A night to Remember

FARGO, N.D. – Judging by the smiles on people’s faces and the laughter that kept rippling through the crowd, Prairie Business’ awards celebration on May 16 was a terrific success.

And a good thing, too, because the award winners who were being honored by the magazine deserved a great night on the town.

At the celebration, Prairie Business presented plaques and other keepsakes to the winners of the 2018 40 Under 40 awards, the 2019 Top 25 Women in Business awards and the inaugural Leaders & Legacies awards.

With the generous help of event sponsors Marco, Moore Engineering and Office Sign Company, with music by Billy Lurken of Mitchell, S.D., and with the unmatched hospitality of venue host Avalon Events Center, some 220 guests enjoyed drinks, appetizers and conversation as the evening got underway.

“This is our fourth consecutive year of holding this event, and looking out at tonight’s crowd tells me that this is by far our most attended and therefore our most successful recognition night yet,” said Korrie Wenzel, Prairie Business publisher, before starting to present the awards.

The presentations began with the 40 Under 40 rising stars and continued with the Top 25 Women in Business. Then one by one, a group of the Midwest’s most successful executives approached the stage as Wenzel welcomed winners of the magazine’s first Leaders & Legacies awards. (For more on the Leaders & Legacies award winners, see Page 22.)

“Prairie Business is a business magazine, folks,” Wenzel told the crowd as the evening drew to a close.

“And I honestly mean this: To be around these people, to hear snippets of their stories, coming from small towns and succeeding and leading big companies that are influential throughout the region, it’s humbling. It really is.”

Tom Dennis Editor, Prairie Business tdennis@prairiebusinessmagazine.com 701-780-1276

SETTING THE BAR FOR SUCCESSFUL WORK COMMUNITIES, TEAM ENGAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION

Look inside for valuable employment opportunities and recruitment advice

BE YO UR BE ST .

Gu ided by ou r fu ndamenta l beliefs, we know that how we work is just as important as what wedo We ta ke ca re of ou r employees, chal leng ing and suppor ti ng them to be thei r best. Because no matter how much we grow, people wi llalways be ou r mostva lu able asse ts

Ex plore open position s at Aler us.comor ca ll 80 0. 279.3200.

Q.

A.

WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PLAY IN RECRUITING?

Social media is one of our most important functions in recruiting, but not in a typical way. Beyond simply posting our open positions, we’re able to tell our story through social media channels.

Community involvement, fun employee events, testimonials of product value and “how to” videos draw in potential clients and employees.

People want to be a part of an organization that is making a difference and to work for leaders who are thinking outside of the box. We bring that to the table.

Q.

NIKKI DAVY

Talent Development Manager

First International Bank & Trust Bismarck, N.D.

Q.

HOW DO YOU COMPETE WITH BIGGER METRO AREAS WHEN YOU’RE RECRUITING IN HIGHDEMAND FIELDS, SUCH AS CYBERSECURITY?

A.We have the benefit of being flexible based on where the talent pool is. For example, our Executive Leadership team is spread across three states and six of our branch locations.

Through technology, we can find the best candidate in the communities where we have branch locations and keep in touch via video and phone conferencing, webinars and IM.

WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU OFFER THAT EMPLOYEES SEEM TO APPRECIATE THE MOST OR PRAISE MOST OFTEN?

A.Our top praise has been that we remember we are a family-owned community bank, and family comes first.

Q. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY YOU’VE FOUND TO LET PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES LEARN ABOUT OPENINGS?

A.While we get most of our candidates from recruiting websites, employee referral and word of mouth are so invaluable. When employees share our opportunities on their social networking pages or specifically connect with folks they think would be a good fit, it provides an initial connection and rapport that other forms of recruiting can’t replicate.

Q.

To help accommodate some of those times when kids need to be dropped off, be picked up or attend a sporting event, we made a shift from a stereotypical Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. schedule to core hours of Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

This has really helped our employees figure out the schedules that work for them and their team, while still staying true to our values and culture.

HOW DOES FIBT KEEP A COMMON “WORKPLACE CULTURE” ACROSS ITS MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN VARIOUS STATES?

A.Our vision is “Customers leave feeling like family,” and it’s what drives our culture and customer service across our footprint. But we don’t want to be “common”! We recognize that each community has different needs, and each office adapts.

We have metro markets and rural markets; we have some offices that are primarily baby boomers, and some that are only millennials. We treat employees and customers with respect, regardless of location.

Simply put, we Live First.

Eide Bailly offersa variet yofoppor tunitiesfor grow thin asupportive andfun environment.Withaculture based oncommunity andthe abilit ytofind work-lifebalance,we promote afulfilling career that stillallowsyou to liveyour life.Visit ourwebsitetolearn more,andexperience ajob full of purposeandexcitement.

ANN MCGLENNEN

Chief Human Resources Officer Midco Minneapolis

Q.

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR NEW EMPLOYEES?

A.Everywhere! Seriously, where we look depends on what role we are filling and where the role is located.

One thing is consistent: we understand the importance of a diverse team, so we try to extend our reach through multiple channels such as social media, the Midco Careers page, various career websites, campus visits and print, just to name a few.

However, we have found the No. 1 source for us is through referrals from existing team members.

In many cases, we are less focused on an exact skill set or experience match and are drawn more toward candidates who are curious and have a demonstrated ability to learn, a customer-service focus and a desire to be the best.

Q.

A.

WHAT BENEFITS SEEM TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR ATTRACTING NEW EMPLOYEES?

Hands down, the overall culture of the company is the most important thing in attracting potential hires. They want to know that the company is as invested in them as they are in the company. They want an environment where they can thrive both professionally and personally. They’re looking for a forwardthinking company that is invested in the community and has high ethical standards – a company where they feel valued, empowered and have a chance to enjoy continuous learning and development. A strong “core benefits” offering rounds out these expectations.

Q.

WHAT BENEFITS SEEM TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR RETAINING NEW EMPLOYEES?

A.

Q.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE CONCEPT OF “WORK/LIFE BALANCE” IN RECRUITING AND RETENTION?

We’ve learned that cultural benefits are most important when it comes to retention. The top three are: an inclusive and diverse team that respects and leverages the different attributes each team member brings and contributes to the team; a great leader who listens and creates opportunities for growth; and some work/life flexibility to achieve good personal and professional balance. A.

Good companies and leaders have high expectations and want their teams to achieve their potential. There is never “perfect” balance. Sometimes work places greater demands on time, while at other times, personal lives need greater attention.

Leaders need to be situational and in tune with their team members to help meet these needs. The most successful companies and teams offer flexibility wherever possible, and it is critically important to attracting and retaining the best talent. Companies that do not offer flexibility will not retain the best team or achieve goals over the long haul.

Q. WHAT RESOURCES OR WEBSITES DO YOU TURN TO MOST OFTEN TO KEEP UP WITH NATIONAL HR TRENDS? A.

We cast a wide net to stay on top of trends in the industry and from a human resources perspective. Being an active member of a variety of trade groups, both specialized (i.e. Society of Human Resource Management) and industry (i.e. The Internet & Television Association), gives us a chance to network, learn and leverage additional resources.

Business journals and discussion are also very helpful to staying current and proactive in community and industry trends as well as future challenges.

These external resources combined with internal measurements, healthy discourse and debate help guide our future plans.