MANAGEMENT By Jenny Cohen
Culture Catalyst How steel erectors are building stronger teams through communication and mentors
For MAS Building & Bridge, Inc., mentorship starts out with a base task list that new employees work through with foremen.
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robust company culture isn’t just about getting projects done. It’s also about building a team where employees feel connected to the company and to each other, resulting in positive impacts on productivity, retention, and safety. “Any company can erect steel, but you need to make a cohesive unit and bring people together to make a team,” said Glen Pisani, steel division manager for MAS Building & Bridge, Inc., Norfolk, Massachusetts. He emphasizes that building this cohesion requires time and a willingness to invest in programs that are meaningful to employees. Creating a strong company culture involves balancing communication, mentoring and career development, Jenny Cohen is a freelance writer based in Michigan with more than 25 years of writing and editing experience. Her recent work includes covering the heavy machinery and construction industries.
14 | THE STEEL ERECTORS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
while also addressing employees’ practical needs. “It starts with your mission statement and defined core values,” said Todd Macintosh, vice president at JPW Erectors Inc., Syracuse, New York. “These two things can’t take a back seat to other challenges a business might be facing, otherwise your message and your culture will suffer, and consistency is lost.”
Culture: A cornerstone of safety Good communication, mentoring, and other programs indirectly enhance safety by reducing risk, which is fundamental to a positive company culture. “Safety should be embraced as a core cultural value, reflecting genuine respect for workers rather than being viewed as mere compliance,” said Stephanie Reitz, MBA-HRM, SHRM-SCP, a client services director at myHR Partner, an HR outsourcing company. “Actively involving field staff in safety committees and
initiatives fosters a sense of ownership and accountability, allowing them to contribute valuable feedback and firsthand insights.” JPW Erectors exemplifies this with its “See Something, Say Something,” process, empowering workers to escalate potential issues directly to the owner if needed. The company also utilizes a peer committee that distributes quarterly safety awards, reinforcing a culture of safety at all levels of the company. “We empower every employee to be engaged in the company’s safety culture,” Macintosh reiterates. Safety impacts the bottom line. Yes, safety is about protecting workers on jobsites—but it also contributes to reducing costs and winning bids on new projects. “Financially, the better safety record we have, the better work we're able to get. That opens up opportunities for our employees,” said Pisani, who suggests tying a bonus to a safety metric might be one way of reinforcing this.