- Key insight: Discover how family-focused flexibility is used strategically to attract and retain manufacturing talent.
- Expert quote: "We help employees through different seasons of life," CEO Darin Massner says.
- Supporting data: Company has a two-year waitlist for manufacturing hires.
- Source: Bullets generated by AI with editorial review
Iowa-based food manufacturer Country Maid was started by a couple as they raised six children. As their workforce has expanded over the last 30 years,
That starts with flexible accommodations at any life stage: From daily schedules to PTO to retirement, employees can
"[We] remain flexible to accommodate our customer needs, and it wouldn't be right if we didn't offer that same flexibility back to our team members and [assist] them through the different seasons of their life," Massner says. "Part of our responsibility is to make sure we help them when they need help."
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Flexibility in many forms
During Country Maid's annual review of benefits, employees are asked what makes their work and home life challenging, and responses are used to create benefits and policies that make a positive difference. Work-life balance always tops the list, so both its office and frontline staff are provided with flexible time off and benefit choices.
Employees have access to paid parental leave, and birth mothers can work on an adjusted schedule two weeks before and after leave. At two weeks out, expectant mothers can work 75% of their normal hours, followed by 50% for the last week, both with full pay. Upon return, the schedule is reversed, allowing them to ease back into a full-time schedule while getting into a new routine at home. New parents also receive a Bundle of Joy bonus to help offset costs during a baby's first year.
Country Maid takes PTO seriously: Employees can opt to take their merit bonus in the form of additional PTO, and the company offers a PTO-sharing policy. Donations are kept confidential, and are a way to strengthen comradery among the workforce, says Massner.
"The recipients are often seen crying with gratitude when they experience the love and care from their coworkers, because they know it was just something voluntarily done," Massner says. "From a company perspective, if we can create a platform to allow compassion to be shared and felt, it's a wonderful thing to go along with helping support our families."
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For older workers, Country Maid offers a phased retirement program, which allows employees to gradually reduce their hours from full time to part time and receive prorated compensation. It's yet another way for employees to prioritize their schedules and income as they transition out of the workplace.
Country Maid's director of human resources, Sara Blair, says the company seeks to meet people where they are, giving them a variety of resources along the way.
"We want it to be like a toolbox," she says. "If you need to replace a light fixture, you're not going to use every tool in the toolbox. You're going to use what you need that day. So in your 20s, you're going to start pulling things out, like maybe the paid parental leave. As you move towards your 40s, 50s, and 60s, you need different things — [maybe] the extra paid time off to take your kids on a college trip is important."
Communication compounds impact
When employees understand their offerings, they're more likely to use and appreciate them. This means avoiding jargon and acronyms, and providing a clear message of how each benefit applies, Blair says.
She also emphasizes the importance of communication between the workforce and leadership, who can then respond with options that are actually relatively low-cost, yet carry a lot of weight.
"The things that are really meaningful to people aren't [always] things that are expensive," she says. "The emergency PTO pool, for example, is a game changer for some people. If you're going through something horrible in your personal life, your company is saying, 'You don't have to worry about having a job to come back to. We're here when you're ready, and we're going to help you pay for that.'"
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Country Maid's reputation as a great place to work has led to a two-year waitlist for manufacturing positions. Last year, the company's efforts were recognized by The Best Place for Working Parents, which honored it with a National Innovator award for standout family-friendly policies. By demonstrating support through benefits, Country Maid is able to attract and keep the talent it needs to stay successful, says Blair.
"We all carry a thousand weights every day," she says. "The more we can take just one or two of those off people's shoulders, the more they start recognizing that they're part of a true community."
