Recruiter Rebecca Dotson gave us some insights into Radio Systems Corporation’s culture and the benefits that most appeal to the women working there (hello, 1,700 square foot onsite gym).
Tell us more about Radio Systems Corporation.
Radio Systems Corporation is the leading supplier of pet products. Our family of brands includes PetSafe®, Invisible Fence® Brand, and SportDOG® Brand. Our portfolio includes electronic training and containment systems, waste management products, fountains, pet doors, innovative toys and much more. We are a global company with offices in China, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Canada and company owned stores for Invisible Fence Brand throughout the country. We are headquartered in Knoxville, TN and have 680 teammates around the globe (380 at our Knoxville HQ).
What is your company’s mission?
Our mission is “To Build the Most Trusted Pet Brands.” We strive to fulfill this mission every day by creating an environment where the customer is always the first person we think of when making decisions at any level in the organization. Our process of Customer Centered design encourages our teammates to not only think about the customer’s needs, but to anticipate them before they even know there’s a need!
What are your company’s core values?
Our company lives and breathes our core values – THE WILL – an acronym we have established:
- Try: Try a lot of stuff and keep what works. Mistakes are recognized as part of the learning and growing process. The only failure is failure to try.
- Honesty: Our integrity is more important than short-term profit. We are open and honest with our fellow associates, our customers, our vendors and our stockholders.
- Environment: We create an environment of openness, equality and teamwork.
- Win-win-win Solutions: We believe in finding win-win-win solutions to every problem or opportunity.
- Improvement: Continuing improvement in our company, our products and ourselves is fundamental to our culture.
- Listen: We listen to our customers, associates and vendors to find ways to improve our products and processes
- Last: We’re built to last. Radio Systems will be built, through its culture and practices, to last for many generations.
You have a great overall score on InHerSight, what are some of the policies or programs that are most popular with the women at your company?
Photo provided by Radio Systems
Recognition: Our Anniversary Program includes $5,000 and a full week of paid time off to take a dream trip for those who reach 10-years of employment. At 20 years, associates receive $7,500 and a week of paid time off. "Top Dog" is a monthly values-based recognition program where associates are nominated by peers and winners are voted on by a committee. At the end of the year, our CEO hosts a celebration dinner for all 12 Top Dog winners. Our "On The Spot" reward allows managers to give an immediate bonus of up to $500 to anyone in their department.
Wellness: Our wellness program has a variety of onsite offerings such as weekly exercise classes, live education courses, massage therapy, personal training, nutrition coaching, community supported agriculture delivery, and paid entry for races. Our headquarters hosts a 1,700 square foot onsite gym and a half-mile walking path. Our remote associates receive a gym reimbursement at the end of each quarter. Reimbursement of tobacco cessation aides for associates and family members is offered, as well as an additional $600-$800 contribution to Health Savings Accounts for participation in biometrics and a Health Risk Assessment. Our monthly newsletter includes a “Built to Last Champion,” featuring an associate’s wellness journey.
Associate Engagement: Our Associate Engagement team plans events to foster an environment of collaboration and fun. Including: Pups and Pints – Associates enjoy social time outdoors with co-workers and dogs while a local brewer serves from a beer truck; Board Meetings – while our senior staff attends their annual board meeting, we have one of our own … a corn hole tournament; Chili Cook Off – Complete with celebrity judges, and trophies; Thanksgiving Turkey – Our founder shares the story of the first Thanksgiving for the company, followed by a Thanksgiving meal of our own, as well as the gifting of frozen turkeys to associates by our senior staff (who are dressed up as turkeys themselves).
Learning and Development: Our Learning and Development Program encompasses developing our associates, managers, and teams to help our organization achieve success. We have an online platform called RSC College that hosts thousands of development courses. Our Tuition Reimbursement Program provides associates a $5,250 reimbursement. It also provides dependents, attending a Community College, a scholarship covering the cost of tuition and fees. In 2016, we launched our Unleashed Leadership Development Program and sent 100 managers and high potential associates through this intense 3-day training.
How would you describe your company’s culture?
You won’t meet a teammate who isn’t happy to be here (not only the associates, but the dogs too!). We have a culture of learning, equality and innovation. We have an open office environment where our senior leadership team sits among all other associates and our CEO exchanges desks once per year to get to know different teams! Our company is dedicated to giving back to the community. We are passionate about building dog parks in our local area in Tennessee and around the country where communities have an avenue to play with their pets and meet other dog owners through our Bark for Your Park programs.
Photo provided by Radio Systems
What is it about your work environment that makes it feel like a supportive place for women?
While we are a global organization of over 650 teammates, there truly is a family atmosphere here. We offer flexibility and a great work life balance that allows for all of our teammates to ensure that they are taking care of their families and themselves. Our Built to Last program offers associates in Knoxville an onsite gym, trainers and massage therapists and off site teammates are reimbursed the cost of their gym membership! We know that as hard as you work in the office, you are working 10 times harder at home, so we want to give you the space to take care of yourself! Continuous development, tuition reimbursement and career development opportunities are abundant at our company and encouraged to become part of your job description.
Does your company have executive level support for diversity initiatives?
Diversity has become increasingly more important at the executive level – especially incorporating and equipping women for leadership roles. In 2016 we rolled out a 3-day leadership development program and sent 120 managers and high potential teammates through the program. 42 of our participants were female! We have a Reverse Mentorship program where our Leadership Team is paired with a high potential teammate so they are able to mentor the executive on topics such as current trends and technologies. 5 out of 9 of these participants are female!
What would you tell prospective female employees about why your company is a great place to work?
As an organization, we want to support our teammates and provide work-life balance, growth opportunities as well as flexibility. We know that happy people are productive people so it is important to us that our team takes time for the most important things in their life outside of work!
Tell us something else fun or interesting about your company.
Our open-office environment is a key component of our culture, fostering collaboration and creativity. You’ll often see teammates, and their dogs, working together on projects, or throwing around ideas … and tennis balls. Associates are also encouraged to take advantage of a flexible work schedule, including a work-from home option. Customer Care Center representatives are given 30 minute wellness breaks, twice a week, which allows time away from their desks to participate in their favorite wellness activity. Last, we don’t have a dress code! We believe our teammates don’t have to wear a suit and tie to be successful.
Get more of the inside scoop from the women working at Radio Systems Corporation on the Radio Systems InHerSight page.
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