Local firm makes ‘Fortune’ magazine list for 8th year
Gilroy – Graniterock’s commitment to employee education has landed it on “Fortune” magazine’s list of “Best Companies to Work for in America” for the eighth year in a row.
Ranked No. 19 on this year’s list, Graniterock deals with heavy engineering construction, construction materials production and retail landscaping supply stores from the Central Coast to the Bay Area, including a concrete and building supplies location in Gilroy.
“Graniterock is a great place to work with exceptional programs for career advancement,” said Bruce Nicholson, a Gilroy employee who has been a concrete mixer driver for more than 20 years.
The unique Try-a-Job Program helped land Graniterock on the list. Through the program, employees can try out another job within the company for one day with pay. Then, workers who want to move up career wise have an opportunity to put together an individual professional development plan that can include increasing knowledge of computers, materials science or marketing.
The programs are voluntary, but 94 percent of employees take advantage of the opportunity, including many who take English as a second language or Spanish language classes to improve their communication skills.
Though the training programs make the company stand out, employees say the family-like environment is what they like best.
“On a more personal note, Graniterock is very accommodating when we have special requests,” Nicholson said. “When I wanted to help coach softball at Gavilan College, I was given plenty of time and support.”
The “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” list is generated each year by the Great Places to Work Institute in San Francisco. Graniterock has 750 employees so it made the list for medium size companies, businesses which have 251 – 999 employees. The Institute analyzed anonymous survey responses from employees, compared the results to other leading firms and then reviewed human resource practices to come up with their rankings.
