Is Climate Change Real?
It is hard to turn on the nightly news without hearing politicians and pundits hashing over the hotly contested issue of climate change. Even though scientists have overwhelmingly suggested that there is sufficient evidence to prove this fact, many are reluctant to agree that climate change is real.
Climate Change in the Manufacturing Workplace
What about climate change in the manufacturing workplace? Have workplace climates changed as dramatically over the past decade as global weather climates? For most businesses, the answer is “yes”. Many businesses have experienced changes due to the economic recession, jobs being shipped overseas, and production automation. Both owners and employees have felt the tightening grip of skyrocketing healthcare costs. Several of these factors have led to owners letting go of past benefit practices for their employees, a reduced labor force, and lower wages. This can lead to a negative work climate based on distrust and resentment.
Harmony Enterprises – Weathering the Storm
One example of a company that has had the vision and commitment to weather these climate changes in business is Harmony Enterprises in Harmony, MN. Recognized as the recycling and waste solutions provider on a global scale, this family-owned manufacturer earns its revenue by producing equipment and services that improve the quality of the environment for generations to come.
Just as importantly, Harmony recognizes the importance of maintaining a positive climate in the workplace. As a part of its vision statement, Harmony states, “We will work to enhance 
our culture, which makes this an excellent place to work, and benefits our people and the community with our shared success.” It is one thing to create this kind of vision statement, and another to do what you say you do as a company. Having mutual understanding between ownership, management, and employees around the company’s core values has allowed this B2B manufacturer to experience significant growth in the past decade.
“We will work to enhance our culture, which makes this an excellent place to work, and benefits our people and the community with our shared success.”
Positive Culture at Harmony Enterprises
Harmony Enterprises succeeds in providing a consistently safe and nurturing work environment for all of its employees. Despite changes that have occurred in other areas of business, Harmony has been uncompromising in this belief. Some examples of this include:
- Continuing to provide quality healthcare for all employees, without reducing work hours to avoid government penalties. Harmony employees have access to quality healthcare as individual or family policyholders, with a large network of trusted healthcare providers to choose from, at an affordable price. Employees are also enrolled in life insurance and have the option of acquiring long-term disability insurance.
- Offering a 401K retirement plan with a company match. This practice is all but obsolete in the manufacturing industry. Harmony Enterprises is committed to ensuring that its dedicated employees are able to retire with dignity and afford a quality lifestyle during retirement.
- Offering profit sharing for all employees as both an added benefit and as an incentive to help increase profitability for the entire company.
- Providing educational and professional growth opportunities for its employees. This professional development involves attending webinars, seminars, educational courses, trade shows, and technical training, both on and off site.
- Providing reasonable vacation and PTO days. Harmony’s flexible scheduling practices allow all employees to enjoy family time, adequate time for sick leave, bereavement, or maternity leave, and even time to pursue other hobbies and activities in the community.
Providing quality and affordable childcare in a state-of-the-art Montessori-Style learning center adjacent to the main production facility (Harmony Kids Learning Center). This is an added benefit for employees who struggle to schedule, afford, or transport their children to daycare. Many employees relish the ability to have lunch with their children on a daily basis!- Celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and other employee successes as a family centered business community on a daily video link and email, as well as with provided dinner banquets and a variety of employee gifts.
- Rewarding employees for following protocols with monetary awards and luncheons. Harmony Enterprises prides itself on its processes and safety standards. Quarterly and annual safety reviews offer the opportunity for shared successes.
- Supporting the events, activities, and community groups in which its employees are involved. This includes regular donations to schools, arts programs, golf charities, church functions, Relay for Life, and Chamber of Commerce events. Many of Harmony Enterprises’ employees or family members of their employees are heavily involved in these community and school groups. Harmony’s support of these organizations further validates the team-centric culture both in and out of the workplace.
Through these and other examples, it is easy to see why Harmony Enterprises is a preferred employer in the region and has been trusted by its customers for nearly a half-century. It will continue to provide a productive climate for its employees for years to come.
Harmony Enterprises manufactures balers, compactors, beverage extraction, and full product destruction equipment. We care about our employees and are always looking to improve our workplace and global environment. If you would like to learn more about Harmony Enterprises, please view this YouTube video, or learn more About Us, Our History and Our Team on our website.
