Austin, Minn. – Cooperative Response Center, Inc. (CRC) is very pleased to announce it was recently recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Southeast Minnesota by Workforce Development, Inc. This is the third consecutive year CRC has received this designation. Seventeen local companies were recognized as “best workplaces” in either small- (75 employees or less), medium- (76 – 150 employees) or large- (over 150 employees) sized categories at a banquet held on Thursday, April 30, in Rochester, Minn.
CRC was honored with the designation in April 2013 in the small company category. In 2014, CRC moved to the medium-sized company category and was recognized again in this category in 2015. Some of the attributes that made CRC a stand out for this honor was its employee benefit program, employee growth, percentage of employees promoted, bonus program, annual increases in pay, and its focus on training and wellness.
CRC, which has been in business for over 22 years in the Austin area, performs call handling and line crew dispatching for electric utilities throughout the country. It also has an alarm monitoring center, offering medical and security alarm-monitoring services for its membership. Both of CRC’s divisions fulfill an important need in the utility and alarm monitoring industries, regularly providing critical assistance during times of need.
“What really struck me when I visited CRC was their recognition programs and their commitment to wellness,” said Beth Goskesen, area manager – Mower and Freeborn Counties for Workforce Development, at the April 30 banquet. “CRC is to be commended and their programs such as their annual wellness fair, Fitbit program and tuition reimbursement opportunities are all great examples of best practices in the workplace.”
Nancy Morrison, CRC’s vice president of human resource development, notes CRC works very hard to offer top-notch benefits for its employees. “Wellness, benefits and recognition are top priorities at CRC,” explained Morrison. “We know our employees have challenging jobs and appreciate all they do for us. Our goal is to provide them with the necessary resources to succeed not only at work but in their overall lives.”
The recipients of the “Best Places to Work” program were part of a commissioned study by Workforce Development, Inc. Each company that participated in the study completed a 40-question survey that allowed their employment practices to be analyzed by the consulting firm Personnel Dynamics Consulting of Florida. The data measured included parameters such as turnover, rate of growth, promotion rates, employee evaluations and feedback, percentage of employee injuries, diversity of management, benefits offered, training expenditures, paid days off and increase in pay.
About CRC
CRC is a nationwide, cooperatively owned and operated, 24/7 contact center and alarm monitoring center. Founded in 1992, CRC has steadily increased the size and scope of its operation with offices in Austin, Minn., Dunlap, Tenn., and Abilene, Texas. CRC serves over 370 members and associate members in 42 states, representing over 6 million consumers. Visit CRC on the web at www.crc.coop.