Big-Time Motivation Program They've made some changes at Badger Mining Corp. over the past year-expanded a produc- tion site, revamped the interior at company headquarters in Berlin, Wisconsin, and enhanced the wellness program. But the collaborative culture and the core values such as trust and mutual respect remain unchanged. And so does Badger Mining's No. I ranking on the list of the Best Small Companies to Work for in America. The family-owned, privately held company, which produces more than 1.5 million tons of industrial-use sand yearly, stands out for, among other things, the richness of its rewards for its 180 employees-called associates- and the inclusiveness it fosters throughout the enterprise. "I knew this place was different," benefits specialist Barbara Swanson, SPHR, says in recall- ing an interview as a job applicant a few years ago. "I immediately felt that this was a place that cared about who they wanted to hire." Signs of Badger Mining's abiding focus on employees are pervasive: flexible scheduling, freedom to take time-off for family matters, a company match of 401 (k) plan contributions up to 3 percent of salary, and generous profit-sharing payouts that Swanson says have been rising every quarter. The company also pays employees' full premium for standard health coverage, and the wellness program now includes personalized health coaching. As with other company initiatives, safety training is a collaborative exercise. Linda Art, a resource data associate, encourages mining workers' suggestions when she develops such programs. After all, she says, "they're the experts" What's more, she adds, it sends the right message-that the associates are valued for their input. When the mining facility at Taylor, Wisconsin, underwent a major expansion, boost- ing production by 25 percent, Dan Valiquette, vice president for operations at Taylor, made sure he kept everyone-"the guys who have to run the equipment and maintain it"-involved in design- ing the processes, coordinating the contractors, and selecting vendors and equipment. It promoted workers' buy-in for the project, he says. "This wasn't just a Taylor project. We had the support of the whole company." It's just that sort of approach that underlies the company's achievements, says President Timothy J. Wuest. "Each and every one of our as- sociates, working as a team," he says, has made the company "the leader in the industrial miner- als industry" Source: Excerpted from Terence F. Shea, Badger Mining Stages an Encore, HR Magazine, 52 (July 2007): 44-45. Copyright 2007 by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Reproduced with permission of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in the format lextbook via Copyright Clearance center

FOR DISCUSSION

1/ On the basis of what you have

read in this chapter, how strong

do you think the overall employee motivation program at Badger Mining is? Explain.

2/ What evidence of participative

management can you detect in

this case?

3/ How well do you think open-

book management would work at

Badger Mining? Why?

4/ Which of the keys to successful

employee participation programs

are evident in this case? Does

Badger Mining have the right

climate for participative

management? Explain.

CLOSING CASE The Small Company with a Big-Time Motivation Program to Wertar in Arwired ared yosceint vendort ind nqsprerc. dinintisy" TEST PAEPI trasit dise Gearabiand CLOSING CASE The Small Company with a Big-Time Motivation Program They ve made some changes at Badger Mrang Corp. over the par year-erpanded a producbon ste revamped the intanor ze corrpery hesdpuaters in Belin. Wisconsin, and eshanced the weiness program. But the colabcrature cuture and the core rabues such as trust and musub respect remain uncharged. And so does Badget Mining's No. 1 tarking on the iat of the Best Smal Comperies ta Work for in Artierica. The farrily-omned, porately heid comparny, which prodi uses more than 15 milion tons of industrisluse sand yearly, stands oun fot among other things, the nohness of is feward for is 180 employees-caled associstes-and the incluiveness a fosters troughout the enterprise. "7 knew this place was dthetere, benelts speodist Batasa Sosson, SPHR says in recaling ant interiew as a job applicart a few years agn. 7 immedistey felt that thic was a place that cared about who they wanted to hire" Signs of Badger Mining's abiding focus on employees are pernatiet fleable scheduling to 3 percent of salary and penerous protitthaning perous tur Swanscn says have been riing every quarter. The compary also pays ermployees" tul premium for standard heath coverage. and the weiliess program now indudes persor aiod hedt cowching As with other company initatives, safety traning o a collobontve euerive Lida Arzt, a resource data assocate, encourapes mining wones' subyersons when she develops such programs, After all, she surk theyis the experts" What's more, she adds, it sends the right message-that the ansociates ate valued lot their mpul. FOR DISCUSSION When the minig facity at Tesiot? ing production by 25 percent. Dan Valiguefte. vice president for operations at Tatoc made sure he kept everyone-"the pays who have to num the equement and martan if -twolved in derian ing the processer, cocrdinating the contractorn and selecting vendors and equpenent. he sopt. This wasn't iust a Iorlor project. We had the support of the whicle company? I's just that sort of appoasch that underies the compan/s achiverwerts, sys Presdert Timothy . Wuest. "Foch and every ane of our as sociates, working as a team" be sass, har made the company "the leader in the industral miner. als industry