Harlan Royce was out of work for nearly three years by the time he made contact with Staffmark.
Since leaving the Air Force in 2010, he’d had a couple jobs, but they weren’t steady, and he hadn’t worked at all since November 2011.
He submitted applications everywhere, only to find that there were 200 to 300 people vying for the same position. He was at a low point. After 20 years in the military, Royce found the transition to civilian life much more difficult than he thought it would be.
Enter Staffmark.
Top 10 in US
The staffing agency, with more than 300 branch offices in 32 states, is one of the top 10 staffing companies in the United States based on the size of its staff, according to the company. Its primary focus is on light-industrial, clerical and specialty staffing services.
For Royce, though, the company’s focus was on him. Within 48 hours of submitting his resume to Staffmark, he was called for a job interview for a position with an oil field pipeline repair company. His last civilian job was servicing oil rigs, so he was well versed in the business. It seemed like a dream job for him, and the pay was good, too—$18 an hour to start.
Anthony Valentin, Staffmark district director, Orange County/San Diego, said the company does far more than simply connect people who want to work with prospective employers.
“What makes Staffmark different? We think it’s our focus on two things: people and results,” he said.
All of Staffmark’s associates, from President and Chief Executive Lesa Francis to the front-line professionals who connect applicants with job openings, are committed to putting people first, Valentin said. That’s founded in the company culture Staffmark has developed, in which associates are encouraged, supported and trusted to make the best decisions for the company.
Staffmark tops this year’s Business Journal list of the best places to work in Orange County in the large-company category (see list, page 30).
Cleveland-based Staffmark has three branch offices in Orange County: Tustin, Placentia and Cypress. Valentin covers the OC and San Diego area, as well as parts of Riverside County.
Because it’s such a large company, with more than 1,000 employees spread throughout the country, it’s divided into business units. Valentin and the district he heads are part of the Western unit, which encompasses most of California, Arizona and Nevada.
Accessibility, Consideration, Trust
The four district directors in that unit have been with the company for more than 10 years each, and working closely together has enabled the quartet to expand on the company culture that emanates from company headquarters, Valentin said.
Senior Vice President Stacey Lane oversees the Western unit, and Valentin said she supports the district directors’ approach to managing the team.
“We’ve created an environment where all the managers are accessible, where we all work side by side,” Valentin said. “There’s no ivory tower here. The managers are here to help the associates.”
Molly Hansen, branch manager of the Tustin office, has been with the company for 4 ½ years.
“I love that everyone companywide is really passionate about staffing,” she said. “We really care.”
Freedom to Make Decisions
Associates are armed with up-to-the-minute information about the laws regulating employment and staffing agencies, including the Affordable Care Act, compliance laws, sexual harassment laws, employee classification laws, and a host of other regulations, Valentin said.
They’re also given the opportunity to take additional courses, such as customized organizational applications and other programs designed to help them manage clients and applicants more efficiently.
Each Staffmark customer company is assigned an account manager who works closely with it to gain an in-depth understanding of specific staffing needs, whether the company needs a temporary employee or is looking to permanently fill a position.
Staffmark also offers on-site human resources managers who support companies that use contingent—or provisional—labor as a significant percentage of their overall workforces.
Customers who opt to take advantage of the on-site managers are assigned a Staffmark associate who works in the company’s offices and is responsible for recruitment, attendance, coaching and retention of the workforce. Staffmark customizes its support for each customer, so it’s essential that associates have the freedom to determine what is best for their customer—and, ultimately, Staffmark.
“The associates make all the day-to-day decisions,” Valentin said.
He also proudly pointed out that associates in the Western business unit have never to his knowledge had a problem filling an order. Account managers from branch offices collaborate to make sure customers’ needs are met.
Range of Rewards
Employees the Business Journal talked to said they get fulfillment from helping people find employment that uses their skills and talents.
“I wake up every day feeling so lucky that I get to help people find jobs,” Hansen said.
The 12-year veteran of the staffing industry said the rewards are more than financial.
“We’re really changing people’s lives.”
Staffmark’s workforce also changes people’s lives outside the workplace—the Orange County offices often get together to volunteer for various nonprofit groups, including Second Harvest Food Bank and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Associates get paid time off in order to participate.
It’s more than an opportunity to help the less fortunate, Valentin said.
It’s an opportunity for associates to form a bond that translates into a better work environment—people really enjoy their time together at the office, Hansen said.
Plus, every job placement, large and small, is broadcast on Staffmark’s Facebook page, and associates are recognized publicly for their work.
Staffmark offers its employees a premium benefits package, from medical to 401(k) to vacation and flextime. There’s also a bonus structure to incentivize associates. But Valentin said financial rewards are just one reason the company’s associates have been with it so long—seven years on average.
“It’s because of our culture,” he said. “People come first—always. Customers can’t come first unless our team members come first. This is really important.”
Staffmark’s company culture has helped its associates match companies and willing workers for more than 40 years, yet each situation is unique.
Take Harlan Royce. After a phone interview, a face-to-face interview, and a complete reference check, he got the news he’d been hoping for: He got the oil pipeline company job.
“This is one of my proudest moments,” Valentin said of Royce’s placement.
“I love this company, and I love what we do for people.”
