be a great morale booster for our team, and everyone looks forward to Friday mornings even more now.
Savoring Our Successes Board
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Communication & Shared Vision
• Second Annual Stakeholder Meeting • Social media • uMaps and Business Map • “Painted Picture of 2017” • Companywide monthly safety and update meetings
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As a new employee, the Stakeholders’ Conference was very helpful in getting to know the company culture, learning about past successes and future aspirations, and taking time to bond with new coworkers.
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Madeline Sagorski Marketing Assistant
• Monthly management meetings – 90% office staff attendance • 2 on 1 reviews
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
2015 Stakeholder Meeting What creative methods does your organization employ that senior leaders use to communicate strategy and vision to employees? Building on past successes When we were first recognized as a 101 Best and Brightest organization, communication was one section where our scores were lower than our executive team would have guessed. Over the last eight years, we have strived to over-communicate with our employees whenever possible. We developed many unique communications tools, and our communication scores have steadily improved. We still see that our employees’ desire to know more about the company is growing stronger. This has challenged us to continually think about what we are communicating and how we are doing it.
Second Annual Stakeholder Meeting In January 2015, we organized our first annual Stakeholders’ Conference. What is a “stakeholder,” you might ask? Well, it’s anyone who works for Elzinga & Volkers has a stake in our success. This conference, held at a conference center in Hudsonville, MI, was designed to inform and connect our employees to the entire world of Elzinga & Volkers. During the conference, employees engaged in roundtable discussions, presentations and a team building exercise to learn more about how we operate and what’s next for our team.
Painting a picture together for 2017 In 2013, we embarked on our three year strategic planning which centered on creating a “painted picture” of what our organization will look like in 2017. Our previous painted picture for 2014 was successful both as a communication tool and as a measurement tool. We are happy to report that approximately 80% of our 2014 painted picture came to fruition at the start of the New Year. The 2017 Painted Picture was developed with two main goals. First, we must connect with every level of the company on both a personal and professional level. Second, we must encourage open communication and cultivate new and radical ideas. Employee groups were led through a series of exercises that extracted ideas and initiatives that the employees felt were important to our continued success. These ideas were documented and most were incorporated into the 2017 painted picture.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
The painted picture is a collective document created by all the employees and meant to clearly illustrate the organization that we hope to be in three years. The painted picture was unanimously adopted by our board of directors and is included in our 2015 Business Plan.
Getting Face-to-Face There really is no substitute for face-to-face communication. From your first day at Elzinga & Volkers as a new employee, you are exposed to a variety of meetings that allow two-way communications between employees. Every Monday morning, the project management team kicks off the week with an hour long meeting, which includes an opportunity for each employee to share upcoming challenges for the week and solicit ideas on how to overcome problems. At the end of the week, the entire office gathers for the “Savoring our Success” celebration. This gathering focuses on positive weekly happenings, both personally and professionally. After sharing, the group eats breakfast together and socializes for a brief period of time. In 2014, we had many opportunities to share this meeting with outside guests, vendors, clients and many other business partners, and we have also begun to document the successes from the meeting and email them to the entire company. This simple email has sparked a wave of employee-to-employee communications with congratulations, support and sharing of common experiences. All of this keeps us focused on the positive in a world that can quickly drag you into the negative. We continue to hold our “all hands” monthly Safety Meeting. We discuss all aspects of company operations, business development, current projects, HR, good job letters with a special focus on jobsite safety. This meeting regularly exceeds 90% participation from our employees, which is impressive when you consider the geographic range of our project locations and where our employees live. Employee reviews are also a critical part of individual growth and fulfilling our corporate goals. At least two members of the executive team hold quarterly reviews for field management and office staff. These 2-on-1 meetings are a chance to connect individual goals with those of the company. Our CEO and VP of Operations also hold regular breakfast meetings with field staff in groups of 6-8. These informal conversations address company happenings and general concerns from the field level. The field employees also participate in one individual review with management each year.
