Best Agencies to Work For West: Wood Gutmann – Silver
One can say the managers of Wood Gutmann & Bogart Insurance Brokers have made a long-term commitment to their workers.
“Employee engagement” is a term Kevin Bogart, CEO of the firm, almost couldn’t use enough.
“I can’t tell you anything we talk about more than culture and employee engagement,” Bogart said, when asked to describe the culture at the firm. “It’s very, very engaged. It starts with care. It starts with a general philosophy. We care for one another as team members.”
I can’t tell you anything we talk about more than culture and employee engagement.
Wood Gutmann & Bogart, which reports more than $20 million in revenue and employs 150 professionals who provide risk management, insurance, and employee benefits consulting, scored high in several rating categories.
Numerous employees who rated the firm highly did so because they liked the culture there.
“We are a close-knit family that looks after each other which is only established by good morale, proper training, and shared goals,” wrote one employee. “Management cares about individuals who go through hardships and goes the extra mile to help them in their time of need. Employees get together socially outside of work. There is excitement in our success and group help in times of distress.”
Another gave the firm high marks for its review process.
“WGB conducts performance reviews on an annual basis,” the employee wrote. “The review includes feedback from several team members in the office. The company values each employee, this is reflected in the review and salary increases as well as bonuses. WGB rewards their employees with various bonus plan incentives.”
Others liked the firm’s value-added offers for its clients.
“We have a spectrum of specialists to help our clients at any point of the business needs: An OHSA Outreach Instructor, Certified First Aid and CPR Instructor, Medicare Specialist to work with our benefits clients, HACCP certified broker to name a few services,” the employee wrote.
Bogart said the firm’s management looks to do numerous things to retain and motivate employees, such as promoting from within, and having a business casual environment every day.
A sign at the reception desk in the front of the firm’s headquarters tells visitors they enjoy a business casual environment.
“Every employee gets one Friday a month off with pay,” Bogart said when asked to name some more perks they offer to their employees. “It’s like getting an extra 12 days of vacation every year.”
They recently introduced a free corporate fitness membership with a boutique fitness company where all of employees can work out, and once a month fitness instructors come to their office and do a lunch and learn session to talk about sleep, water consumption, nutrition, supplements and give other health tips.
During monthly staff meetings employees get to celebrate successes they and other team members have had, and for every success a random employee name gets drawn out of a hat and that person gets to spin wheel and win money and other prizes.
“This is a great way to create engagement for everybody and I really think it helps to drive excitement for winning and client engagement and helping to serve in the marketplace,” Bogart said.
Last month there were 17 spins dealt out. More success stories get more spins.
“The message is ‘Hey we’re all engaged, and when we have success in one area or another, it’s because we’re all here pulling together,'” Bogart said.
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