a Summit Materials company
www.cornejocorp.com 316-522-5100
OCT 2018
WHAT CULTURE IS From the Desk of HR
Work-life balance has become something of a buzzword, but it’s important to remember that it starts with leadership. If you allow employees to participate in things that bring them fulfillment, it increases retention, which is good for everyone in the company. We want to be an organization that allows employees to take time off to participate in causes that are important to them. That’s a huge part of our culture. We’ve often encouraged managers to reach out to staff to relay that they can take time off to participate in volunteer opportunities. It’s howwe can encourage community involvement. For us now, it’s about continuing to develop management styles that evolve as our populations evolve. In our industry, succession planning is extremely important. We have to prepare for some managers to retire in the next decade. How can we leverage ourselves to be in a position to move forward? We’re focusing on opportunities for employees to develop and grow, and we look to the next generation of Cornejo & Sons with our internship program. I’ve found a rewarding career here, and I enjoy helping others find that. Most of all, it’s rewarding to see how many
bring someone in, we are looking not only at their qualifications, but also their ability to exemplify these values. As an HR director, I’m focused on making sure a new hire feels supported in our company. We’ve modified the onboarding process to include extended training that gives them a true snapshot of who Cornejo is and who they’ll be working with. Our employees need to know they have someone they can talk to. In the digital age, a lot of HR functions can be driven digitally, but it’s important for employees to know that if they have questions or concerns, there’s more than just a 1-800 number or email for them to turn to. There’s a person here to help them with their benefits, personal issues, or whatever else they might need to feel supported. We’re not taking the human perspective out of human resources. Technology has really changed the face of recruiting over the years. Applications can be completed online or even on social media. Because we hire from all age groups, the method of recruitment for each demographic is completely different, so we make sure to give options that allow every type of candidate to apply. Whatever their personal preference, we want to make sure they’re considered for hire. We make sure we’re seeking out those platforms and staying on the cutting edge of technology to stay in front of candidates who are interested in working for us.
I’ve been the human resources director at Cornejo & Sons for about 10 years, and in that time, I’ve seen howwe’ve changed and evolved. I’m proud to be part of a company that truly endeavors to be diverse, focused on equality, and ethically driven. Our leadership focuses on creating an environment that is nurturing to employees and their families. That’s what culture is. At Cornejo & Sons, we believe firmly that our employees should go home every night as they arrived, if not better. Before we begin every meeting, we focus on safety. Every decision we make regarding training, hiring, or recruiting focuses on creating an environment that’s safe and productive. It starts from the first time we meet a potential employee. We interview them to ensure that they are the right fit for the company. That includes safety standards and ethics and a willingness to incorporate these into their practices. We recruit talent who are going to be positive additions to the company and help us continue to grow. We are known for our diversity, safety standards, leadership training, and true commitment to being part of the community. When we
other individuals have developed a rewarding career at Cornejo & Sons.
–Michele Wedan
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Being a construction company comes with quite a few obstacles to overcome in terms of public perception. The general, seemingly negative stereotype of the construction industry is firmly ingrained in the public’s mind, regardless of its inaccuracy. Here at Cornejo, we seek to break the mold, to shatter the constructed image of our industry, and to build our company as a broadly diverse and equal place of employment. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire based on skill and experience, not gender, race, class, sexual orientation, or religion. Talent is found in all places and in all types of people, and it is our job to find that talent and give it the opportunity to grow and develop. Some of our key elements of diversity and inclusivity lie in the foundation of the company itself. Employees are at the very heart of the company, and as such, we emphasize broad recruitment in various locations across the globe, employing workers from 26 states and 14 countries. Furthermore, once employed by Cornejo, employees work with specially trained managers who promote diversity, respect, and inclusion through safe, communicative, and productive workspaces. Alongside our efforts to create a racially diverse workforce, Cornejo also seeks to promote gender diversity in our industry. In a field that is typically dominated by men, Cornejo makes a concentrated effort to provide opportunities for the advancement of women in construction. Within our company, there are 13 women in leadership positions, who are vital to the daily operations, and our internship program has a steadily growing demographic of female applicants. Outside of the office, our key efforts include an extensive partnership with the Kansas School for Effective Learning (KANSEL) and a continued sponsorship of the Mentoring a Girl in Construction CORNEJO & SONS: LEADERS IN DIVERSITY By Brittany Roberts
(MAGIC) program. With KANSEL, we support recent graduates by training them, providing them with a truck, and helping them obtain their CDL license.
For MAGIC, we provide t-shirts, backpacks, and an introduction to the construction industry for the female campers. Through these connections, we promote a more gender-diverse working environment within the construction industry and within our company. Our current company initiative includes an emphasized encouragement for the applications of minorities, women, and veterans. Alongside that initiative is our ongoing support of diverse programs within our community. One such means of support is this year’s inaugural Cornejo Cornhole Championship, the proceeds of which go to Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization that helps women achieve economic independence through support, attire, and developmental tools. Additionally, we are continuing our partnership with Anderson Elementary, a school populated by a broad demographic of children. Respect, inclusion, and the advancement of diversity are vital to the identity of Cornejo & Sons. As we said, the construction industry is highly stigmatized and constantly viewed through a lens of stereotype. At Cornejo, it is our mission to change that perception through our words and our actions and to welcome a new outlook on construction as a diverse and equal-opportunity industry.
