Company: Ben Venue Laboratories Inc.
Location: Bedford
Number of Employees: More than 1,300
What They Do: Manufacture 250 different sterile, injectable pharmaceuticals, including cancer and cardiac drugs
Why It’s a Great Place to Work: The company communicates well with its employees, offering leadership training, coaching-style management and opportunities for advancement.
Tom Murphy, president and CEO, 16 years of service.
Because we’ve continued to grow and be successful, it’s allowed us to do the right things for our employees.
For example, we’ve gone from a small lunchroom to a fairly large, modern cafeteria with full food service. And we’ve opened an occupational health care center within our own building. When companies are cash-strapped, as so many are in this economy, they have to cut back on benefit programs and other things. We have not had to make those calls.
As you continue to grow, you need to change how you work with your employees. We have to include our employees, make them a part of that change, as opposed to just telling them we’re changing.
We’ve realized that communication is probably the most important thing. So we’ve put programs in place to make sure we’re as transparent, open and honest as possible.
For example, we do focus-group meetings where we have anywhere from three to 12 employees meet with me, our head of operations and our head of human resources to talk about anything on their minds. We get suggestions on how to better utilize our equipment and space. And we’ve made changes in how we train people based on their involvement; sometimes physical training is better than book training.
We’ve changed our approach, too. Years ago, we had more of a command-and-control environment. We’re doing leadership training, working with our people-managers at all levels, to effect a coaching culture. It’s more collaborative, so managers and employees are making decisions and addressing issues together.
Part of that is a result of my own style. But we’ve also realized it’s easier to get people’s involvement and buy-in if they feel they’re part of change and improvement instead of just being told to do it.
— As told to Lynne Thompson
Reggie Hill, material waste handler, environmental health and safety department, 20 years of service.
Years ago, we only had a midyear review and yearly review. But now my supervisor sits down with me every month, and we just clear the air. She tells me, “You need to improve in this area” or “Try this.” I tell her what’s on my mind, the direction I think the department is going at the time. It’s a stress-reliever. And we’ve had so many improvements. For example, we needed an extra person just to catch up on the workload — it was really heavy at the time. During the one-on-one, I suggested hiring a temp for a couple of months. She hired one to help us out.
Vickie Giacomazza, production training coordinator, sterile filling group, 10 years of service.
I’m doing meaningful work. As corny as that might sound, it is really, really awesome to know that we — my husband also works at Ben Venue — are doing something that makes a difference. We have a 6-year-old daughter, and she knows what we do. She always tells people, “My mommy and daddy work at Ben Venue. They save people’s lives.”
Audrey Butler, director of quality control, quality operations department, 15 years of service.
I actually started as a temporary employee. To go from a temporary employee to the director of one of the quality departments, I don’t know if that would happen in other companies. And they certainly gave me everything I needed to be successful. For example, the former vice president of product development not only recommended me for my current job, but took the time to work with me.