Pella Corp is committed to attracting talented, diverse technical people. Pella recruits nationally for a wide range of technical positions; its employees work at six different locations in Iowa and at manufacturing facilities in Portland, OR; Gettysburg, PA; Fairfield, OH and Murray, KY.
Iowa is a welcoming state for technical professionals of all backgrounds. "Quality engineering is a Pella hallmark," says Christine Headington-Hall, Pella's manager of shared employee services and strategic recruitment. "We're building relationships with a variety of groups and individuals. We make an effort to get to know prospective team members better and help them understand the wealth of opportunities at Pella."
Pella was founded in 1925 as the Rolscreen Co. Today the privately held corporation is a leading manufacturer of premium-quality windows and door systems. Pella holds more than 100 U.S. product and design patents.
For the last five years, Pella has earned a place on Fortune magazine's list of "100 best companies to work for." Pella was recognized for its exceptional benefits, great development opportunities and the quality of its work environment, Headington-Hall says.
A strong housing market is driving increased demand for Pella products, Headington-Hall notes. That means that the company is growing, and is looking for talented engineers and IT pros to add to its team. Pella currently employs more than 200 engineers in its R&D centers, testing labs and manufacturing operations. "Quality engineering is a Pella hallmark," Headington-Hall says.
Pella engineers typically have degrees in specialties like ME, IE, ChE and architectural engineering. The company has openings for both entry level and experienced team members.
Pella reaches out to diverse technical pros at career fairs, via its website where open positions are posted, and through a variety of other avenues. It is active in diversity-focused community events. It maintains relationships with a number of colleges, and recruits from them when there are entry-level openings.
Engineers who are new to the company can start in a variety of roles. "Later they can leverage their skills to perform different functions in manufacturing or corporate engineering," says tech recruiter Joe Payton.
According to Headington-Hall, Pella has practiced continuous improvement for the past ten years, "utilizing cross-functional teams with diverse viewpoints to study challenges and implement improvements through 'kaizen' events." Kaizen means "change for the better," Headington-Hall explains. It summarizes a business philosophy first practiced in Japan and now widely used in the U.S.
"Since Pella adopted continuous improvement, it has conducted more than 4,500 kaizen events, and involved more than 29,000 people inside and outside the company in its continuous improvement initiatives," Headington-Hall notes. "The process engages and involves our employees, and helps them better understand their roles as team members dedicated to satisfying customers."
Teamwork is also part of the corporate culture at Pella, Payton stresses. "We work together. Two thoughts are often better than one, and we put our thoughts together and come to a decision."
Payton notes that new employees relocating to the corporate headquarters from other areas find the community of Pella and the Central Iowa region "very comfortable." The crime rate is "almost nonexistent," he says, and the school systems are excellent. There are plenty of cultural, educational and entertainment options in the area. Pella is forty minutes from Des Moines, the state capital, and not far from Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa.
He adds that Pella "does things the right way. Respect and integrity are very, very important here." Employees learn about those principles on their first day on the job, "before we talk about benefits or anything else," Payton says.
"We have an excellent culture here," Headington-Hall agrees. "We look to attract people with a competitive compensation package and a work environment that focuses on respect for the individual and customer satisfaction."
Pella team members can share in the rewards of their success through a profit-sharing program and other incentives. "You have ample opportunity to benefit from your performance," Headington-Hall says. "Our performance-rating process is based both on the results you achieve and on how you go about getting things done. Are you working well with your team members and with cross-functional teams? Are you keeping up with the trends in the industry?"
Other benefits can include job sharing, flextime and floating holidays.
The company fosters open and ongoing communication, Headington-Hall notes. "Pella's executives are always accessible to employees," she emphasizes.
Pella holds an annual company-wide diversity summit. A corporate diversity steering committee has been in place for three years, and each site has a team committed to diversity. Some Pella sites host their own monthly celebrations of diversity, from food festivals to educational programs.
"As an industry leader dedicated to customer satisfaction and serving a diverse customer base, Pella is proud of the contributions made by our team members who come from many different backgrounds," Headington-Hall says.
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Pella Corp
www.pella.com/careers
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Headquarters: |
Pella, IA |
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Employees: |
8,300 |
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Business: |
Manufactures windows, entry-door systems, storm and patio doors |
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