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DEVELOP A LEARNING CULTURE
Building Talent for the Future
CREATE A LEARNING CULTURE Some call it native genius, others call it natural ability — however you refer to it, it’s paramount that your company promotes it. Employees need to feel their skills are being fostered and that there are opportunities for learning and growth. In addition to training for skills that are needed on the job, ongoing training should be available. CAREER PATHS Defined career paths should exist and adapt to new opportunities created by technology. These, along with increased pay, are key to retaining talented employees who will help your company stay at the top of its game. LEAD — DON’T JUST MANAGE Shug notes the difference between leadership and management and that having higher-ups who know how to do the former is essential to motivating and inspiring a team. “The old- school management styles were ‘You will be
here at this time, you will follow this process, and you will do it this way,’” says Shug. “That’s management. Leadership is very different. You’ve got to get the most from the team, and then they will perform well.” Finding a team that’s ready to learn, grow, and adapt with you in a quickly changing industry is key to your company’s success. “That’s the world we’re moving toward — one with a lot of uncertainty — and we have to figure out how to lead in that world.”
Maybe you’ve experienced it yourself — the lack of qualified, skilled candidates for a position you’re trying to fill. The numbers don’t help us solve the problem, either. Half of U.S. employers are having trouble finding employees. Jim Shug, an operations manager for a management consulting firm specializing in engineering and construction, believes this problem lies with trying to forecast with one foot rooted in the past. With technology primed to have more of an impact on the construction world, roles and needs will change along with that, and you can’t make tomorrow’s decisions based on yesterday’s information. While we can’t predict the future, we can build talent that’s ready to adapt to it. Shug suggests looking at recruiting methods first, and hiring for competencies and characteristics — not just skill sets. Three other key factors can help you to recruit and retain talent.
TAKE A BREAK
INSIDE-OUT GRILLED HAM AND CHEESE
INGREDIENTS
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8 ounces ham, thinly sliced 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, sliced 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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8 slices of bread (Pullman works best) 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (preferably Parmigiano- Reggiano)
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1/4 cup apricot preserves
INSTRUCTIONS
4. In a cast-iron skillet or large sauté pan over medium heat, grill sandwiches until golden, about 3 minutes per side. 5. Cut in half and serve.
1. Butter each slice of bread on the outsides and sprinkle with Parmesan. 2. Layer ham and cheese evenly on top of 4 slices of bread. 3. Spread apricot preserves and mustard across the other 4 slices. Press sandwiches together.
SOLUTION
Inspired by Food &Wine magazine
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316-522-5100 www.cornejocorp.com
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2060 E. Tulsa St. Wichita, KS 67216
a Summit Materials company
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From the Desk of HR Cornejo & Sons: Leaders in Diversity Addressing a Shortage ofWorkers Inside-Out Grilled Ham and Cheese Don’t Take This Crucial Business Relationship for Granted
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One Relationship You Don’t Want to Take for Granted RETAIN EMPLOYEES, RETAIN CUSTOMERS
provide valuable data. Know exactly why employees are leaving, and you can fix the problem. Additionally, consult with current employees on what the business can do better. The more you know, the more you can do. Right now, there are people on your team who are thinking about leaving your company. A 2017 Gallup survey found that 51 percent of workers are thinking about leaving their current company. The biggest reasons include a lack of advancement opportunity, poor work-life balance, and high stress. A 2017 Mercer Global Talent Trends study found that 34 percent of employees plan to leave their current position within the next 12 months. Realizing the value of your employees contributes to the success of your business. When you’re proactive and willingly cultivate a positive work environment, you retain employees. All you need to do is remember this simple equation: Happy employees = happy clients.
You have to find the right candidate and train them. Couple that cost with the cost of losing a client, and you lose a significant amount. According to a 2015 ERE Media study, to replace an entry-level employee, it costs about 30–50 percent of that employee’s annual salary. Need to replace a midlevel employee? It costs about 150 percent of their annual salary. Get to senior or highly specialized employees, and the cost reaches about 400 percent of their annual salary. On the customer side of things, a Bain & Company study found that it is 5–25 percent more expensive to get a new customer than it is to retain a current customer. Considering all of these costs, why wouldn’t you do everything you can to retain good employees? Employee retention is critical for morale. When you lose one employee, it’s not uncommon for others to follow. Of course, it’s also critical to understand why employees decide to leave. This is where in-depth exit interviews can
When you have high employee turnover, chances are that you have higher-than- average customer turnover. This is a detail that too many companies overlook. If your business is customer-facing, your employees must build relationships with customers, and these relationships are key to retaining your customers’ patronage. When a customer-facing employee leaves your company, customers have to start over and build a relationship with someone new. Not every customer will be willing to do that. Their sense of loyalty has been eroded, and it gives the customer the perfect opportunity to look elsewhere for similar products or services. While employee retention is not the sole factor in customer retention, it does influence it, so examining your staff turnover rate is always
a good idea. The costs associated
with replacing an employee are high.
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