Conducted by Philadelphia research company Energage, the goal of the program is to identify the region’s top companies and what employees say makes them great places to work. The annual rankings are based on employee responses to a questionnaire about workplace culture.
“At FAIRWINDS, our core purpose is to guide members toward financial freedom by helping them save more, eliminate debt, build wealth and live generously. It’s a philosophy that’s engrained in our company’s culture and begins with helping our own employees achieve a debt-free lifestyle,” explained President and CEO Larry Tobin. Notably, in FAIRWINDS' 70-plus year history, it has never laid off an employee.
The company’s employee benefits include:
Paying an average of 82% of the total monthly health insurance premium for full-time crew and 40% for part-time crew.
Paying 100% for all crew members to have a life insurance and long-term disability policy.
Contributing $700 a year into full-time crew members' health savings accounts.
Matching crew (401)k contributions up to 6%. Providing a sick and wellness reimbursement program that allows employees to use their sick hours (which never expire) to reimburse themselves for health and wellness items, such as doctor co-pays, prescriptions, elective procedures, and fitness trackers.
Covering the cost for Dave Ramsey’s SmartDollar and EveryDollar programs as well as Toastmasters membership fees.
Offering a unique internal debt-free club that rewards crew members for reaching financial goals, such as becoming debt free.
FAIRWINDS also supports employee participation in the company’s philanthropic arm, the FAIRWINDS Foundation, whose purpose is to inspire generosity, match generosity, volunteer everywhere, and support organizations that improve lives through financial well-being. For example, in a recent “Live Generously Campaign," employees received $50 and one directive: Make a difference. They responded by paying for strangers’ groceries, helping neighbors in need, donating to charities, and more.