Newsletters and Social Media Social media provides Elzinga & Volkers with a powerful communication medium with the company. Over the past year, we have refocused our Facebook page on internal communications rather than external marketing. This small shift has increased our Facebook activity significantly. We also believe that this shift has positively impacted external marketing as our messages are more genuine and focus on culture rather than selling a product. Over the past year, we continued our efforts with our corporate newsletter “Building Together.” Rather than utilize one of the dozens of electronic formats available for newsletters, we chose to go “old school” and mail the newsletter directly to employees’ homes. We believe that this creates a physical connection to the information in the newsletter and allows our employees’ families and spouses to share in our success. When you consider that the majority of our employees have family health insurance through Elzinga & Volkers, their families have a vested interest in our success and should share it in. As we mentioned earlier, we give holiday bonuses and special notes to many of our employees’ spouses and significant others, thanking them for their support. Connecting with and caring for the people close to our employees gives our employees a reason to deliver the highest quality product every time they come to work.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Please provide additional detail regarding your organization’s communication and shared vision best practices. Breaking Down the Communication Barriers Accessibility has always been a cornerstone of our ability to connect and communicate with employees. It is easy for things such as job titles and office doors to get in the way of communication between employees. Elzinga & Volkers strives to break down these barriers. In addition to the communication tools discussed above, employees are encouraged to develop their own techniques to connect with each other and with leadership in the company. Whether this is a breakfast or lunch between employees or group participation in an activity on the weekend, the company typically supports the efforts financially or with other available resources. In 2015, we will incorporate a one page, graphically illustrated Painted Picture for 2017 to replace our lengthy, jargon-filled three year plan. Instead of written words alone, we will pair graphics so the document tells a vivid and memorable story to all those we share it with. Our Business Plan will look similar — cut from fifty pages to five carefully designed pieces of “business art.” These documents will be accessible to all employees and will offer a more tangible idea of what our goals are as a company. In addition, we will roll out “uMaps,” or personal, job-tailored guiding maps for each employee. This map will guide each employee in their annual and long term goals as they compare to E&V’s annual and long term business plans. They will also act as a reference and guide for the employee’s yearly review, keeping both the employee and manager accountable for the goals and responsibilites listed on the map. Already in 2015, we held our second companywide stakeholders conference in mid-January. Taking cues from the formats of large conventions and public shareholders meetings, we hosted an afternoon of presentations, rountable discussions, a team building event, and socialization with all employees of the company. We shared important themes from the business plan, looked back at 2014 and dove deeper into areas of the company such as marketing, safety, benefits, financials and operations. The goal of these meetings is to equalize all our employees and position them all as stakeholders, or owners, of the company. It is an exciting time that will continue to be held annually at the start of each new fiscal year. We have dedicated a significant portion of our overall 2015 101 Best and Brightest response to the area of communication. We feel that this is an area in which we excell and one that is so important in building a corporate culture where the employee is at the center of all decision making. Building this employee-centric culture is the cornerstone of all our business operations.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Diversity & Inclusion
• Attended the Lakeshore Region Summit on Race and Inclusion • Promoting from within • Use of the Grand Rapids Minority Contractors Program • Promotion of women into management roles • Hired woman field employee
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
How do your programs and policies differentiate your organization with regard to promoting diversity, inclusion, and celebrating differences? Welcoming Diversity Elzinga & Volkers welcomes diversity in our corporate family and our external business relationships. This year our team invested in diversity in many ways. In 2014, Elzinga & Volkers hired seven new female employees including one female field employee and promoted one female team member to Marketing Manager. While men outnumber women in many construction companies, we are proud that females represent almost half of our corporate staff.
Amy Elston, Marketing Manager
We are also constantly adding minority and women-owned businesses to our group of subcontractors and vendors. We are pleased to have worked with several new companies this year that have helped us strengthen our diversity on the jobsite. Our continued commitment to this has led to the State of Michigan Department of Civil Rights Certificate of Awardability for many years. We encourage the use of the Grand Rapids minority contractors program and make attempts to include these highly talented trade contractors in our bidding process. We provide an opportunity for these minority contractors to work for a premier construction company that believes in fairness, equal opportunity and the advancement of all our community members. We are also continuously looking for qualified minority candidates for employment at Elzinga & Volkers. We had a great opportunity to connect with the minority business community by taking a major underwriting position in the 2014 Diversity and Inclusion Forum hosted by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. This half-day forum included prominent speakers on the subject of diversity in the work place and the unique opportunities that can develop when diversity is supported and celebrated. As with similar past events, the employees that attended shared their experience with the rest of our team through a formal presentation at the office.
