Pandemic prompts companies to revisit HR programs

By Andrew Weeks

Anumber of challenges for businesses came out of the pandemic, but there also have been some opportunities.

Just ask Renee Rice, senior director of communications and culture at Marvin, who has been an eyewitness to changes at the window and door manufacturer. She said the company – based in Warroad, Minnesota, but which has locations and employees in a number of states, including North Dakota – has been good at adopting and adapting to new ways of approaching the work-life balance.

“If the pandemic emphasized anything, it’s that work and life are interconnected and that balance looks different for everyone,” she said.

Rice, who is based in Minneapolis, said the company has revised programs to better serve employees when they need an extra boost.

“We’ve leaned into this notion and have reimagined many of our programs to allow more choice for our employees so they can take care of themselves in those times when they feel they need more balance,” she said.

Other companies say something similar, that there needs to be a defined balance between work and life outside the office – even when the office, for many people these days, are in their own homes.

Below are a couple of Q&As with two of the region’s expert and successful business leaders, Rice and Lindsay Mack, training director with Cornerstone Bank. Prairie Business thanks them both for taking the time to answer a few questions about the HR topic:

Renee Rice, senior director of communications and culture at Marvin

Q: What has been the biggest HR challenge over the past two years of the pandemic? And, in what ways did you meet those challenges?

Like many HR teams, we’ve primarily been challenged with hiring enough people to support higher-than-ever demand for Marvin products and retaining our valued employees in this increasingly competitive talent market. We’ve met these challenges by leaning into our purpose – to imagine and create better ways of living – and bringing that to life from the inside out for our employees. By thinking differently, we’ve re-imagined some of our legacy benefits and introduced new initiatives that support employee wellbeing – such as our Wellbeing Your Way fund, which gives every employee an allowance to spend on anything that supports their wellbeing. New in 2022, we introduced Better Living Week where the entire company will shut down to give our hard-working employees an extra week off with pay this year – a rare occurrence in our manufacturing industry.

Q: If you were to rate what attracts people to join the company, what rating would you give HR? Why?

We have a fantastic HR team at Marvin and despite the challenges the team has faced throughout this pandemic, their efforts have attracted thousands of new hires to Marvin over the past few years. Additionally, the areas where we consistently get positive feedback from employees are often areas led by our HR team members, such as our strong benefits and cultural programs that aim to support Better Living at Marvin. That validation from employees means a lot more to our team than any rating I’d give them.

Q: What does the company do to ensure culture is maintained and its employees are engaged during remote work?

We have a mix of employees who still work remotely, some who work in the office full time, and some in a hybrid model. Early in the pandemic we were intentional about never setting a “return to office” date because we knew that flexibility was here to stay, and that many of our employees were happier and healthier when they were able to design flexible work plans that balanced the needs of their team with their own personal needs. To that end, we’ve been intentional about maintaining a collaborative culture by bringing our teams together in person in the office when it makes sense for those individuals and their work – not just because it’s Wednesday. This has helped people get more value out of moments in-office with their teammates that are more purposeful and productive.

Q: What does the company do to ensure a positive work-life balance?

If the pandemic emphasized anything, it’s that work and life are interconnected and that balance looks different for everyone. We’ve leaned into this notion and have reimagined many of our programs to allow more choice for our employees so they can take care of themselves in those times when they feel they need more balance. Our Wellbeing Your Way fund and Better Living Week are two primary examples. We’re also piloting new mental health programs and flexibility initiatives to better support employees during those moments at work when personal needs come up.

Q: What programs are in place to help employees develop and grow into leadership roles?

We’ve been prioritizing leadership development and have several initiatives in place to promote development and growth for our employees. One exciting thing we’ve done this past year is to bring a coaching capability in-house to provide support and guidance to a much larger number of our employees. Another leadership devel- opment initiative we’re excited about is a six-month program we’re prototyping called The Leadership Experience at Marvin. Employees participate in virtual workshops, complete online micro-learning modules, learn to understand their behavior through a new lens and see themselves as others see them via personality and emotional intelligence assessments, and join a cohort for guidance and support from a certified coach. Perhaps most impactful, they have an opportunity to apply everything they’re learning on the job and learn from the feedback they receive.

Q: What would you like potential hires, or even current employees, know about your HR program that perhaps they may not know? What is the best thing about your HR program?

The best thing about our HR program is our people, how they make other employees feel, how they welcome them and make them feel part of a work family, and support them if they’re struggling. Tangible things like benefits, experiences, programs are great and should be prioritized, but at the end of the day, it’s the people who matter most, the people who recognize and celebrate you, listen to you, and make you feel valued. Our HR team members do this day in and day out through their work and their genuine care for our employees. It’s a special thing to see and be a part of!

Lindsay Mack, training director at Cornerstone Bank

Q: What has been the biggest HR challenge over the past two years of the pandemic? And, in what ways did you meet those challenges?

The biggest challenge was all the unknowns that came with the pandemic. We had a number of team members who were juggling work and homeschooling or caring for their kids all while continuing to help our customers with exceptional service. We took it one day at a time. We made sure we communicated often with all team members and provided the flexibility they needed for their situation. We utilized Webex for meetings so team members could still see each other via video and feel connected.

Q: What ways does the company use its HR to attract and retain employees? Are there any new initiatives or tried-and-true ones that seem to work well?

Yes, we have felt a strain like most other businesses. We have a very generous benefits package that helps attract and retain team members along with our culture. We don’t just have values hanging on our walls. We live them each and every day incorporating them into everything we do.

continued on page 19