~ by Carrie Guy, Sales Representative, US Mountain States
Someone asked me recently why I love working with Friesens Corporation, and I thought my answer was simple, but as I was explaining, I realized that there are so many facets to this answer.
When you walk into any of the plants, you will notice first that it is a surprisingly clean manufacturing environment. And you may notice that, on everyone’s shirt, the sleeve reads “employee owner”. I’ll be honest, in the beginning, I thought that might be a gimmicky morale strategy, but I was wrong.
Every employee of Friesens is an employee owner. Think of a big game- football, hockey, whatever your sport, or even better, a book you read that is now being turned into a movie or a show everyone is talking about. If you prefer the sports analogy, it’s game 7 in the finals…now, that is exciting, but if it’s YOUR team, it’s next level. Or if you read and loved that book, and folks are discussing the movie, YOU have all the information, and a tie to the story. What makes it more exciting when it’s your team or the book you read? That personal tie…the fact you have a vested interest.
At Friesens, people don’t just clock in and out, it is LITERALLY our company, so our employee owners have a next-level responsibility to make every product the best representation of our company. Does that mean that we never make mistakes? Of course not…we are human, but if an error occurs, everyone works to resolve the issue, because we are proud of the work we do.
For me, it harkens back to a time when you knew the farmers you bought your veggies from, and the craftsman who built your table. When I visit the plant, I get to meet so many interesting folks with such great stories and I am reminded that all the employee owners stand together, shoulder to shoulder, putting out really great books!
