Advertiser Democrat

NORWAY - It came as no surprise to New Balance associates that their company has been named one of the three best large employers in Maine.

The Norway plant of the sport shoe and clothing manufacturer has 160 "associates," as the production personnel are termed. The company was reluctant to specify averages, but the starting hourly wage for a production worker in training (for six months) is $10, with a jump to $11.10 per hour after that. Hourly rates of $14 to $15 per hour "are not unheard of," according to Human Resources Supervisor Eric Riendeau.

Hilda Hall, of West Paris, a production team leader at the Norway factory has been with the athletic shoe company for 11 years.
"It was the benefits that attracted me in the first place," Hall says, "But I have to say what's different about working here is that management leads. They aren't 'you do this 'cause I'm the boss and you're a peon.' Instead, they say, 'Are you having a problem? How do you think we can solve it?'"

Hall says that as far as she is concerned, the entire organization values the input of all its members. Gone are the days of piecework-based pay, a figure determined to be the value of each item, based on the completed work rather than its quality.

"We found that piecework encouraged everyone to think 'production, production, production. But, that was done at the expense of product quality,"said Riendeau.

"When we made the shift [from piece rate to hourly wage] there were concerns about how production might suffer. In fact, we found that just the opposite was true. In many instances production increased," interjected Human Resources Manager Chris Arsenault.

Hall and coworker Chistina Berube, of Oxford, both mentioned the company's interest in personal development, with educational programs, in which a percentage of tuition is reimbursed, with a higher percentage for high grades.

"I looked at it, but with a busy three-year-old, the timing isn't right for me just now. But I have it in mind," says Berube.

"I think I'll be looking at business-related courses. But they teach you a lot here," Hall says.

The coworkers cite the "Lunch and Learn," weekly lectures from expert guest speakers on a wide variety of subjects. Another example is the daily problem-solving sessions in which teams must not only express a production issue, but present facts and figures to back up their conclusions and specifically how they will measure results. Often, if a change is successful for one team, it will be adopted throughout the company.

Tammie Richardson, of Sumner, a 13-year worker and a "floating" production associate, says that she appreciates the way the company is concerned about employee health. "Zumba" exercise classes were held for weeks and very popular, she said. And the company's variation on the "Biggest Loser" TV program was a big success.

"We're a company that makes athletic shoes and athletic clothing. That translates to healthy living," says Riendeau. "So our health plan stresses prevention."

Three days every week, a physical therapist (PT) is available - at no charge to the employee - to answer questions about physical strain, effort and movement. Called "job coaching," the therapist observes the manufacturing process and how the individual performs their work, then helps the employee find improved ways to move.

Berube says she recently had to talk to the PT and saw improvement in a matter of days, just by changing the way she positioned her arms during a step in the shoe making.

"It was great, I didn't have to take off from work and there was no co-pay to bother with."

Not only is the physical therapist a frequent visitor, so is a doctor, or a nurse practitioner. Three days a week one or the other, or even both, are available to employees with no copay needed for the consultation. Of course, flu shots were available, free, to employees.

The employees are also extremely proud of the company's efforts at supporting local community nonprofit organizations and allowing its associates to take time away from work to volunteer at various charitable organizations.

The annual award is sponsored by Bernstein and Shur, Counsellors at Law, the MaineState Chamber of Commerce, Mainebiz, the Maine State Council of the Society of Human Resource Management and Employment Times. A complete list of award winners is available, on line, at bestplacestoworkinmaine.com.