In 2016, 21st Century Equipment’s safety record was so bad, the company’s workers’ compensation coverage was at risk. Owen Palm, president and CEO, bet his managers that he and his senior staff would grill steaks for the employees and staff of any stores that went without a lost time injury.
He was hoping four or five of the company’s 16 stores would qualify.
The 21st Century Equipment location in Cheyenne, Wyo., was one of nine stores to earn steaks grilled by the boss for staff and their families. Photo by Sharon HubbardIMG_0675
“Lo and behold, 14 of the 16 qualified that first year,” Palm said. “The question then became what are you going to do next year?”
Steak became steak and shrimp and 13 of the 16 stores qualified. In the third year, steak and lobster was served to the 12 qualifying stores.
“We had stores that had gone three years without a lost time injury,” he said. “That fourth year we earned an award from our workers comp carrier for the most improved in their entire network.”
The standards have evolved to also include the completion of monthly safety trainings and some reporting requirements. Palm said 21st Century now includes 25 stores with nine earning steaks.
21st Century Equipment’s senior staff, including president and CEO Owen Palm, grill and serve ribeye steaks to the stores, including this one in Cheyenne, Wyoming, that qualify based on their safety records. Photo by Sharon Hubbard.IMG_0672
“We serve about 700 pounds of ribeyes — the best ribeyes we can buy — and in Colorado and Nebraska, we’re pretty picky about our beef and we source the best ribeyes we can find,” he said. “It’s a very small investment when you talk about 600 employees and what it’s done for safety.”
Palm said involving the families makes safety truly a team effort and the incentive of the steak dinner, grilled on commercial grills the staff hauls to the qualifying stores, is something staff and families say they look forward to.
This year, nine stores across Colorado, Nebraska and Wyoming, including Cheyenne, qualified for a steak dinner grilled by the boss.
More Like This, Tap A Topic news
