Strong Culture Drives Strong Company Performance
As VP of HR, I have always believed the strength of ControlTek’s company culture has been a major driver in our ability to meet the needs of our customers and reach success as an organization.
However I also want to rely on more than just my gut feeling.
I needed to find a way to measure the impact our culture has on our business strategy, our employees, and our customers. I also hoped to expose the areas of our culture that still need improvement, so we can shine light into the shadows and continue our journey as a company.
We chose New Legends Consulting to conduct the Denison Culture survey which assesses strengths and weaknesses as they apply to organizational performance. We asked employees to give us their honest feedback about what it is like to work at ControlTek. What are the good things we do and what can we do better? Our employees embraced the survey, with an impressive 86% participation rate. Their responses told a story indicative of a stable company focused on its vision and mission, one that provides opportunity for involvement at all levels and empowers employees to create satisfied customers. Employees also asked for more opportunities to develop their skills and work together as teams. The survey spoke of both strength and opportunity. Now what?
Good company culture happens intentionally. While our survey confirmed my gut feel this is no time to sit back on our laurels. In today’s globally competitive economy, ControlTek must continue to find new ways to build the strength of our culture.
Company culture is (and always has been) an integral part of our business strategy. One of our key strategic goals is to “Create & Sustain a Positive Environment with Engaged Team Members.” This goal is supported in many ways.
It is why we have our own certified IPC trainer who delivers training in workmanship standards for the electronics industry. The production team is trained in these standards to improve their skills, strengthen ownership of their work practices, and efficiently provide consistent quality products to our customers.
Intentionally improving our culture also happens through ControlTek’s Wellness Program, which creates a wellness centered culture in the workplace and empowers employees to live a healthy lifestyle. Employees can attend workshops on nutrition, fitness and disease management, and enjoy access to a health coach to help them reach their goals. We provide many opportunities (often on company time) to participate in wellness activities individually and as a group. Why would a company invest in the health of their employees? Because we care about them! We believe that caring for your employees is the right thing to do and we acknowledge that healthy employees are more effective at work and in their life outside of work.
Continuous improvement programs is another way we intentionally improve our culture. As ControlTek’s President Andy LaFrazia consistently says at quarterly all company meetings, “Let’s get better at what we do.” Our Quality Management System, lean manufacturing initiatives and continuous improvement project teams support “getting better at what we do.” These systems contribute to the strength of our culture and our ability to adapt as a company to the demands of the marketplace.
These investments are an integral part of ControlTek’s DNA. We are dedicated to the ongoing pursuit of new opportunities that help us meet the challenges of today’s global economy by investing in employees responsible for making our customers happy and our organization stronger.
Stacey LaFrazia Smith, Vice President of Human Resources and Marketing
