Benchmark Group Gets Silver (Continued)

Jim Parks, Director of Marketing and Human Resources, received the award on behalf of Benchmark Group.  The sixth annual Governor's Work-Life Balance Awards were presented by the Governor's Family-Friendly Employer Initiative. 

The management at Benchmark Group knows the 265 staff members  have a life outside of work.  So the company offers flexible start time and, if necessary, the opportunity to work from home. 

"We try to provide a good benefit package, flexible work hours, and events our staff can enjoy with their families, says Paul C. Parks, Benchmark Group President.  "All of this communicates the idea that a person's personal life is important, too.  We are grateful to receive the Work-Life Balance Award as a recognition of our efforts."

"The staff is critical to our success as a company," adds Jim Parks.  "And from a retention standpoint, you need to be able to offer benefits and flexibility to make staff members' personal life mesh together seamlessly with their work life."

In addition to an excellent traditional life and health benefits package and flexible work schedules, Benchmark Group also offers some unique benefits including 10 Year Day celebrations and 20 Year Trips.

When a staff member reaches their 10th anniversary of employment, Benchmark Group has a special company-wide celebration in that person’s honor.  The celebration is tailored to the staff member’s interests, and includes the Honoree, all of Benchmark Group’s staff, their spouses, and usually, their children.

One such event involved five Staff Members who celebrated their 10 Year Days simultaneously in Tulsa, OK.  The company provided chartered bus transportation to Tulsa, OK, paid for overnight lodging, an evening meal and a breakfast, and admission to the Oklahoma Aquarium or the Tulsa State Fair on Saturday, and the Tulsa Zoo on Sunday.  More than 300 staff and their family members attended this excursion.

A 20 Year Trip is awarded after 20 years of employment.  The trip can be anywhere in the 50 states, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Benchmark Group buys a round trip airline ticket for the staff member and their spouse or friend.

Benchmark Group also pays up to $975 of lodging expenses, and gives the staff member $1,200 in spending money.  The staff member also receives  2 extra days of paid vacation for their 20th year of employment, and for each year thereafter. 

In the company's 30 year history there have been, so far, 40 staff members to reach 10 years employment and 10 to eclipse the 20 year milestone.