What does it take to become one of the Best Places to Work in the plastics industry? A lot of things, obviously, and also, a few things that essentially boil down to treating workers like family — family you actually like, not just relatives you put up with.
This week's print issue of Plastics News has profiles from PN's Jordan Vitick of 22 companies that received Best Places to Work honors for 2023, nine processors and 13 suppliers (a category that includes materials companies, equipment firms, mold makers and training specialists).
Best Companies Group of Harrisburg, Pa., manages the annual survey and awards program. To be eligible, the company must have at least 15 employees with a facility in the U.S. or Canada and at least 50 percent of revenues must come from plastics. Companies with 15-24 employees must have at least 80 percent of those workers participate in the employee survey.
Some of the things from this year's winners that stuck out to me:
• Company-sponsored recreational sports teams.
• A company-funded account to help with out-of-pocket medical costs.
• Celebrating employee retirements with a free vacation for two to any location the employee picks.
And it doesn't have to be an expensive perk. It's an attitude. At one injection molder, the emphasis on work-life balance during family emergencies boils down to "do what you have to do and we'll figure it out later."
You can find profiles on all the winners, as well as past winners, here.
