We Don’t Have Employees, We Have A Family
Here at Custom Decks, we have a pair of missions that have combined to make us one of the top deck contractors in the nation. These missions are:
- Do What You Say You Are Going To Do – Every Time Zero Exceptions.
- Always Do the Right Thing – Every Time Zero Exceptions.
These two core values have guided our company ownership their entire lives, and this company since our beginning in 1996. They have also helped us create and hold onto the best group of builders, estimators, designers, and office staff in the business.
We Buck Industry Standards And Pay Well Above Industry Scale
The work-life of the average builder is a tough one. Their pay comes to them only once each month and is rarely at a level matching their skills. This creates a nomadic approach to employment in our field, with builders drifting from one company to the next and having no sense of company loyalty. This is no way to run a business, so we simply don’t play that game.
Our builders go through intensive company-specific training when they are first hired. They then work under our more experienced crew members on a few projects before they are allowed to work more independently at their tasks. This instills in them a respect for our core values (or they are let go to work for our competitors) and our way of doing things at our work sites. They learn:
- To keep their workspace clean at all times.
- To keep in mind that they are not just at a worksite but in someone’s home.
- That building to code isn’t good enough for our decks.
- To leave their worksite neat and orderly at the end of each day.
- To be careful where they set their tools and avoid crushing plants and flowers.
- To neatly stack deck materials and set, not drop, them in place.
- To not swear or play loud music at the worksite.
- To always give their best effort.
In return, they can rely on being paid above industry standards after each project is finished, instead of waiting for the end of each month to be underpaid for their skills.
A Culture Of Trust And Willingness To Help Our Workers
We know that, for any business to grow and be successful, it needs to take care of its workers. Plus, it’s just the right thing to do. The members of our office staff and builder crews know that they are a valued part of our organization and are considered family.
If someone in our corporate family is showing a decrease in their performance, our first reaction is not to punish them but to find out why. Often, we learn that they are having some kind of problem outside of work.
If it’s something we can help with, then we take whatever steps we need to help them out. Sometimes that means a pay advance or the temporary use of a company vehicle or even help at a more personal level. So long as it is within our power to help them, we will.
Of course, every situation is unique and in some cases, the right way to help is to let them solve the problem on their own with an appropriate amount of oversight.
The Right Thing No Matter The Cost
This past year, 2020, was tough on everyone. At one point early in the pandemic, we had to shut down for two weeks to deep clean the shop. We made sure to keep everyone on the payroll (i.e.,: no paychecks were missed) the entire time to the tune of over $30,000. Sure, it hurt, but it would have hurt our employees a lot more if we hadn’t.
Happier Times Are Returning And So Are Our Company Trips
Prior to the strange times we found ourselves in over the past year (and to resume shortly as we return to normal), we enjoyed gathering all of our workers together to celebrate the holiday season. Our last gathering took place over a fun holiday weekend in Las Vegas for our annual Christmas party.
We occasionally get together outside of the office for team building events and social gatherings because we think it goes a long way to help our employees work better together, especially in high-stress times of the year. And during the warm months, our company owner spends one day a month keeping the company grill going as our work crews stop by the shop for a free lunch.
Commitment, Communication, and Community
We strive to make our company a place that every one of our workers looks forward to each day. We know that good pay, while helpful, isn’t what makes our company special and certainly not why most of our workers can be seen smiling each day.
It’s our commitment to their wellbeing, our dedication to keeping them all well informed of our goals, and treating them all like the family we have always been that keeps them with us. What this means for you, our customers, is a service provider with an untouchable record of quality work from the most professional builders in the business.
So, if you catch one of our builders whistling a happy tune while they are working on your new custom deck, now you know why.