Bill Hardy

In a positive display of company culture, Ruppert Landscape of Laytonsville, MD, distributed bonus checks totaling $470,000 to 1,100 frontline field-level employees to thank them for their commitment and service during COVID-19. “We wanted to focus our efforts on our field managers and crew members who continued to report to work during a time of great crisis and uncertainty, while many of us were afforded the flexibility of working from the safety of our homes,” said Craig Ruppert, CEO. “To me, their efforts really underscore our company values of hard work, honoring commitments and supporting our community and I truly couldn’t be more proud of how they stepped up to the plate. In my mind, that deserves an extra thank you, which is what we wanted to do with these bonuses.” For those wondering how you attract and retain top employees, here’s a big part of the answer. No, not the money (but as any employee will tell you, it does help), but the company culture! Having an established culture, hiring people who align with that culture, and reinforcing that corporate culture from the top down—even during a pandemic—can go a long way toward your company’s long term success. Not to mention your company’s ability to weather a crisis, such as a pandemic. “We have been extremely fortunate so far,” acknowledged Ruppert. “But even with our ‘essential’ designation, the only way to keep things running is by having a dedicated team who believes in your company and trusts that you ...