Girls’ Lunches
Other notable achievements in the area of Diversity and Multi-Culturism include: »» Maintaining above 25% minority employees on staff (ethnic and gender minorities included). »» Promoted one woman into a marketing management position and one new woman to a field position. »» Hired one new Hispanic employee and seven new women employees. »» Introduced Girls’ Lunches where the ladies of the office who wish to participate bring in and share a meal with each other once a week. »» Donated time and materials to the Unity Bridge Sculpture project celebrating diversity in Holland.
Installation of the Unity Bridge Sculpture to celebrate diversity in Holland. Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Work-Life Balance
• Flexible schedules • Family focused benefits • “Special” paid holidays • Work-free weekends • Wireless/remote workplace technology • Laptop access • “Check-In” points
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Family Fun Day at Michigan’s Adventure
How do your work-life balance initiatives make your organization one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For? We are firm believers that the office can truly be a fulfilling place where employees can enjoy the work they do and the people they work with. That being said, work is just one part of a person’s life. Family, personal interests and religious beliefs hold an equal, if not greater, position in our employees’ lives. To truly exemplify what it is to be a 101 Best and Brightest organization, Elzinga & Volkers must support, respect and assist our employees in balancing their work and home lives.
Family and Friends Our diverse group of employees ranges from young singles to empty nesters and everything in between. Whatever the situation, Elzinga & Volkers understands that it is important for our team members to spend time with their families. This belief has changed the way we do business and our vision of the future. In the day-to-day operations of the company, there are many examples of this work and home life balance. For employees that commute significant distances to work, we allow flex time to accommodate bad weather and child care schedules. While this is relatively easy in an office setting, it is more difficult on a construction project site. Despite the difficulty, Elzinga & Volkers allows their field staff to work overtime on any given day to make up for planned time off or an emergency absence. Also, when we have workers from out of town, Elzinga & Volkers strives to schedule longer work days in exchange for a shorter work week. For example, we may work four, ten hour days and give our employees a longer weekend to spend at home. We also do not encourage work on Saturdays or Sundays in an effort to provide time to spend with their loved ones. This flexibility is a perfect example of the company’s philosophy that helping build strong families creates a strong community and company to better serve our clients. Employee work/life balance also influences the long range planning of the organization. During our annual corporate planning retreat, the executive team discussed numerous opportunities to grow our business outside of West Michigan. We found many lucrative opportunities that would require our team to travel and possibly relocate. If the mission of a corporation is to make money for its shareholders, we would not have a difficult decision to make. However, our mission is slightly different. We know that we must make money to keep the lights on, but if that money can only be made by disrupting the lives and stability of our employees and their families, we will seek another route. We have turned down lucrative project opportunities this year for the sole reason of not negatively affecting the work/life balance of our employees. When our employees voluntarily travel for a job, we compensate them with higher pay, shorter work weeks and longer breaks between out-of-town assignments since we understand how challenging this kind of work lifestyle can be.
Family-Focused Benefits Due to an increase in our premiums with our current health provider, we made a change in order to recognize savings. We are passing the savings on to the employees with no increase in their weekly premiums; we will also give employees an HSA match. The new plan is very similar to the old one and is considered a platinum plan in the marketplace. Elzinga & Volkers offers a host of benefits which go above and beyond industry standard and allow employees to enjoy a healthy work-life balance. One of the most popular benefits is special paid holidays. Every year, in addition to the traditional six paid holidays for all staff, our employees receive an additional paid vacation day if the holiday lands on a Tuesday or Thursday so they can have a four-day holiday weekend. Also, our employees receive a paid half-day off for Good Friday each year. In addition, Elzinga & Volkers offers six paid sick days so employees can rest up when illness strikes. E&V spends over $30,000 a year to fund these special holidays but we continue to believe they are crucial to maintaining a positive work/life balance.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Group Exercise at our Monday Project Management Meeting
Supporting Personal Goals Elzinga & Volkers spends a significant amount of time and resources helping employees plan and achieve personal goals. These goals don’t stop at professional growth and development; they include health and wellness, education and financial stability. We encourage our employee to share personal goals with their supervisors so that leaderships understand the full picture of our employees’ lives, sometimes including their struggles.
