For the fourth year, Armor Protective Packaging® has been named to the Crain’s Cool Places to Work in Michigan list, an award that recognizes employers who go the extra mile to provide outstanding company culture and who help employees feel appreciated as determined, in part, by the input of the employees themselves.
“It is exciting and gratifying to know that the ARMOR team both recognizes and values our efforts to promote a culture that supports work-life balance; that puts people and relationships before profits, and that encourages them to be AuFUNtic, ARMOR’s term for authentic, genuine and fun,” said David Yancho, Vice President of ARMOR. “Being named one of the state’s coolest places to work by Crain’s Detroit Business validates that our efforts to build and maintain a fun and engaging company culture are working.”
The ARMOR workforce did its best to adapt to the stay-at-home orders brought on by COVID-19 — close to 75% of employees shifted to working remotely. “We feared that the distance would have a detrimental impact on our company culture,” explained Robin McConnell, President of ARMOR. “But instead, we found that our company culture was the foundation that kept our team strong, collaborative, and able to navigate the unexpected challenges of working remotely for the first time.”
Winners of the Crain’s Cool Places to Work in Michigan award are selected based upon the results of a survey on engagement and satisfaction completed by employees as well as an evaluation of the company’s benefits, policies and practices.
If you want the specifics on what makes ARMOR so cool, just ask the people who work there. As part of the Cool Places to Work selection process, employees are asked to anonymously provide input and examples of why ARMOR’s company culture is special. The list includes things that you might expect such as flexible hours; a casual dress code; a 3 percent company contribution to employee 401(k)s (regardless of whether employees contribute themselves); offsite, company outings; a sales-based profit-sharing program; and a monthly company luncheon that concludes with a “Celebrate Your Date” recognition of employees on the anniversary of their hire date.
But, the list also includes examples that spotlight what makes ARMOR unique, such as:
- First day of summer cookout with real sand and a kiddie pool;
- ARMOR Turkey Bowl that awards a frozen turkey for knocking down the most bowling pins;
- Valentine’s Day “Fill Someone’s Cup” where employees are randomly given the name of a co-worker and a candy-filled, large paper cup and are asked to anonymously write something nice about the person on the cup which is later collected and distributed;
- March basketball Final Four hotdog lunch and all-company shoot out;
- Hot weather impromptu mobile ice cream wagon (aka, a children’s wagon stocked and pulled by staff) that travels through the building to offer a selection of ice cream treats;
- ARMOR’s most distinctive annual event – its Ground Hog’s Day breakfast that includes a staff-performed reenactment complete with a ground hog puppet!
Also contributing to ARMOR’s award-winning company culture is its strong support of volunteerism and community involvement. Employees are given 24 hours a year of paid time off to volunteer within the community or to participate in company-sponsored events. In addition, ARMOR hosts its annual Great Pumpkin Classic Car Show to raise funds for the Livingston County Salvation Army and participates in school events such as Manufacturing Day and the Job Shadow Development Program.
“Being named to Crain’s Cool Places to Work list for the past 4 years is incredible; it is an honor that we take very seriously,” said Yancho. “It isn’t about bragging rights but it is confirmation that ARMOR provides a unique, productive workplace that people want to come to, where they feel supported and where they can do their job successfully and with enjoyment.”
