Sometimes walking a mile in another person’s shoes gives you an unexpected perspective. The office personnel in our Westerville office were given the opportunity to visit four job sites in the greater Columbus, Ohio area. Ike Poe, Sr. Vice President- Operations, was committed to get everyone on a job site to help tell the New River story. “Our ESOP culture is strengthened further by having ALL employees knowledgeable in what NRE does. It is extremely valuable for our office folks to see and to know the field operation that we all support.
After a month of planning, members of Westerville’s billing and office support staff were issued flame resistant (FR) clothing, additional safety gear, and were escorted to each site. Every stop led to a greater appreciation for what is done in the field; the passion with which our employees must do the best job they can in a professional and customer-first manner shone through.
When asked of her impression of the work done in the field, Kendall Powell, Account Billing Administrator, stated, “What these guys do is mind blowing… They care as much as we care” about doing a first-rate job for our customers. Jamie Lingo, Account Billing Administrator, joined in that sentiment. “They concentrate on safety – they really take safety seriously.” Jamie, Kendall, and the rest of the support staff were able to gain a greater appreciation on how much our foremen must track daily to ensure the job is completed safely, on time, and within the customer’s budget. Everyone was impressed with not only the work being completed but the attention to detail and the understanding of how weather conditions dictate how a job is run. After seeing the work completed firsthand, Jamie commented, “This makes you want work that much harder – everyone is all in.”
That ‘all-in’ attitude does not stop at the workplace. When Kendall got home, her daughter immediately took her hard hat and safety glasses. We may have a future foreman on our hands.