Technology and Face to Face Communication To further enable flexibility in our employees’ work/life balance, Elzinga & Volkers has made a significant investment in wireless and remote workplace technology. All operational managers are outfitted with laptop computers that contain remote networking capabilities allowing for full access to company documents and programs from the comfort of home. This allows employees who work further from Holland to stay safe in harsh weather and attend appointments while still completing work tasks. But even with this connectivity, employees are encouraged to disconnect on evenings and weekends. While technology has allowed much more flexibility in our operations, there is no replacement for face to face communications. Prior to meetings, we hold ‘check-in’ points where team members update the group on both personal and professional things they are currently involved in. This gives everyone a sense of the challenges we all face in properly balancing our busy lives. Understanding your coworker’s personal challenges allows for more productive interactions and effective communication at work. We feel strongly in not separating our work and personal lives. They are always a blend to be respected and balanced. In addition to understanding employee challenges, we also celebrate their successes. We have discussed our Friday “Savoring our Successes” meeting in this submittal, but we recently adjusted the format to focus on personal success first and corporate success second. We have also begun to summarize the successes shared at the meeting and email them to the entire organization. Success and positive attitudes are contagious, and we want everyone to “catch the bug.” We are constantly reinforcing the idea that happy employees with stable home lives will focus more on their work and achieve greater success for the organization.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
• Located in downtown Holland since 1945 • Strengthening the community around us
Community Initiatives
• Donations, sponsorships & fundraising • More to offer than just our checkbook
“
If an employee shows a passion for a program or initiative, we support it through volunteering and donations. Our E&V Gives Thanks campaign this year was a prime example of this belief. Because of their strong passion and connection they have with the organization, we know that is where we can make the most impact and get volunteers to follow through with our efforts.
“
Ali Nedved Marketing Assistant Community Initiative Committee Chair
• Getting our hands dirty and participating in volunteer opportunities • Employee passion for improving the community we live and work in • Already planning for 2015 and 2016
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
2015 Business Plan Theme
Please provide additional details regarding your organization’s community initiatives. Elzinga & Volkers continues its strong focus on giving back to the community. With our offices located in downtown Holland, we have the capacity to engage with our surrounding communities and take pride in doing so, as a company as well as individuals. It is in our company culture and in our nature; it’s our responsibility to do so. We participated again in many events from 2013, but also took part in new events in 2014, such as Ready for School float building and E&V Gives Thanks donations, which we will continue in the coming years. We will focus on encouraging employees to volunteer outside of company projects/events and will offer them new opportunities to volunteer and make a difference in our surrounding communities. Some organizations we are proud to partner with are: »» United Way
»» Labor Day Parade
»» Zeeland Christmas Parade
»» Tulip Time Kinderplaats
»» Habitat for Humanity
»» Clays for Kids
»» Holland Parade of Lights
»» Tulip Planting
Where we can’t donate much time, we donate significant funds to support various organizations around our community. Although we would rather have boots on the ground, we believe in giving back monetarily what has been graciously afforded us. Some of the organizations we donated to this last year are: »» 70x7 Life Recovery Table Sponsor
»» Holland Hospital Foundation
»» Saint Mary’s Healthcare Foundation
»» Artists Creating Together
»» American Red Cross
»» Hope College
»» St. Mary’s School
»» North Kent Community Services
»» ArtPrize
»» Michigan Blood
»» Tri-Cities Unity Auction
»» Boys & Girls Club
»» United Way – Great Ottawa County
»» Every Woman’s Place
»» Ottawa Area Intermediate School District
»» Ferris State University
»» Pine Rest Christian Mental Health
»» Habitat for Humanity
»» Porter Hills Foundation
»» Holland Christian Schools
»» Spectrum Health Foundation
»» United Methodist Retirement Communities Foundation »» Arbor Circle
»» Unity Bridge Fund »» GR Children’s Museum »» Goodwill Industries »» The Right Place »» Lakeshore Advantage
At Elzinga & Volkers, we also like to get involved in community cultural and outreach events. Some of the events we sponsored and participated in this year are: »» Metro Health 5K
»» Breast Cancer Awareness T-Shirts
»» Hamilton Youth Soccer
»» Special Olympics – Michigan
»» Tulip Time Festival
»» Georgetown Food Pantry Food Drive
»» Alaska Mission Trip
»» Ready for School Float Building
We annually volunteer for the United Way Day of Caring, participate in a Habitat Build in the Holland Area and will be hosting our annual blood drive in June 2015. We once again have proven to be a generous company with donations, sponsorships and volunteering surpassing $150,000 in 2014. We are excited to release our 70 Random Acts of Kindness program this year as part of our 70th anniversary celebration. In addition, we continue to volunteer in over 12 events a year as a company and plan to continue this trajectory in 2015 as our new Business Plan title indicates we will be “Unmistakably E&V.”
