Story #89 - Great Place to Work
/Story #89 is about the things we do to make SSM a great place to work.
Over the years our internal programs and initiatives have evolved to meet the needs of our clients, the industry, and most importantly our team. One of the things that makes SSM strong is our attention to our team. We believe that our team members should not only have what they need to get the job done right, but also to move their career forward.
From comprehensive on-boarding to career development, SSM University, and industry association participation- we support our team members in being not only experts, but happy employees.
Buddy Program | For over 35 years our on-boarding process included matching a new employee with a “buddy” in the organization to help ease their transition. We get it, starting a new job can be overwhelming. That’s why we like to make sure our new team members feel safe and encouraged in their new role. Throughout on-boarding we include an intentional introduction into our company, our systems, and of course, where the snacks are. But we don’t look past the fact that sometimes you just need that person who you can ask those ‘silly’ questions to. “How do I print again? Where exactly is the timesheet?”
Our buddies head out to lunch together on their first day and continue to build their connection through the first few weeks of the on-boarding process.
Rookie Club | The Rookie Club is an extension of our orientation and extends through the first anniversary for each new hire. The Club meets quarterly to discuss the employee’s first year, questions they have, and insights/feedback about the transition to SSM. We’ve found that The Club is a perfect check-in with a cohort of other new hires to share their experiences, discuss what’s missing, and connect on similar needs.
It’s a great resource for our Human Resources team as well to identify the gaps in our on-boarding, or the valuable experiences our team members had before heading to SSM.
The Varsity Team | More recently, we’ve started the planning process for a brand new Varsity Team that will have the same core mission as our Rookie Club: gain insight from our people. The Varsity Team will invite conversations with our 10+ year SSM team members.
SSM University | Our SSM University operates year-round. We utilize our employees’ feedback to establish our course objectives. And, more often than not, we allow our own team members to lead the courses. Some of our recent SSM University topics have included: LinkedIn 101 and IT Tips and Tricks. We also host monthly sessions for our Project and Client Managers, providing them useful information in regard to contracts, billing, strategic plans, and a whole lot more. And one of our favorite SSM University paths is the AMMO sessions in which our team members provide presentations to members of other departments so everyone can better understand what services we offer across the Company and the solutions we provide our Clients.
Career Development | We’re proudly a firm that encourages career development and opportunities within our teams. We’ve seen employees rise from interns to managers and even vice presidents. And, we’ve encouraged our team members in seeking new certifications that are suited to what they want their futures to look like.
Industry Participation | We sponsor our team members’ membership to a variety of industry organizations and associations. Because we know that we are made better by the expertise of our people and the opportunities they have to grow in their field. Our team members participate in monthly meetings, serve as members of committees or take on leadership roles as presidents of chapters. We’re proud to have team members that go the extra mile in growing their expertise and being a part of industry communities. And we’re proud to support them in every new endeavor.
