Bluco Named one of Chicago’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For
For the second year in a row, Bluco is recognized by the National Association for Business Resources as a leader in Chicagoland.
Posted: May 23, 2022
(Naperville, IL) – Bluco® Corporation, designers and manufacturers of modular fixturing solutions for welding, machining, robotics and positioning, announced today it has been named one of Chicago’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® in 2022. This marks the second year in a row that Bluco has been honored with this designation.
Given by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR), the award recognizes organizations that are setting the standards for excellence in workplace environment and human resources practices. Nominees are evaluated based on criteria like compensation, employee enrichment, engagement and retention, education and development, diversity and inclusion, and recruitment efforts.
“We were thrilled to be among the winners last year, since that was our first time entering Bluco for consideration,” said Bluco Human Resources Representative, Margy Pagone. “But to win two years in a row – that’s very motivating. Our goal is to continue evolving our employee incentives and programs so that Bluco remains one of the best places to work in the industry year after year.”
Top-Notch Compensation & Benefits
Bluco again scored high marks from employees this year for its generous compensation and benefits packages. While Bluco has always been ranked in the top 1% by their insurer for the value of benefits provided to employees, this year Bluco took additional steps to secure that ranking.
“We launched a salary benchmarking initiative with two goals in mind,” said Pagone. “First, we wanted to exceed industry median salaries by 10%. And second, we wanted to define a potential path for every individual’s job growth.” The effort resulted in personalized job descriptions and salary requirements for every employee. “This gave us another way to reward the skills and talents of our whole staff,” she added.
The company also rolled out flexible workweek options that allow employees to choose from a traditional five-day week, a four-day week with modified hours, or a hybrid model that offers four days in the office, and a 5th half-day from home.
Outreach & Opportunity
Benefits weren’t the only things that mattered to the Bluco team. Also near the top of the list were the company’s efforts to make an impact on the community.
Bluco Cares, the company’s charitable giving program, recently helped clean up trails along the Illinois Prairie Path, packed meals for Feed My Starving Children in Aurora, and built dressers for donation to Sharing Connections in Downers Grove.
Of equal importance to employees is the company’s Supported Employment Program (SEP), which provides career opportunities for individuals with special needs. Last year the program employed its first part-time team, who contribute to shipping, manufacturing and office tasks on a daily basis.
Celebrating Success
News of the award was shared with Bluco’s team at an afternoon event. “We’ve always felt we had something special here at Bluco,” said Pagone. “The team was excited but not surprised to hear that others feel that way too — that when you evaluate companies based on objective criteria, Bluco really is a great place to work.”
Bluco has dedicated itself to one mission for over 30 years: to help manufacturers Make it Better by creating world-class modular fixturing solutions for welding, machining, robotics and positioning. Bluco offers employment opportunities in engineering, machining, welding, logistics, marketing, accounting, and administration. Their full-service facility provides employees the physical spaces they need to be their best, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities that allow the team to create modular solutions that help customers overcome manufacturing challenges.
About the Best and Brightest Programs
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors companies that deliver exceptional human resource practices and an impressive commitment to their employees. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.
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