Because of Gorilla Glue’s reputation as a top place to work, its 600-plus employees have long been comfortable approaching one of its 10 human resources professionals for help with life challenges such as transportation, budgeting and childcare.
“We love that our employees feel comfortable coming to us. We just didn’t have the resources or the time to research all of the resources available to them,” said Yvette Walker, Senior Benefits Manager and one of the 10 U.S.-based HR professionals for the multi-national company.
When Gorilla Glue’s leadership team learned of the coaching services that Workforce Connection offers, they quickly became the second local company to sign on. They recently renewed their contract for a second year.
By having a workforce coach on-site twice per week, Gorilla Glue employees have access to a helping hand and the HR department has time to devote to strategic and operational issues.
The company’s retention rate has improved among the frontline workers who engage with their Workforce Coach, TC Thomason. More importantly, from Gorilla Glue’s perspective, Thomason’s presence has enhanced the culture that company leaders have worked hard to establish.
“We are very employee-centric, so we are always looking to provide the best benefits,” Walker said. “We want to be a trend-setter, not a follower. Workforce Connection can be a game-changer.”
She cited the example of an employee who was on the verge of being fired before Thomason intervened. The employee shared an underlying mental health issue that he had not previously disclosed; the company allowed him time off for treatment, and he remains employed.
“If we save just that one person,” Walker said, “it will be worth it.”