Earnest Machine earns award
Earnest Machine was recently recognized as an organization that has demonstrated cutting-edge practices with the Smart Culture Award from Smart Business magazine.
Earnest was one of 28 Northeast Ohio organizations honored by Smart Business for using company culture as a competitive advantage.
“Our employees are empowered to create the best customer experiences,” said Kirk Zehnder, president of Earnest Machine. “Sometimes that leads to mistakes, but that’s okay. We call those ‘hug the cactus’ moments. We want people to not be afraid to take a risk or learn from mistakes because when our employees try harder—without fear of mistakes —we achieve more wins, learn new things and in turn, create a better experience for our customers.”
The “smart culture” at Earnest extends beyond the willingness to try new approaches and make mistakes. It also includes the company’s offices—which don’t look like a typical fastener company—and activities and events for employees. Those can include cookouts and cook-offs, paddle boarding and whirly ball outings, and deliver Meals on Wheels each Friday or collect Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army.
“All these activities and events give employees the chance to work together outside of normal daily business,” noted Zehnder, “and that helps build mutual trust and respect, which in the end benefits our customers.“
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Joyce Lansdale and Vallen. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and David Kahle, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
