We Did it Again!

So I open my e-mail this morning, and Bingo, there it is. The official announcement that Solid Cactus has once again been named one of the “Best Places to Work in PA.” This will be our third straight year earning this distinction. It’s pretty amazing that out of the 221,000 businesses in the Commonwealth, that we one of 50 to get this award in the medium-size business category.

Being one of the “Best Places to Work in PA” is something that we are very proud of and it’s an honor we take very seriously. It’s takes more than just offering your employees dress-down Friday’s. It’s not just about being flexible with schedules. It’s about creating a work environment that people want to come into every day. It’s about creating a culture that nurtures employees and provides opportunities for them to speak out, advance their careers and still maintain a healthy balance between work and home.

So what is it like to work for one of the “Best Places to Work in PA?” Here are some of the perks that come along with a career in our Shavertown, PA headquarters:

• Open Door Policy - Solid Cactus Inc. promotes an atmosphere whereby team members can talk freely with members of the management staff. Team members are encouraged to openly discuss with their supervisor any problems so appropriate action may be taken.
• Paid Days Off - 7 paid holidays, 6 paid flexible use days, along with paid vacation which varies according to length of service.
• Benefits - health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, 401k plan with company match.
• Tuition Reimbursement Plan
• Job Referral Incentive Program
• Bonus Plan Incentive Program - applicable to all employees, not just sales,
• Relaxed Dress Code - we dress very casually, except when customers come to visit!
• Free employee parking - Mayor Leighton of Wilkes-Barre, listen up! Parking is FREE here, and should be if you want businesses to locate in your town! This is why we moved out of Wilkes-Barre.

That’s the human resources stuff taken out of the employee handbook, but there’s more too it. We value our employees and treat them like family. After all, if it wasn’t for them, well…. you get the picture. We also take pride in our workplace - the Solid Cactus Technology Center - which is home to 160+ team members. (Our call center which is located in Wilkes-Barre plays host to 100 additional team members.) At our Technology Center, we have:

• A full-size gym which we use as a basketball court and you can often find team members playing ping pong, basketball or badminton.
• Locker room facilities with showers.
• A company supported restaurant, Saguaro’s, which offers breakfast, lunch and snacks including soft-serve ice cream, to team members at reduced pricing.
• Plenty of free parking (you still with me Mayor Leighton?).
• Lots of “green space” for playing touch football, Frisbee, or just hanging out laying in the grass.
• A courtyard with trees and picnic tables to enjoy the fresh, country air.
• Free fountain soda on all three floors.
• Company shuttle vans for use when team members need to travel out of the area or between facilities.
• A new classroom-style training facilities with laptop computers.

But the most important thing that makes us one of the “Best Places to Work in PA” is our core values and the way we try to treat each and every team member. We don’t have a warehouse full of inventory or a room full of tangible assets. Our assets are our people and without them there would be no Solid Cactus. It may sound trite, but it’s true. We treat everyone here with respect and follow the golden rule of “treating others like how you would want to be treated.” If you take one thing away from this post and try to implement it into your own business, take that and maybe next year we’ll see your name on one of the “Best Places to Work” list.