Silver: Nestle Prepared Food Co

Arkansas Business, May 12, 2008

Nestle USA's goal is to be the best food and beverage company in the country. To be the best, Nestle will need help from its 600 workers at the company's Jonesboro plant, which produces Stouffer's and Lean Cuisine frozen meals.

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Nestle tries to ensure that the employees balance their work and family commitments, said Ty Howard, human resources generalist and future manufacturing leader, in an e-mail statement. "If our associates are able to honor commitments for both family and work, then it creates a positive impact on that associate," Howard said. If Nestle's goal is to be the best, "then we need our associates to be at their very best that they can be," he said.

Nestle offers a compressed work week, so employees can work four 10-hour shifts.

And to encourage the employees to receive more education, full-time employees have 100 percent of their tuition reimbursed up to $2,500 and then receive an additional 50 percent reimbursement up to another $2,500 for the calendar year.

Howard said the company has a strong sense of pride "and that we all feel like we can make a difference." Nestle also encourages its employees to volunteer. It has an adopt-a-school program where employees volunteer by reading to students at area schools. The employees are paid their wages for their time.

To reward the employees, Nestle has a yearly tailgate party or picnic.

"Nestle strives to remain competitive in all aspects of the business, including work-life balance," Howard said.