Manson has three core values that guide all our decisions: Take care of people first and always; do the right thing; and find a better way.
It is important that we treat others with dignity and respect,consider employee well-being, and foster a “speak-up” culture where everyone’s voice is heard. To bolster these efforts, Manson has hosted several thought-provoking discussions and workshops over the past few years to shine a light on ways we can take care of people.
I specifically discussed our core value of Taking Care of People with Jim McNally, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, who is responsible for leading the operating areas of our company, overseeing the execution of our work, and the development and maintenance of our fleet.
John Heckel (JH): How does Manson live out Taking Care of People?
Jim McNally (JM): First and foremost, we give people good jobs that can support healthy and happy families. That means everything from paying well, providing good health and retirement benefits, and most importantly, providing a safe work environment where skilled craftsman and professionalscan thrive.
JH: Construction has a high incidence of mental health concerns. What is Manson doing to support the mental health of our employees?
JM: Mental health is a very personal issue for me and is of course an exceedingly complex subject. Our role as an employer is to try to provide a positive work environment that hopefully is a source of satisfaction, pride, security and health for our employees but of course, life is about more than work and mental health issues can arise for many different reasons. What we can do as an employer is to try to remove the stigma by talking openly about mental health and doing everything we can to ensure our people have access to professional help when needed. We do so by messaging about the availability of our Employee Assistance Program and other behavioral health resources.
JH: What can our employees do to support each other?
JM: The most important thing they can do is be respectful and welcoming of one another at work. As an employer, we strive to provide a good job in a safe and positive work environment. We want all people to feel welcome and supported. As leaders, we need to foster a team environment where everyone is respectful of one another and feels supported on the job as we stay focused on the goal: To be the best company we can be. Any team functions best when all members of the team feel welcome and valued for their contribution to the cause. Maintaining this type of environment gives us the greatest chance of success because team members that feel respected, welcome and supported perform better and are willing to go the extra mile to contribute to the team goals.
JH: How can Manson continue improving our workplace?
JM: Manson is committed to providing employees with worksites that are safe and where each employee feels welcome as a valued member of the team. Honestly, we may not always hit the target, but that is why we work every day to improve.
We each can make our own office, our own jobsite, and our own teams a great place for every hard-working member of that team. There will always be challenges, but if we keep our eye on the ball and all pull in that same direction, we can be a great organization that is continually improving in both performance and employee satisfaction.
