Amarr Garage Doors has served as a gateway to the commercial and industrial markets in the Lawrence area for more than 35 years.
From its location in Lawrence’s East Hills Business Park, Amarr has created a thriving top-tier business, employing more than 700 employees. Its local plant generates $242 million annually, a significant portion of the company’s $700 million in annual sales. Amarr employees build 2.34 million units a year with 44,000 units produced and shipped every week.
In 2022, facing a nearly 20 percent employee turnover rate, the company took steps to re-examine its priorities and culture.
Mike Bernholtz, Amarr plant manager, was determined to find a solution to this challenge. Rather than measuring turnover, he measured retention. He was more interested in why employees were staying than just why they were leaving.
Through “stay interviews,” employees are asked what keeps them with the garage door company.
“When employees stay, why do they stay?” he asked. With these interviews, the reasons why employees stay can be supported. And new reasons to stay can be created.
He said Amarr focused on setting new expectations—for himself and others in leadership roles—to actively listen to “the voice of the employee,” and act. Amarr was determined to become an employer of choice in the Lawrence community.
“If an employee gives you feedback at your request, then we owe them a response and action” Bernholtz says. Retaining employees is a top priority. “We provide more than jobs; we provide career opportunities.”
This engagement and willingness to make positive changes decreased Amarr’s turnover rate by 15 percentage points, to just 4.9 percent in two years.
Amarr leadership instituted progressive wage enhancements, innovative schedule design, and a willingness to help employees balance their work and their lives.
However, this drop came from more than just new technical incentives and a shift in focus. The company also changed its language, encouraging respect at all levels of employment.
Overall, the enhancement to the culture of Amarr is one centered on respect and an understanding of the whole person, not just the employee. What follows is an enlarged scope to create a culture supportive of the families of employees as well, including trunk or treat and school supply drives. From custodial staff to executives visiting the plant, respect pervades every interaction, day and night shifts.
Bernholtz collaborated with the Lawrence Transit System to create a convenient bus stop near the plant. This effort created accessibility to and from the plant for employees even during harsh weather.
After hearing concerns about the distance of the plant from a good variety of lunch locales, Amarr employee Chris Carpenter turned to food trucks. He created a revolving schedule of food vendors to serve burgers, corn dogs, tacos and other culinary creations to serve plant employees.
Amarr leadership also shifted their focus beyond its plant location, creating beneficial partnerships with Peaslee Tech, Cottonwood Inc. and the Community Children’s Center.
“Amarr and the Amarr team have been a positive force in our community,” Steve Kelly, VP of Economic Development for the Chamber and EDC commented. “They have actively collaborated on a variety of opportunities with the business sector to lead community efforts. They recognize that a successful business/community partnership requires engagement on many fronts.”