The All-Inclusive Work Environment is our Reason for Success!
When we started Founders Pro, we wanted to do as much as possible to make our company the best place to work for every employee, not just certain employees. We decided we were not going to be just another company that said our people were important and not back it up.
We started with a vision that we would hire really good people. During interviews, I explain that it’s our goal to do as much as we can for our employees and the more successful the company is, the more we can share that success with everyone. It was our goal to not only pay our employees more than they made at their former employers, but to also give them significant raises and bonuses every single year since the company was founded, which we have done.
Our new corporate headquarters has a mezzanine and rooftop area that all of our employees utilize for gatherings, including visits with our important trading partners, such as agents and underwriters.
During these visits, all employees who work with our partners are invited. The assistants don’t sit at their desks working away while the rest of us enjoy ourselves! In fact, I will try and make sure that these meetings take place over a lunch or early afternoon, so that even our staff with children can attend and enjoy themselves before heading home to spend time with family. Our employees want to be included; they want to spend time with our underwriters and agents. It’s no wonder our underwriters and agents know all of our employees!
What else? There’s plenty more! We observe extra holidays that other companies don’t. We close at 3:30 on Fridays. Every single person gets exactly the same allowance for their gym membership and their cell phone automatically in their paycheck, including me; nobody gets more.
Yes, you can go to the gym during work, but no, you don’t need to make up the time. Got a doctor’s appointment during work hours? No problem! Just put it on the calendar and go. It sounds like thousands of hours of work down the drain, right? Nope, not even close! This flexibility has created a company culture where everyone wants to work even harder when it’s time to work, because we all enjoy the success!
Ever since we started the company, we have enjoyed at least a 20% compound annual growth rate. We don’t micromanage around here and we don’t watch the clock. What we do is win and we make sure that all of our employees feel as important as everyone else, regardless of their title!
Who’s next?
About the Author
Robb Williams is the President of National Wholesale Insurance Brokerage, Founders Professional. Robb started Founders in 2009 with one employee and one insurance market. Today, Founders Professional represents hundreds of insurance markets and serves the hard-to-place insurance needs of thousands of insurance agents across the United States. Robb can be reached at Robb.Williams@founderspro.com.