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Strategic Company Performance
• Diverse HR team - Members from field and office • Emphasis on mission statement and core values • 2 on 1 reviews • Oversees committees • Open forum • Connects with employees personally and professionally
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Training Needs/ Desires » MBA completion 2015 » CFMA
My Mentors
My Mentees
» Tony Roussey » Mike Novakoski
» Jenna Giha » Jamie Schippa
ACC O
1
Manage cash flow/collections/billings
2
Schedule regular dashboard meetings
3
Maintain relationships with financial institutions
101 B&B
Corporate
»Chair of Diversity Committee » Continue to educate employees about diversity in company culture
MCOY » Payment Terms » Lien Process »Adminstrative Procedures
N TE TIG
AM ACCURACY /EF
AC
STATUS QUO
STABILIZE
Continue to develop the accounting team
5
Personal development through education/training
CONTINUE
“
CONTROLLER
-Zig Ziglar
GRACE SILVA
Desired Status Current Status
GROWTH
HARMONY TEAM GOOD
FAIR
EXCELLENT
MOVING THE NEEDLE
If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.
U-MAP
KEY
FI
TEAM COMMU TING NIC UN AT CO GROW
START
4
COMMITTEE WORK » Benefits - health insurance renewals »Project Management Committee
UN
N IO
TRAINING AND GUIDANCE
FOR FY 2015
“
I am committed to ensuring accuracy of financial information, maintaining high ethical standards, and providing support to the other members of the accounting department.
TOP 5 RESPONSIBILITIES
CY EN CI
COMMITMENT STATEMENT
Example uMap I will continue to actively support the safety program
INFLUENCING SAFETY
MY GOALS PERSONAL FAMILY PROFESSIONAL
1
YEAR
3
YEARS
» Consistent exercise regimen
» Increase church involvement
» Spend more one on one
» Take vacation to Hawaii for
time with Bennett » Complete MBA
15 year anniversary » Continuously improve
5
YEARS
» Run another destination marathon before turning 40 » Pay extra toward mortgage » Become CFO
technology for accounting
How is your Human Resources team leveraged to implement strategy and overall company performance? In an employee-centered company, the human resources department becomes the hub for all employee engagement and communications. Our HR team is comprised of members from various levels of the organization, including representatives from the executive committee, office team and the field staff. This input from all levels of the company keeps our HR department well informed and connected to the changing needs of our workforce. The executive level input keeps the company’s vision and mission at the forefront of any discussion. Input from the operations team allows us to implement new programs quickly and effectively to all employees. Input from the field level keeps the team informed of issues and concerns from our various project sites around the country. The HR team, including executives, spends a great deal of time with all individuals throughout the year communicating our mission statement and core values. In this way, management elevates a sense of belonging and effective communication. An example of this is our 2-on-1 review process. This evaluation process includes individual meetings with each employee and at least two executive committee members and and direct managers to evaluate the work performance and progress of each employee. These reviews are used as a tool to give employees positive reinforcement about things they are doing well and to constructively discuss improvement goals that would make the entire team stronger. This year we will also roll out a new approach to these reviews with uMaps. The uMap is a tool to connect each employee to the overall business plan and strategic goals of the organization. The map helps each person understand how they fit into the bigger picture at E&V. Our HR team also oversees the efforts of many committees that are charged with achieving strategic goals. When goals are met, they coordinate celebrations for the company to highlight the good work that has been done. The HR team is a truly open forum for the discussion and resolution of our employees’ work related and personal issues. Elzinga & Volkers truly cares about its team members, who are encouraged to seek out assistance from the company for all types of issues. From smoking cessation to child care, no issue is too personal. If the issue affects the individual, it will affect the quality of that employee’s attitude and work performance. We believe that we can only have healthy client relationships when we have happy, healthy team members!
