GreatWork Blog

Building better workplaces through compliance, culture, connection

Where else can you design your own comfortable, minimal shoes? Let me introduce you to this intriguing family-owned business in Corvallis. 

Even very smart people assume that employees are either motivated or not, that no one can change the way they were born and bred. But that’s not true. Leaders listen carefully and probe. They are open to suggestions and build the confidence of others. They keep us informed and challenge us with goals and feedback. They praise our efforts and celebrate our meaningful achievements. They focus on our strengths and let us do what we do best every day.

Decade after decade when supervisors were polled and asked to rank ten dimensions of work in terms of their importance to employees, they guessed wrong. It wasn’t “Good wages,” “Promotion and growth” and “Good working conditions” that employees put at the top. Instead the number one ranked dimension was “Full appreciation for work done,” followed by “Feeling like I’m making a difference.”

This Albany, Oregon based Company is the pioneer of freeze-dried foods for outdoor recreation. Read on to learn more about this impressive local employer.

Would you like to build a spectacular team? One great place to start is to uncover positive memories of your potential team members.

This will come as no shock, but interviewing is no easy task. This is especially true in an employee’s market when attracting great candidates is particularly challenging. Because we are currently in an employee’s market, now is a great time to evaluate your approach to the interviewing process, starting with the questions you’re asking. 

Once again, what we learned in early education is relevant to gaining insight in our leadership style. The four sentence types – declarative, interrogative, imperative and exclamatory – and how you use them reveal much about your leadership competency. 

This Sunday is Daylight Savings Time. This change can impact wages for non-exempt employees, particularly those on the graveyard shift.

At the core of this Cascade member is a simple idea that has held steady since the beginning: that organic agriculture is necessary for a healthy environment and healthy people. They’re committed to doing business in a way that is “good, clean and fair.”

Arnie (names changed) dragged his Arkansas accent down the Oregon Coast to become a boat builder at Freeman Marine. His coworkers appreciated his hard work but thought him naïve. 

I love it when a member asks, “Now remind me, what are the benefits of membership in Cascade”? I see that statement as an opportunity to share something that I know every employer can use: resources to help develop their organization into a great employer.

One of the best things about my job is the opportunity to go inside and learn about the many diverse organizations we have right here in Oregon. Often those organizations turn out to be great partners for any business.

Start the New Year off right with a quick check of your compensation practices to make sure they are competitive, attractive and equitable, and to ensure you are on the right track.

Let me introduce you to this custom winemaking company, crafting under the brands of Wine by Joe and Dobbes Family Estate, among others.