Working Bridges at Rhino Foods

Transcription

1 A Rhin Way Prgram Guide frm Rhin Fds Wrking Bridges at Rhin Fds Facilitate the develpment and implementatin f wrkplace-based emplyee supprts t imprve emplyee prductivity, retentin, advancement, and financial stability. Publicatin Released March 2013 Cpyright 2013 Rhin Fds, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

2 Table f Cntents 1. Prgram Overview Opprtunity, Activities, Results PAGE 2 2. Prgram Guide Objectives, Tactics, Actin Steps PAGE 3 3. Supprt Rhin Cntact Infrmatin PAGE 6 1

3 1. Prgram Overview Wrking Bridges is a cllabrative effrt by prgressive emplyers in Chittenden Cunty, Vermnt t facilitate the develpment and implementatin f innvative wrkplace practices t imprve emplyee prductivity, retentin, advancement, and financial stability. The prject is rganized and run by the United Way f Chittenden Cunty. Rhin Fds has assumed a leadership rle in this cllabratin pilting several wrkplace practices under the Wrking Bridges cncept that have been extremely successful. See fr mre infrmatin abut the United Way f Chittenden Cunty prject. Opprtunity The prductivity, retentin, advancement ambitin, and financial stability f many emplyees are largely impacted by factrs that exist utside f the wrkplace. While the physical and/r emtinal influences (e.g. family, health, financial) riginate utside f wrk, they readily create repercussins within the wrkplace. As a result, effrts that aim t help emplyees manage these factrs present an pprtunity t empwer emplyees at wrk by empwering them utside f it. What we did? In 2007, Rhin Fds began wrk with the United Way f Chittenden Cunty n a new cncept called The Wrking Bridges Prgram. The prgram was aimed at bridging the cmmunicatin gap between emplyers, managers, and emplyees living at r belw the pverty line. Rhin assumed a leadership rle in the Wrking Bridges Prgram. Several new prgrams have been created and implemented at Rhin as a result f the prject including an Incme Advance Lan prgram, Financial Literacy training, an n-site Resurce Crdinatr, and Bridges ut f Pverty TM training fr supervisrs. Results Emplyee turnver drpped frm 37% t belw 15% in three years. This resulted in cnsiderable savings in turnver csts fr Rhin and reflects mre stability in emplyees lives. In 2012, ur turnver remained at 15%. Over 40 Rhin emplyees have attended Bridges ut f Pverty training. Develped by Ruby Payne and her cmpany aha! Prcess ( the training prvides a framewrk fr understanding ecnmic class and the wrkplace. This training has been the critical fundatin fr the additinal prgrams that have been created. In partnership with Nrth Cuntry Federal Credit Unin, a new Incme Advance Lan prgram was develped and implemented in In the past six years this has resulted in ver $263,000 in shrt-term lans t emplyees which have addressed varius needs. Because f ur direct partnership with NrthCuntry, the 2

4 lans are guaranteed (n credit applicatin required) based n pre-defined criteria. Emplyees repay the lan thrugh a payrll deductin. Once the lan is repaid, we dn t turn ff the deductin (unless the emplyee asks) and the deductin flws t a savings accunt. The prgram has helped many emplyees transitin frm financial crisis t savings, and can truly get them n the path t building credit and imprving their financial stability. By late 2012, the Incme Advance Lan prgram has spread t twenty-five cmpanies within Vermnt and is being adpted in ther states. The three majr stakehlders - the financial institutins, the emplyers, and the emplyees all express supprt and enthusiasm fr the value f this prgram. We ve seen the percentage f emplyees wh cntinue t have the payrll deductin directed int a savings accunt after lan repayment rise frm 70% in 2010 t 90% in In 2012, in partnership with Nrth Cuntry Federal Credit Unin, a secnd step twards financial stability was intrduced. Individuals, wh have cmpleted Financial Literacy classes at Rhin and have been successful with the Incme Advance Lan prgram, are identified by the Resurce Crdinatr. If interested, an emplyee is apprved fr a $500 credit card with the credit unin. Full mnthly payments are autmatically drawn frm the emplyee s savings accunt. This financial secnd step allws emplyees t learn hw t manage n-ging credit within a structured envirnment. With their success cmes imprvement t their credit scre. An n-site Resurce Crdinatr is available weekly t all shifts t cnnect emplyees with lcal and state resurces. The Resurce Crdinatr is an emplyee f the United Way f Chittenden Cunty and is shared by several lcal businesses, allwing fr meeting n-site needs n a cst-effective basis. The mst imprtant part f the prgram is t have an n-site presence s that Lisa (ur Resurce Crdinatr) can build relatinships with emplyees. By being n-site and relying n wrd f muth referrals (plus sme limited internal marketing), ver 30% f ur wrkfrce has met and wrked with Lisa in The main issues that Lisa helps emplyees with are: Financial literacy educatin (credit and debt management, tax preparatin supprt, budgeting, etc.) Finding and securing State resurces/benefits Transprtatin issues Husing issues Medical bills and insurance issues 2. Prgram Guide Rhin Fds has develped a prgram guide frmat t help interested emplyers, HR departments, etc. understand the basic cmpnents f ur wrkplace practices. The 3

