Westra Construction Inc. is this year's highest-ranking nonmanagement employer. Since coming to the company, Joshua Levy, general counsel and vice president of human resources, has practiced a hands-off approach to management by giving employees both freedom and responsibility in their jobs.

Westra gives employees room to grow

By Sean Ryan

Westra Construction Inc. leaves it up to its employees to sink or swim on the job.

In the human resources world, that's called a high-risk method.

"The philosophy behind it allows adults to be adults, which I think is very important," said Joshua Levy, general counsel and vice president of human resources for Westra in Waupun. "It means that you are going to confront and evaluate situations very clearly and factually. Sometimes you have a bad situation. You really do tackle those tough decisions, and you hold people accountable for putting up obstacles to success."

Westra's system is built on giving its employees both their freedom and the responsibility tied to it, Levy said. Employees are given a task and the autonomy to do it without close supervision.

"We like people to be able to make their own decisions — and make them quickly — and keep our projects moving," he said.

The program is punctuated with generous doses of credit where due and discipline when needed. Levy said he has always opposed motivating a work force with the threat of a pink slip or demotion, believing that it's better to seduce, rather than force, people into virtue.

While Westra awards service beyond the call of duty with promotions, pay raises and paid vacations to faraway lands, he said the most effective reward is simple recognition of a job well done.

"A lot of people in any job have done something well and wondered if anyone would notice," Levy said. "If you can show your work force that yes it is recognized, and yes it is rewarded, it gives a lot more incentive."

Each year, Westra rewards an employee with the Randy Lampe Core Value Award, named after the company's late southwestern regional manager, as its highest tribute. Workers at the company fill out ballots to decide the winner.

Last year, the award went to Wayne Holum, the field supervisor on the Cesar Chavez Elementary School project in Madison.

While the Lampe Award celebrates an employee's long-term success, Levy said he likes to handle both problems and praise as quickly as possible rather than deal with them during annual employee reviews. He said waiting to deal with concerns or dish out merit allows problems to fester and laurels to wilt.

"Most managers do reviews annually and semi-annually when maybe the stuff isn't fresh in everybody's mind," Levy said. "Problems are dealt with right away. Success is awarded right away."

Having workers elect their own award winner and supervisors recommend employees for recognition helps bring the company's workers closer together. Westra also tries to build ties by bringing together its project managers from different parts of the country to share experiences.

"Nobody is an island here," Levy said. "There are enough opportunities for project managers to brainstorm with other project managers. It is really good to share challenges with our peers, and we like to encourage that."

While it's not cheap for Westra to maintain its Human Resources Department, to give free vacation trips and to throw awards ceremonies, Levy said the perks of keeping a happy work force are invaluable.

"The benefit shows every year with return customers," he said. "It is investing back into ourselves. It's an investment, for sure, but there's a high return."

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