Essentials

The work force continually is changing. Currently, it's rare to find an employee who remains with one company long enough to receive a gold watch at his retirement. But there are things you can do to prevent a job-hopping mindset from occurring at your company.

Offering competitive wages and training to improve skills helps retain employees, but you may not have considered implementing incentive programs that acknowledge thriving employees or acclimate new employees to your company's environment.

Offering incentives will help keep employees faithful to your company because they will appreciate you acknowledge their successes, and you will gain a more knowledgeable staff because employees will work harder to achieve incentives. Consider Ephrata, Pa.-based Gooding, Simpson & Mackes Inc.'s accomplishments with incentive programs.

Safety incentives

Gooding, Simpson & Mackes has a history of treating its employees as its No. 1 asset. Of several programs the company has implemented to reward workers, its safety incentive program is one of the most popular.

The plan, which was implemented in 1991, rewards roofing workers with $30 gift certificates for every 50 days they work without an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury. The gift certificates are redeemable at a local work clothing and boots store.

John Dorfler, Gooding, Simpson & Mackes' president, notes that before the current safety incentive program was implemented, the company briefly had another safety incentive program that was terminated to save money. While the company was without a safety incentive program, minor injuries increased proving to Gooding, Simpson & Mackes officers that a safety incentive program motivates employees to operate more safely.

Gooding, Simpson & Mackes also has a safety incentive program that requires employees to work 1,000 days without an OSHA recordable injury. Those who achieve this lofty goal receive a high-quality work coat that features Gooding, Simpson & Mackes' colors and logo.

"The coats are sought for two reasons: a sense of accomplishment because not many workers receive them and they're nice looking," explains John Matarazzi, Gooding, Simpson & Mackes' safety director.

Mentoring

Another successful program at Gooding, Simpson & Mackes is its mentoring program. Through the mentoring program, a new employee is paired with a mentor to acclimate the new employee to the company.

A mentor introduces a new employee to crew members and helps the employee if he has trouble learning specific skills. In addition, a mentor watches a new employee to ensure the employee is following safety rules. A mentor also answers a new employee's questions.

The mentoring program was implemented to help new employees easily become part of a crew.

Matarazzi explains: "In the absence of an explicit means of integrating a new person into a crew, the process is hit-or-miss. Some crews made new employees comfortable and productive rather quickly, others did not. We sought a consistent, immediate process of making new employees safe, social and productive parts of their crews."

Mentors are chosen by Matarazzi and a new employee's crew supervisor.

"Individuals selected to mentor are, by nature, helpful to others and have good people skills," Matarazzi says. "Mentors also must be at least moderately experienced in the roofing trade."

At Gooding, Simpson & Mackes, mentors receive a 50-cents-per-hour raise for as long as they participate in the mentoring program.

According to Matarazzi, the mentoring program has been successful.

Matarazzi states: "The mentoring program is going quite well. New employees become productive more quickly and are appreciative of the buddy aspect of the program."

Start a program

You easily can revise Gooding, Simpson & Mackes' programs to fit your company's needs, including offering different rewards, such as time off with pay, gift baskets or tickets to sporting events. Consider acknowledging successful employees in company newsletters, on your intranet or during safety meetings.

No matter how you thank your employees, acknowledging their successes is what's most important. Employees will appreciate your interest in their work, as well as the bonuses they receive.

Christina Koch is associate editor of Professional Roofing magazine and NRCA's manager of public relations.