Employer of Choice

Employer of Choice E6: Brand

Host and Guests: Tom Parks, Director of Retirement Plan Services at Annex Wealth Management, is joined by Lori Malett and Eric Becher from Hatch Staffing to discuss being an employer of choice. * Focus of Discussion: The episode focuses on brand as a key element of workplace culture and employer appeal. * Defining Brand: * Lori Malett: A brand attracts people due to the quality of work and reputation. * Eric Becher: A brand is defined by what others say about you, not just your own perception. * Importance of Brand: * Brand plays a crucial role in attracting both clients and potential employees. * Digital presence and online reviews significantly impact candidates' decisions to apply. * Communicating Brand: * Companies use different social media platforms to target specific audiences. * Consistency and professionalism in social media presence are essential. * Brand and Company Culture: * The brand extends to the physical office environment and overall company culture. * Investing in the office environment can enhance the brand perception. * Leadership and Brand: * Strong leadership and clear values are fundamental to maintaining a positive brand. * Consistent communication and alignment with company values are crucial. * Final Thoughts: * Define who you are, what you do, and who you serve to establish a strong brand. * Embrace feedback and continuously improve to maintain and enhance the brand.

Employer of Choice: E5 Leadership

Host and Guests: Tom Parks, Director of Retirement Plan Services at Annex Wealth Management, is joined by Lori Malett and Eric Becher from Hatch Staffing to discuss being an employer of choice. * Focus of Discussion: The episode shifts to leadership within a company as a key element of workplace culture and employer appeal. Defining Leadership: * Lori : A leader sets the vision, inspires people, and holds them accountable. * Eric: Agrees with Lori; emphasizes vision, inspiration, and accountability. * Tom: Simplifies leadership as having followers. * Key Attributes of Leaders: * Communication: Clear, consistent, and transparent communication is crucial. * Self-Improvement: Leaders should seek feedback and continuously improve. * Humility, Vision, Conviction, Empathy: Essential traits for effective leadership. * Leadership Challenges: * Hesitancy in leadership may indicate it's not the right role for someone. * Natural leaders take initiative without waiting for a title. * Leadership in Different Contexts: * Leadership manifests differently across various organizational types (manufacturing, professional firms, retail). * Importance of adapting leadership style to different employee needs. * Maintaining Leadership Skills: * Building strong relationships and rapport with team members. * Being open to feedback and willing to adjust delivery style. * Continuous improvement and debriefing to identify areas for enhancement. * Leadership and Organizational Success: * Leaders should genuinely care about their team members. * Different leadership styles can be effective; key attributes remain important. * Consistency in actions and following through on commitments build trust. * Conclusion: * Strong leadership is essential for becoming an employer of choice. * Future discussions will focus on defining the brand and attracting clients and customers.

Employer of Choice E4: Giving Back

Host and Guests: Tom Parks, Director of Retirement Plan Services at Annex Wealth Management, is joined by Lori Malett and Eric Becher from Hatch Staffing to discuss being an employer of choice. * Focus of Discussion: The episode shifts from previous topics (flexibility, compensation) to fostering a culture of giving back within a company as a key element of workplace culture and employer appeal. * Importance of Giving Back: Tom views giving back as essential for a positive company culture, influencing other aspects like flexibility and compensation, and requiring deliberate intent to implement effectively. * Trends in Corporate Giving:  * Lori notes companies are rallying around specific charities meaningful to their employees. * Many offer paid volunteer hours as a benefit, encouraging community involvement and emphasizing collective responsibility for improving the local area. * Team Dynamics: Tom suggests that working with colleagues uninterested in giving back could dampen workplace morale, implying it’s a marker of a collaborative, enjoyable team. * Success Stories:  * Eric shares examples where Hatch Staffing rallied around employees facing personal challenges, strengthening team bonds and fostering a sense of purpose beyond material rewards. * Generosity is described as contagious, amplifying its impact when supported company-wide. * Deliberate Implementation:  * Tom and guests agree that fostering a giving culture requires proactive effort, not just assumption it will happen naturally. * Annex Wealth Management, for example, has a charitable foundation, dedicated volunteer hours, and encourages involvement in personally meaningful causes. * Practical Approaches:  * Companies can encourage involvement through small, authentic actions rather than grand gestures. * Lori emphasizes aligning giving with employees’ passions, noting Hatch staff often volunteer without claiming hours when the cause is personal. * Pitfalls to Avoid:  * Eric suggests using tools like Charity Navigator to vet charities, avoiding those that misuse funds and could harm the company’s reputation. * Tom raises the risk of cynicism (e.g., perceptions of publicity stunts), but Lori counters that the community benefit outweighs such criticism. * Guidelines:  * Avoid inauthenticity by focusing on employee-driven causes rather than arbitrary or highly publicized charities. * Posting about efforts on social media is framed as raising awareness, not gloating, to engage others in the cause. * Broader Impact:  * Lori ties giving back to regional thriving—strong businesses support better communities, education, and overall quality of life in southeastern Wisconsin. * Even if some efforts are publicity-driven, the positive outcomes still matter. * Final Thoughts:  * Education and listening to employees are key to embedding giving back into company culture. * This component links to upcoming topics (leadership, brand), reinforcing sincerity as critical to being an employer of choice. * Next Steps: The series will continue exploring leadership and brand as additional building blocks for employer appeal. Disclaimer: The podcast is for educational/entertainment purposes, provided by Annex Wealth Management LLC, and not intended as specific tax, legal, or investment advice. Listeners should consult qualified professionals for tailored advice.

