Handing out and seeing someone’s face when they get a check or bonus they earned from employment is a great experience. I’m not about to get into the politics and the reality of people that are on unemployment. It has its place and is something that is a value for many people that are truly in a hard situation. When the Great Recession of 2008 hit, things got pretty rough at Buechel Stone. People got laid off, work was nowhere to be found, and everyone was doing whatever they could to get by. It affected white and blue collar people and if you wanted a job, there was no guarantee you could find one.
The world belongs to the energetic.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Things are a little different right now. Coming out of the Great Recession, we had to fight tooth and nail for every order. Even as things got better, positions and new hires were slowly filled; Not because there was a lack of people willing to work, but because businesses had to be careful due to the uncertainty in the future economy.
From Recession Comes Success
Fast forward to the spring of 2021. Hiring is through the roof, and jobs are there for people who want them. Buechel Stone’s locations in Kansas, North Carolina, and Wisconsin are fairly rural areas. Winfield, Kansas has a population of roughly 12,000 people with 450 full-time and part-time jobs listed on Indeed. Marion, North Carolina has a population of roughly 8,000 people with 1,380 full and part time jobs listed on Indeed. Chilton, Wisconsin has a population of roughly 4,000 people with 2,500 full and part-time jobs listed on Indeed. Everyone is looking for people.
Did you know the $300 enhanced unemployment equals an additional $7.50 an hour
Businesses can get through this, and Buechel Stone can as well, but we have a commitment to our customers to get them what they need, when they need it. Delays and lead-times can be difficult in the construction industry, putting projects off track and result in increased customer costs. Buechel Stone does not want to be the company to slow a project down. After all, our goal is to be the best, most dependable experience in the natural stone industry, – guaranteed. The only way to maintain dependability is to do what we can to maintain customer expectations.
As you can guess, we are looking for additional Rockstars at all our locations. One thing we feel strongly about is the personal integrity our Rockstars have, which is why it is a Buechel Stone Core Value. Personal integrity helps you get out of bed each day and come to work because you want to make a difference and help your family. While there are people throughout the country waiting for enhanced unemployment benefits to expire before getting a job, our Rockstars are hard at work and helping keep the economy moving forward.
Hiring #Rockstars for Current Openings
So to thank our Rockstars, we decided to offer them the “BUECHEL BUCKS ENHANCED EMPLOYMENT BONUS”! Here’s how it works:
- Full-time Buechel Stone Rockstars accumulate $300 each week starting the week of June 1 (did you know the $300 enhanced payment is equal to $7.50 an hour extra people on unemployment are getting if someone would have a 40 hour work week?).
- This accumulation will continue for 14 weeks, ending on September 3, 2021, same as the enhanced unemployment benefit.
- Buechel Stone will pay the bonus in lump-sum on the September 17 payroll.
- Any unexcused absence or late punches during the week will result in losing the $300 for that week. Integrity is a core value and being on time shows integrity.
- Rockstars must be employed and still on Buechel Stone’s payroll on September 3 or they will forfeit the entire retention bonus.
- For Rockstars that start after June 1, they will earn the $300 for each week of full-time employment (40 hours or more), ending on September 3, 2021.
- Maximum retention payout is $4,200 per Rockstar. Similar to other types of income, taxes must be deducted.
We estimate this will add roughly $850,000 of additional costs in extra wages and taxes (FICA, Social Security, Unemployment, etc.) that we did not budget for, but we also know that we cannot sell what we do not have available. Our thoughts for now are that we can re-evaluate our capital purchases we may need in 2022.
Employment Retention
Will people quit after this? Time will tell. It is our hope people get involved with Buechel Stone as a new Rockstar and see it’s a good place to spend 40-50 hours a week. Would it surprise you to know the average Buechel Stone Rockstar has been employed at Buechel Stone for 7 YEARS? Considering two locations were not even part of Buechel Stone five years ago, I think that’s a pretty good number. Our strive for a dependable experience is not just for our customers – we take it serious with our employees (Rockstars) as well. We are proud of everyone making a difference here and coming to work when others maybe aren’t.
Do you or someone you know want to be a Rockstar? Check out career options at Buechel Stone by visiting https://www.buechelstone.com/careers/. You’ll get to enjoy the benefits of becoming a Rockstar such as health, dental, and vision insurance. Buechel Stone offers aid time off, gym reimbursement, a 401(k) plan, short term disability. Another perk of being a #Rockstar is 8 paid holidays (including your birthday and Veteran’s Day if you have served), a great Wellness program, and an employer that cares about your and your professional career. Come apply now!
Mike Buechel
Vice President
Buechel Stone Corp