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
• Employee Centered
Additional Information
• 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in West Michigan • West Michigan 101 Best and Brightest Elite Award winner in the Communication and Shared Vision category • 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation • Safety Award of Excellence from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) West Michigan - 2 Years in a row! • 2,800 Days Without a Lost Time Injury • Alive365: Safety Week
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
What else would you like to share with us that demonstrates that your firm is a Best and Brightest Company to Work For? Thirteen years ago we began a journey moving ourselves from client-centered to employee-centered. The results were instantaneously positive, powerful and exponential. We have a place people enjoy coming to each day and an unparalleled level of loyalty and commitment. This cultural atmosphere has propelled our success beyond what we could ever have imagined. We had a wake-up call when we first applied for recognition as a 101 Best and Brightest and received low scores. The first five years we did what we instinctively felt was beneficial for the employees, and the results were good. We realized there was so much more we could do, and we set out each year to make incremental changes to consistently improve the lives of our employees. We realized that incremental is monumental! Now, with seven consecutive years of West Michigan 101 Best and Brightest recognitions, five as an Elite Award recipient, and four national 101 Best and Brightest awards, one as a national Elite Award winner, our employee-focused progress has been validated. However, the work towards continuous improvement pushes on. This past year was again a banner year for Elzinga & Volkers. Our company received more awards from multiple areas of the industry (from safe building practices to our high level of community involvement) than we have received in any single year since 1945.
Diamond Level Safety Training and Evaluation Process Award
We are honored to receive the following recognitions in 2014: »» 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in West Michigan »» 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation »» 2014 Michigan Contractor of the Year (MCOY) honorable mention »» West Michigan 101 Best and Brightest Elite Award winner in the Communication and Shared Vision category »» Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) - Diamond Level Safety Program »» 2,800 Days Without a Lost Time Injury
Michigan Contractor of the Year – 2014 honorable mention Receiving the Michigan Contractor of the Year award was very meaningful to Elzinga & Volkers because the award acknowledges the Michigan construction manager who has built the organization with the most outstanding character as well as exceptional practices in the areas of bid ethics, job site coordination, payment practices and job site safety. We were up against contractors from all parts of the state of Michigan, and over 300 subcontractors who are part of the American Subcontractors Association of Michigan voted to choose the winner. We are excited to be recognized for building a culture where we don’t win at the expense of others. These awards validate that we are doing right by our partners.
Subcontractor breakfast hosted in our warehouse
2,800 Days Without a Lost-Time Injury We reached this milestone in December 2014. It signifies more than 8 years or 2,800 days without any employee missing time at work because of an injury. In the construction industry, this is a huge milestone! Elzinga & Volkers has focused on hiring individuals with a safety attitude and mindset. This industry record-setting safety milestone has enabled the company to recruit top level employees. In August 2015 Elzinga & Volkers plans to hit 3,000 safe days. We are very proud to be so close to this milestone and want to share our passion for safety with the rest of the construction industry.
Unmatched Safety Program
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
Alive365: Safety Week At Elzinga & Volkers, we are always striving to recognize employee achievement. We credit our continued safety success to the diligent work of all our employees, a thorough safety program and the overall commitment to being an employee-centered organization. In March 2014, we organized Alive 365: Safety Week 2014, which provided 14 training sessions for 71 companies and 271 people throughout West Michigan. In addition to providing these training sessions for our partners, our employees were also welcomed and encouraged to take advantage of the training programs that were available during the week. The events were a huge success for raising awareness around the importance of safety practices and increasing education on prevention tactics in our industry.
ABC Safety Diamond Level STEP Award Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) honored our safety program with the Diamond Level STEP Award. This is the highest award given by the ABC and recognizes our commitment to employing effective safety practices on jobsites. The award is based on 20 key elements of contractor safety programs such as management commitment, pre-planning for safety on jobsites, safety training and resources committed to safety. The STEP process, which was developed and written by contractors for contractors, is a tool designed to objectively evaluate safety programs, policies, procedures and training. We are honored to have been awarded this achievement.
Best and Brightest – Always Striving For More A significant amount of strategic planning time is dedicated towards the review of our past, present and future goals as they relate to being an employer of choice. The company took the position that in order to improve our award-winning program, we need to focus more attention on its continuous development than on any initiative we’ve committed to in the past. After 11 years of progress, incremental changes are more difficult. Yet, we still believe that incremental is monumental. Our solution was to establish a taskforce, or committee comprised of a cross section of employees to work on improving each category in our program (structured around each of the 101 Elite Award categories). Each of these groups was given the responsibility to research the best practices of our 101 Best and Brightest counterparts and to create, recommend and implement new programs to further reinforce our dedication to an employee-centric culture. This is the third year we have had our task forces in place, and we have seen some exciting ideas and changes come about – many listed throughout this submittal. We are enjoying our journey and thank 101 Best and Brightest for being an integral part of our success!
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information
& CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS
THANK YOU
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals | 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For - West Michigan | 2015 Supplemental Information