5 prgram guides (1) utline the high-level pprtunities (r needs) that are being addressed, (2) describe the prgram idea, (3) list the majr prgram cmpnents, (4) indicate intended results, (5) prvide specific actin steps fr prgram implementatin, and (5) explre critical assumptins fr success. These prgram guide sectins are meant t help prvide cncrete instructin fr thse interested in trying these prgrams within their wrkplace. a. Opprtunity/Need Events and influences utside the wrkplace impact emplyees perfrmance n the jb. Prviding n-site wrkplace practices that supprt emplyee needs can help t address the impact f these external influences n emplyee prductivity, retentin, advancement ambitin, and financial stability. b. Prgram Idea Implement an array f cmplementary wrkplace practices and emplyee prgrams aimed at helping emplyees manage persnal, family, and financial factrs in their lives utside f wrk in rder t imprve their prductivity, retentin, and advancement ambitin in the wrkplace. c. Prgram Cmpnents/Tactics 1. Visit the Wrking Bridges website at 2. Cntact yur lcal United Way t find ut if they knw abut the Wrking Bridges prject and wrk being dne at the United Way f Chittenden Cunty, Vermnt. Ask them if they can help t crdinate effrts in yur cmmunity s yu can leverage the cmmn interests and needs f ther rganizatins in yur area. 3. Organize wrkgrup f like-minded scially cnscius lcal emplyers t meet and share infrmatin abut emplyee needs and develp new appraches t meeting thse needs with crdinated prgrammatic supprts. In Chittenden Cunty, Vermnt, the United Way has been an invaluable leader, partner, and resurce t make this happen. 4. Once yu are ready t start, the MOST imprtant step is educatin. Tap int resurces frm aha! Prcess, Inc. including Ruby Payne s bk Bridges ut f Pverty and the training with the same name. Invlve yur HR department, managers and supervisrs in the training s yu develp a cmmn understanding f hw ecnmic class impacts yur wrkplace and yu can avid many typical ntins and steretypes abut pverty. In mst businesses, the tpic f pverty is tab and therefre the educatin prcess is critical t get everyne n the same page. 4

6 5. Identify emplyee needs and develp systematic supprts t target thse needs which are mst acute and likely t impact emplyee stability utside wrk. Learn frm what has been implemented elsewhere by visiting fr regular updates. Mst imprtant, wrk n issues that are prblems r pprtunities in yur business. Dn t implement Wrking Bridges prgrams just fr the sake f it implement them t imprve yur business and yur wrkfrce. 6. Partner with a lcal credit unin t implement an emplyee lan/savings prgram t prvide small (< $1000) lans t emplyees regardless f financial histry payback fr which is secured thrugh payrll deductin. Encurage yur credit unin partner t get in tuch with NrthCuntry Federal Credit Unin in Suth Burlingtn, Vermnt if they have questins yu can t answer. NrthCuntry wn and Excellence in Lending award fr this prgram frm CUNA in Yur lan/savings prgram shuld address a gap in existing emplyee benefits prgrams and help emplyees build credit, start saving, and get n the path t financial stability. 7. Create a shared resurce crdinatr psitin amng cllabrating emplyers the respnsibilities f which include weekly n-site cunsel t help emplyees and supervisrs cnnect with cmmunity resurces and reslve wrk barriers and disruptins. d. Intended Results -Imprve emplyee retentin -Imprve attendance -Offer lw-cst and simple benefits that address unmet needs -Supprt the advancement f lwer incme wrkers -Optimize wrkfrce effectiveness - Help wrkers attain financial stability e. Actin Steps -G t t learn mre abut Wrking Bridges. 5

7 -Engage with yur lcal United Way t partner n imprving utcmes f yur wrkfrce and the cmmunity. -Cnnect with ther rganizatins in yur area interested in taking a mre prgressive apprach t sci-ecnmic integratin and supprt in the wrkplace. -Prvide educatin fr thse invlved based n Ruby Payne s aha! Prcess. This educatin will frm a baseline f understanding fr sci0-ecnmic diversity in the wrkplace. -Develp a plan t identify and implement key prgrams in the wrkplace that result in mre stable cnditins fr emplyees and imprve emplyee retentin, attendance, advancement, and effectiveness. -Use available resurces fr caching and benchmarks. Rhin Fds current prgrams and the United Way f Chittenden Cunty, Vermnt are gd places t start. 3. Cntact Get help implementing prgram at yur business. Please feel free t cntact Rhin fr a cnversatin abut Wrking Bridges and hw the prgram might be implemented and/r adapted t be successful at yur business. Rhin Fds, Inc. 79 Industrial Parkway Burlingtn, Vermnt Phne: Fax: