Susan Smith started as an executive assistant at Groov-Pin 13 years ago and has since developed a dual role, also becoming the HR manager. “Every day is different,” she said. “I have a lot of work for Scot [Groov-Pin’s CEO] including emails and scheduling. On the HR side, I’m here to support employees as well as take care of payroll and healthcare.”
With Groov-Pin’s healthcare open enrollment approaching, Sue has been negotiating contracts with providers. “My challenge this year is to go paperless,” she said. “Because of that, open enrollment will be done more through a portal and will make it more user-friendly.”
Finding ways to improve Groov-Pin’s wellness program has become a big focus for Susan. “We rolled out our wellness program seven years ago and we have been successful with meeting our goals and meeting the deductible,” she said.
“I have always felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to expand my role. When I started, I was hired as an executive assistant, but Scot allows me to think outside the box and try new things. Now, as I’ve gotten involved with HR, we have been able to add to our wellness program.”
In 2019, the program was branded as GP Fit and includes different aspects of health; including physical health, mental health, and financial health. “We’re looking at employees, but beyond the walls of Groov-Pin,” Susan explained. “We want to be sure we can help them take care of themselves and their families.”
To Susan, people who are in HR need to be empathetic and compassionate. “We see people go through different parts of their lives,” she said. “We have employees in their 20s and we help them set up a 401(k) for the first time and we also are supporting employees who are ready to retire.”
Right now, Susan is handling the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presents. “We’re fortunate that we’re an essential company so we can keep people employed,” she said. “The biggest thing right now is to help our employees feel safe and feel like they’re supported. I’ve spent a lot of time on Zoom and watching webinars to see what the best thing would be for everyone.”
The pandemic has presented both big and small changes that are having an impact. “For me, the hardest part right now is that people here are used to me popping out on the manufacturing floor and saying good morning, but I can’t have those same interactions right now.”
Groov-Pin is a team-oriented company and leaders are doing everything they can to support employees during COVID-19. “We’re all cautious and the first thing we wanted to do was make people feel like they are coming into a safe environment,” Sue explained. “We were buying supplies, but when they became unavailable, Scot actually went out and found all of the materials we needed to make hand sanitizer and other cleaning solutions.”
In addition to safety measures, Sue has been in constant contact with employees. “If you’re uncomfortable, let’s see how we can help you get to a good comfort level,” she said. “If you’re at a higher risk of infection, let’s put you on unemployment, but keep benefits if that’s the safest thing for you.”
Sue is committed to staying updated on the pandemic’s progress and finding new ways to support employees. “We have contactless thermometers in both of our plants to check employees every day and we supplied face masks for all employees, but sometimes we don’t have the answer to certain questions,” she said. “If we don’t have the answer, we make sure we have someone that we can reach out to who can give us an answer.”
Understanding how critical their roles are is also helping employees during this time. “We serve so many different industries, but particularly at this time, we’re right there. Our Georgia plant is working on pins for ventilators and it’s a good thing to know we’re making a real contribution,” Sue said.
“Before COVID-19 prevented us from having meetings, it was great to have our sales manager bring applications into the plant to show employees where their parts go. Someone can produce 10,000 pieces a day, but when you find out what you make goes into a life vest, it turns people around,” she said.
“It’s so important to realize that your work really matters and it’s nice to see our team be proud of what they do.”