#Follow Friday – Publishers Press

Publishers Press is one of the few remaining family-owned printing companies serving the magazine industry.    They are a small company located in Shepherdsville, KY (just south of Louisville) that has been around for 140 years.  You can read more about them on their website here.  I know about Publishers Press because my mother has worked there for more than a decade.

The company has an impressive history that includes five generations of Simon family members leading the charge.  They have grown from  a few employees to 1700 in two locations.  They have several patents and awards for their work.  Impressive beyond any of that however, is how they treat their employees.

My mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in February of this year.  She immediately underwent surgery and an aggressive chemo treatment.  Immediately upon hearing the news, she was told to take as much time off as she needed and not worry about her job.  The care and concern that every employee my mother interacts with, from the executives to those working in the bindery was beyond anything I had ever seen.  They called, they sent cards, they stopped by the house with gifts.  Everyday brought something new.  Where most companies forget about employee’s on leave until it’s time to come back, my mother was made to feel as though she was never gone.  This happens to be standard practice.  Yes, it costs them money and time, but the ROI is dedicated employees who will work for them until they stop working.

The Simon’s have cultivated a family atmosphere where each employee is a valued member.  Of course their customers are important and making a profit is essential to their future, but they recognize that their employees will emulate the behavior of their managers.  Dynamic relationships with their employees turns into dynamic relationships with their customers.

Because they are a small company, I don’t think they are on twitter – I couldn’t find them anyway.  Nonetheless, I wanted to make sure I highlighted them, if nothing else than for the impact they have had on my family.  You may not be able to follow them, but if you ever have a need for magazine printing services, they make a great choice.

#Follow Friday – Southwest Airlines

For my first official #Follow Friday (#FF) company post I have chosen Southwest Airlines. I have spent a lot of time with them over the last 5 years, not as an employee but as a customer.  I was definitely a road warrior back in the day.  In one year, I flew SWA so much that I earned enough rapid reward credits for a companion pass and take my family of five to Hawaii (which took 2 free flights each).  I maintained the companion pass for three years – that’s a lot of flying.  So while I’ve never worked for the company, I have spent a lot of time with their employees.

My first clue that Southwest is a company that really values their employees came from the flight attendants.  On every flight there is a time when the flight attendants jobs are done and they sit at the front and chat.  I often sat up front and could hear the conversation.  Not one time, in hundreds of flights, did I hear a bad word about the company.  Not one.  I heard about employee appreciation days or new benefits they were offering or how excited they were about this change or that one.  Southwest is praised for their customer service and it’s easy to see why.  Happy employees provide great service.

For more proof that Southwest values their employees, you only have to look to the various media outlets they utilize to share the LUV.  Whether you read the in-flight magazine, the blog or the twitter feed, you will always find proof of how important their employees are to them.  The commercials showcasing what has become their best tag line ever (in my opinion)  “Grab your Bag. It’s On!” use actual employees as the actors.  Many companies I know would be too afraid to put an employee in a commercial and have them quit a week later.  Their employees are empowered to make the job their own and infuse their personality into every day.  I could give numerous examples of this, but if you’ve flown them for any amount of time, I’m sure you’ve seen it.  Read their annual report on their Southwest Cares program and you will find their employees recognized and praised throughout.

A quote from CEO, Gary Kelly on their company website states, “Our people are our single greatest strength and most enduring long term competitive advantage.”  According to the website, Southwest is the United States’ most successful low-fare, high frequency, point-to-point carrier. Southwest operates more than 3,300 flights a day coast-to-coast, making it the largest U.S. carrier based on domestic passengers carried as of September 30, 2009.  The recession has hit everyone, but Southwest remains strong and all the credit is given to their employees.  Employees don’t work that hard if they aren’t engaged.  Southwest is a major force when it comes to employee engagement and a great model for other companies.

“It’s On!”