Employer of Choice E3: Wellness

* Introduction: * Host: Tom Parks, Director of Retirement Plan Services at Annex Wealth Management. * Guests: Lori Malett and Eric Becher from Hatch Staffing. * Topic: Becoming an employer of choice with a focus on wellness. * Wellness Overview: * Wellness includes physical, psychological, emotional, and financial aspects. * Financial wellness is highlighted as crucial, impacting other wellness areas. * Health Wellness: * Trends: Increased corporate wellness programs, especially in small to midsize companies. * Initiatives: Step challenges, on-site gym amenities, flexible work hours for workouts, and competitive challenges. * Incentives: Financial incentives from health insurance companies to reduce premium costs. * Psychological and Emotional Wellness: * Importance of company culture in promoting psychological and emotional wellness. * Programs: Mental health resources, financial education, and lunch and learns. * Financial Wellness: * Financial wellness is essential for reducing stress and improving overall health. * Education: Importance of educating employees about 401k savings and financial planning. * Challenges: Addressing financial concerns of younger employees with student loan debt and high living costs. * Employer Strategies: * Regular engagement and education through various methods (in-person, webinars, postcards, YouTube videos). * Importance of understanding employee needs and avoiding judgment. * Utilizing existing resources from health insurers and wellness providers. * Key Takeaways: * Start small with wellness programs and create engagement. * Use current resources and partner with experts. * Make wellness programs fun and engaging to encourage participation. * Conclusion: * Emphasis on the importance of wellness in becoming an employer of choice. * Encouragement to continue the discussion on leadership and brand in future episodes.

Employer of Choice E2: Flexibility

* Host and Guests: Tom Parks, Director of Retirement Plan Services, is joined by Lori Malett and Eric Becher from Hatch Staffing to discuss workplace flexibility. * The conversation moves from compensation (previous episode) to flexibility as a key factor in becoming an employer of choice. * Varied Flexibility Needs: Different job types (e.g., office vs. manufacturing) require tailored flexibility approaches since some roles can’t easily step away from tasks. * Post-Pandemic Changes: Lori highlights how flexibility has evolved since the pandemic, forcing employers to adapt work schedules. * Manufacturing Flexibility Examples:  * Four-day work weeks, compressed schedules, or 7-days-on/7-days-off models to give employees more family time. * Involves production planning teams to ensure fairness between office and floor staff. * Balancing Flexibility Within a Company:  * Flexibility varies by role (office vs. production floor), which can create tension if not structured carefully. * Eric emphasizes tying flexibility to results and metrics to avoid issues—design programs where employees meet goals to earn flexibility. * Avoiding Entitlement:  * At Hatch Staffing (May 2022), flexibility was introduced with clear communication and expectations to prevent it from becoming an entitlement. * Employers must work backward from required results to build flexibility that fits each role. * Adjusting Post-Pandemic Oversights:  * Some employers overshot flexibility offerings and now need to adjust. * Suggestions: consistent communication (not one-time), transparency in performance metrics, written flexible program guidelines, and quarterly team reviews to refine the approach. * Personal Accommodations:  * Flexibility includes accommodating personal needs (e.g., dentist appointments, kids’ games) with a give-and-take approach—employees finish work later if needed. * Moves away from rigid 8-to-6 schedules toward integrating work and life. * Team Collaboration:  * In roles requiring presence (e.g., front desk, machine operation), teams must coordinate coverage. * Manufacturing offers more schedule options (e.g., shift preferences) rather than spontaneous coverage. * Flexibility as Non-Negotiable: Regardless of industry, flexibility is essential to being an employer of choice—it’s about how it’s implemented. * Key Takeaways for Employers:  * Avoid traditionalist thinking; involve teams to brainstorm flexible options while prioritizing company goals. * Have a clear, adaptable plan for flexibility tied to performance. * Communicate consistently, repeating expectations to reinforce the approach. * Tom’s Reflection: He values results over rigid schedules but realizes he may need to reinforce his flexibility mantra with his team regularly. * Closing: The discussion emphasizes flexibility as a critical, adaptable perk to attract and retain talent, balanced with clear communication and results. Disclaimer: The podcast is for educational/entertainment purposes, provided by Annex Wealth Management LLC, and not intended as specific tax, legal, or investment advice.