Catalina Pineda has worked at NOW Health Group Inc. for two decades. She’s made it a family affair.
“My daughter works here. My sister works here, my cousin,” said Pineda, who encouraged them all to seek employment at NOW Health Group. “I was the first. I told them I work for the best company.”
She’s not alone in her assessment of Bloomingdale-based NOW Health, one of the largest family-owned companies in the natural products industry. Company executives and employees say a culture of servant leadership has helped create a strong workplace environment. So have great benefits, spin-the-wheel perks, open communication and a familylike environment.
The company, which makes everything from daily vitamins and aromatherapy oils to children’s toothpaste, is ranked No. 18 among large employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.
NOW Health Group is driven by “how much we value our people and the people who are on our team,” CEO Jim Emme said. It’s about following the golden rule, he said, “being respectful, treating each other as you want to be treated, culture, values and talent, being true to ourselves and making sure everybody understands that they are valued.”
At NOW Health Group, which produces more than 1,400 dietary supplements, foods, sports nutrition and personal care products, managers go through servant leadership training, said Patti Paulson Otto, director of compliance and employee relations. They talk about communication styles, recognizing differences in style, and how to talk about issues and come to an agreement with those who have a different style, she explained.
NOW Health Group has a culture of empathy and focuses on serving employees by addressing their needs, and keeping them engaged and informed, said Otto, who has worked for the company for 27 years.
“Our benefits are second to none,” said Peggy Tomassoni, a sales representative who is based out of the company’s Bloomingdale corporate offices and has been with the business for more than eight years.
The company’s benefits package includes free generic drugs, a 401(k) plan with an annual match of up to $6,500 per employee, a 46% discount on medical insurance premiums, $5,000 in adoption assistance, 100% company-funded profit-sharing, quarterly bonuses and medical, dental and vision coverage.
On Jan. 1, the company will implement a change in its wellness program, which had provided $250 annually to employees for use on massages, to make it a lifestyle program that provides $300 annually for full-time employees and $150 for part-time staffers that can be used for groceries and gas.
“It’s great to have a massage, but right now I think our employees may need more help paying for gas,” said Michelle Canada, vice president of Human Resources, adding that the company is constantly evaluating and looking at how to make the workplace environment better and keep employees engaged.
Employees say they are recognized and celebrated. For his birthday, Victor Ruiz, production lead at the company’s manufacturing plant, said he was able to spin the company’s birthday wheel, which includes prizes such as eight hours of paid time off and cash awards.
“I won $1,000,” he said.
“There’s a family kind of feeling here,” he said of the workplace environment. “The communication is amazing.”
Tomassoni echoed that sentiment.
“I never feel afraid to go to anybody if I have any questions or concerns,” she said. “They make it very easy to communicate.”
That’s because transparency and open communication are priorities, Canada said. There’s an open-door policy between the staff, managers and executives, and there are daily huddles with employees in production and warehouse operations to discuss the business, what’s working, what’s not, she said.
Updates are provided through company newsletters, and Emme holds town hall meetings to provide company information, discuss short-term and long-term plans and get feedback from the staff. There are also regular random employee chats, which the human resources staff conducts with veteran employees as well as new hires, to check in on how they’re doing and see if they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Employees are recognized for making suggestions about improvements and safety enhancements.
Among the benefits the company offers is access to bilingual care partners, who are available on-site to provide support when employees face personal challenges. They help minister to staff’s personal needs.
Carrie Fitzgerald, an executive assistant at the company’s Bloomingdale plant, took advantage of that assistance.
“Seven years ago, when I came here, I was going through things,” she said. “There were people to help me, guide me. It made such a difference in my life.”
Professionally, she said she’s benefited personally from the company’s focus on servant leadership. She was shy and started out at the company as a senior administrative assistant before being promoted to her current position.
“My boss has taken personal time to sit with me, coach me, to make me a better person personally and to groom me (professionally),” Fitzgerald said. “She’s sent me to classes, seminars.”
As a result, Fitzgerald has improved her computer skills, learned how to establish boundaries and boosted her confidence, she said.
“She instilled in me that we are a team,” Fitzgerald said. “She is a servant leader.”
Diversity is also highly valued at the company. Sixty-one percent of the staff are from minority populations, and employees speak nine different languages.
Among its diverse staff are high-functioning young adults with special needs and disabilities. They work in its offices performing clerical tasks, in manufacturing helping on the lines and at its distribution facility. Company founder Elwood Richard felt it was important to provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities because he believed in helping people reach their potential at various levels, Otto said.
The company is committed to maintaining a top workplace culture. It’s critical, executives said.
“Culture trumps strategy in almost every situation,” Emme said. “It’s fundamental to the success of an organization.”
Francine Knowles is a freelance writer.
