RS Named to List of Most Inspiring Workplaces
July 2, 2024
RS has earned a 2024 North American Inspiring Workplaces Award for putting people first in terms of culture and purpose, leadership, wellbeing, DEI, communications, and the employee experience.
The North American Inspiring Workplaces Awards annually recognize and celebrate organizations of all sizes and industries for creating exceptional, people-first workplaces with positive and inspiring cultures that make employees feel like they belong. They also rank the top 100 organizations based on the inputs of an independent expert judging panel. This year, RS earned a ranking of 65.
The judges named inclusion as the strongest element of the RS submission and said, “RS articulates an inspiring purpose and appears to impressively weave DEI throughout every part of the organization. The leadership philosophy emphasizing passion, humility, trust, and active listening is well-developed, and their approach to mental, physical, and financial wellbeing is truly impressive, as is their commitment to DEI. This is an excellent submission from a company clearly committed to their employees.”
“We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the best when it comes to putting people first,” said Katie Cartwright, Vice President of People and Culture at RS. “Creating and cultivating a positive and inspiring workplace culture not only helps us show our people that we value them and their contributions to our mission. It also boosts engagement, morale, and productivity, helps us attract and retain top talent, and drives our overall success. We pride ourselves on being an industry leader in people and culture, and we’re grateful to everyone on our team for helping us create a culture that we can all be proud to be a part of.”
RS earned the 2024 North American Inspiring Workplaces Award and #65 ranking based on its priorities, initiatives, and achievements in six categories, including:
- Culture and Purpose. RS prioritizes the well-being of employees as individuals who extend beyond the confines of work and aims to provide a genuine and open environment that welcomes knowledge sharing and supports all employees’ experiences. Company-sponsored volunteering days give employees the time and opportunity to give back to their communities.
- Leadership. The RS leadership team works to inspire employees by fostering passion, humility, and trust. RS values diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints and nurtures growth through extensive training and development opportunities. The company supports internal employee resource and engagement groups that facilitate community outreach, host topical panel discussions, and arrange guest speaker sessions for enrichment, collaboration, and learning.
- Wellbeing. RS empowers employees to bring their authentic selves to work, and one of its central missions is to create a space that actively supports mental, physical, and financial well-being. The company also has ongoing wellness resources and initiatives, including Mental Health First Aid training, an Employee Assistance Program that provides access to professional help, and complimentary access to the mindfulness app Calm.
- DEI. As part of RS Group’s strategic vision, the company has set targets for a more diverse leadership and workforce and is working towards having 40% of its leadership positions held by women and 25% filled by individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds, amongst other targets. The company also supports organized educational events around recognitions like Mental Health Awareness Month, Pride Month, and Black History Month and fosters employee resource groups, including Bloomers for early career employees, SPECTRUM for LGBTQ+ employees, Elevate for women employees, and EmbRACE for employees with diverse ethnicities, races, and cultures.
- Communications. RS communication efforts center around connecting and engaging employees by helping them understand their role in the larger RS Group strategy — whether they work in the corporate office, warehouse, or their home office — and are shared through a variety of platforms, including email, digital screens, team talks, and town halls.
- The Employee Experience. Culture and purpose are strongly related to the employee experience at RS, and the company leverages tools including various leadership styles, transparent communications, professional growth and development opportunities, and rewards and recognition to help foster a culture of inclusivity and belonging.
“We’re extremely proud of the cultural growth we’ve fostered, and we look forward to continuing the efforts recognized by this award,” said Katie Cartwright. “We are committed to maintaining and advancing our people-first initiatives, further enhancing our inclusive culture, and driving positive change.”
