NRI Distribution Inc. was just certified as a 2013 “Most Democratic Workplace™” by WorldBlu. We caught up with President and CEO Peter McKenna to discuss this award and other recent happenings at NRI.
Congratulations to NRI on being certified as a Most Democratic Workplace by WorldBlu! Why did NRI seek out this prestigious certification?
We have worked hard on engaging our employees through practices like LEAN manufacturing, which emphasizes creating value, as well as Town Hall meetings. We are always trying to measure the effectiveness of our actions. Sometimes the opportunity to have a voice is missed by employees who are accustomed to other work cultures so this was a chance for us to get a solid measurement.
What did the application process require you to demonstrate?
You are measured on 10 principles, Purpose and Vision, Transparency, Dialogue and Listening, Fairness and Dignity, Accountability, Individual+Collective, Choice, Integrity, Decentralization, Reflection and Evaluation. There is a lot of focus on measuring leaders actions and their accountability to employees.
How does the award reflect NRI’s corporate culture and values?
My partner Bruce Churchill and I had both worked in unhealthy environments when we met. We decided from day one that fairness and respect would be cornerstones of our business relationships both internally and externally. Since then we have added and defined our values further and we communicate and demonstrate those values every day. We also communicate those values in the hiring process at all levels so that our managers and employees know that we are genuinely committed to them. We hire for culture and fit.
What aspects of its culture help NRI retain and attract top tier talent?
We try to share as much information as we can with our crew and engage them in decision making. Obviously you expect to gain insight from key employees in the decision process. If you share information through to all employees it’s amazing the valuable feedback we receive.
We all have expectations in the work environment and quality and accountability are a big part of our values. So is a balance of success and lifestyle. We want to make sure we are supporting their success at work and in their personal lives. The give back can be amazing as their vision of our business becomes one of shared ownership rather than a paycheque. The company is now 15 years old and I look through my calendar and see numerous 10 and 15 year anniversary celebrations. It’s definitely a reflection of the sense of ownership and valued input that makes someone want to invest that much of their life to a company.
What’s next for NRI?
The results we received from WorldBlu showed us we still have areas of opportunity. We will be participating with other companies who made the list beginning in May to share concepts and results to try and improve where we fell short. This is a strategic focus for us as our product is a blend of people and tech with tech being the easy part. We are also continually working on our listening skills.
As we increase our footprint in the USA and bring on new staff and clients, it is important for us to partner with brands who share and support our values. Finding those customers is essential to maintaining our culture and it’s culture that comes first.
