When a company’s employees have been at their jobs for an average of ten years, some as long as 25 years, it says a lot about the company’s culture. A positive work culture can inspire innovation and keep employees engaged in their work, affecting employee satisfaction and productivity and helping the company achieve its business goals.
“We attribute the success of our business to our employees and the culture they have created,” said Rod and Rose Snell, franchise owners of the FASTSIGNS in Harlingen and McAllen. “They are very knowledgeable, kind, and hard-working people who love to have fun!”
Employees at FASTSIGNS describe their company culture as a fun, positive environment where they always strive to be the best. They celebrate the big and the small things but are also open to constructive criticism to improve. While working hard, they joke around with each other. Rose Snell believes this to be an important part of the workday, as laughing daily is important to overall good health and happiness.
“Even our newer employees have 1-2 years with the company,” said Ernest Macias, who works Outside Sales in Harlingen. “It’s a small family. We have our ups and downs, but we are close. The closeness of the FASTSIGNS family transcends a normal work environment.”
The diversity of the projects that FASTSIGNS does for its clients helps to keep the employees engaged in their work. Whether they are doing a project for a school, a small company, or a large corporation, the variety of projects makes every day different. Seeing these projects through to completion creates a sense of accomplishment.
“Every day is an adventure. All of our work is custom work, which keeps it feeling fresh and exciting, and fun,” said Albert Mendez, Store Manager in McAllen.
As franchise owners, Rod and Rose Snell are involved in the company’s day-to-day, providing help and guidance to their employees. Garcia described Rod and Rose as excellent role models, with their faith being an important part of their lives. Their focus on always looking to what is best for the company encourages the employees to strive to be the best to provide the greatest quality to their clients.
“Rose and Rod give us a lot of freedom to build within the company. It helps in decision-making to know that we have their support,” said Christina Duran, Center Manager in Harlingen.
As the experts in signage, FASTSIGNS strives to make signage the last thing the client needs to worry about. Their employees take pride in the quality of their work and the service they provide to their clients, educating themselves to create the best possible products with the latest technology.
“Rod and Rose want to be innovative and stay up with the latest technology to help the customer in the best way possible,” said Production Manager Jaime Garcia. “It is a very innovative company.”
Employee recognition is another factor in employee retention in which FASTSIGNS excels. There are overall incentives for departments that keep the employees engaged and excited. The company provides bonuses to sales and managers. A goal is set for each year, with a trip being the bonus for reaching that goal.
FASTSIGNS focuses on the customers, building relationships with their clients, and providing the best quality products possible. While most employees have been there for many years, the people who are hired and succeed in the company are those who strive to live up to the expectations of their customers.
“Every job is stressful, but it is the way we handle the stress of the job,” said Mendez. “We have each other’s back, and that goes a long way in a company, knowing that not only the other employees, but the owners have your back.”
