Being chosen as a Top Small Company Workplace in 2010 by Winning Workplaces was a great honor for Dealer.com, based in Burlington, Vermont. The work culture is informal and casual, and as Marisa Mora, wellness director, describes it, does not follow the rules and goes against typical, corporate-style culture.
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A focus on wellness and staff development started as a way to keep employees energized, healthy, and knowledgeable about the products that the company offers to its auto-dealer clients.
However, the word is out regarding the culture— an intellectually stimulating, casual, and health-oriented work environment—and many top-quality job candidates are drawn to Dealer.com (www.dealer.com) because of it. In fact, Dealer.com reports that they plan to add 200 more jobs before 2012.
Training Choices Abound
Jillian Torres, training manager, explains that employee training at Dealer.com commences with a weeklong new employee orientation program. “We’re all working hard toward a common goal of making the company successful,” says Torres. “It’s important that we all share the same perspective on what we do, regardless of where we are in the organization.”
The first contact for new staff is with the Training Department in the mornings during their first week. They are trained on Dealer.com policies, procedures, culture, and products. In the afternoons, they receive departmental training.
“In some departments, it’s more formal training; in some, it’s on-the-job training. For example, account managers (the group working on the front lines with [car] dealers), receive customer service training, in-depth, specific details on products, and how to work with dealers (our customers),” she explains.
Managers receive ongoing training and all staff receives training on skills necessary to move to a higher position within the company, Torres explains. Each department communicates with Training so that Torres knows the training needs and can supply the programs needed. For example, right now a public speaking program is being put into place in response to a voiced need.
The training is all branded under one name—uFuel. The technological training covers internal and external applications, infrastructure, and software certification programs, explains Torres. In addition to departmental training, there are also in-person classes and online courses that may be taken at an employee’s convenience. There are more than 80 online courses, divided into different categories that employees can choose from, including critical thinking, customer service, and presentation skills, notes Torres.
Life Programs Build Health
In addition to training to build employee knowledge and skills, Dealer.com’s culture focuses on employee wellness and health with a host of educational classes, physical activities, and team sports, collectively known as its Life Programs, in which most of the 351 employees participate.
The company spends more than $14,000 per year per employee on Life Programs and benefits, explains Mora. “The catalyst for all this is a dynamic energy here that keeps employees inspired and that energy carries through every day.”
“Over the years we have learned that happy employees build the best products, and happy employees are also -healthy,” Mora continues. “We believe that wellness is a standard for corporate culture for the future.”
The company has a comprehensive fitness facility for use by all employees, with fitness equipment and free weights; yoga equipment, stretching and boot-camp style training; boxing equipment; an indoor tennis court and ping pong tables; half-court basketball; air hockey; and locker room facilities.
“We want people to get work done in an efficient manner, but also to play as well,” explains Mora. “Employees leave their desks when they need to and can work out in the gym, go play ping pong or basketball, or get a chair massage.”
There are wellness seminars on many topics such as nutrition, stress management, posture, ergonomics, and financial wellness, notes Mora. Over 100 employees have attended at least one seminar in the first 6 months of this year. And the Dot Calm Café, an on-site, subsidized, and organic foods venue, serves up healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks in a relaxed setting.
In addition to all this, Mora explains that team sports are a good way to stay fit and encourages team participation in softball, bowling, wiffle ball, flag football, and volleyball, to name a few.
Start Small and Build
Both Mora and Torres agree that programs such as Dealer.com’s training and wellness initiatives can start small and build from there. Their advice to HR professionals is to focus on the needs of your employees and then work to meet them. You should also learn from best practices of other organizations and evolve programs as you are able.