O'Brien & Gibbons: Where no workplace hero goes unsung
O'Brien & Gibbons Insurance Agency of Worcester goes to great lengths to ensure its 15 employees are recognized for their work and dedication; sometimes, team members are being appreciated and don't realize it.
Patty Swanson is a customer-service representative who staffs the front desk, but her work goes beyond that.
“She wears many hats,” Office Manager Carol A. Garcia said of Swanson. “She jumps from one thing to another seamlessly. She helps with IT issues and troubleshoots anything that comes her way. She just does it all and helps whoever she can.”
The firm's Unsung Hero Award is an annual tribute, Garcia said. Peggy Dix, president of the agency for more than 40 years, chose Swanson as last year's unsung hero for the positive, get-it-done attitude she displayed while helping her fellow employees, and to the many customers who walked in. Swanson received flowers and a $350 check.
And it isn't just full-timers whose work gets noticed. In 2012, a part-time employee — a Worcester State University student who helped build the agency's website and social media presence during her tenure — took Unsung Hero honors, Garcia said.
In addition to the Unsung Hero and Employee of the Year awards — which net the employee $500 and a plaque — O'Brien & Gibbons also marks work anniversaries. For example, 20 years of service earns an employee a dinner party and a watch; 25 years, diamond earrings and a dinner party with their family; and 30-year employees receive a trip, cash and dinner with co-workers and family.
“Total surprise, beautiful night,” Garcia said of her own 30-year dinner celebration, which included a secret guest: her daughter, home from college.
Perhaps less festive but also geared toward rewarding employees are the more regular agency overtures. For instance, the company offers flexible scheduling, casual Fridays, turkeys at Thanksgiving; summer hours, paid holidays and birthdays; generous benefits, and abbreviated workdays on Fridays before holidays as ways to show employees they're valued, Garcia said.
The culture at O'Brien & Gibbons also welcomes feedback, showing employees that their ideas matter. For example, Garcia said, an office phone system was just replaced at employees' request after operational and vendor issues surfaced.
Lunch meetings are held quarterly to examine the state of the business and discuss industry news, Garcia said. “We're encouraged to offer suggestions” at the lunches, at annual reviews and in general. “You can say whatever thoughts you've had,” she said. “It's a very open exchange.”
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