At J29 Inc. (J29), we believe that a company’s greatest asset is its people, and our approach to company culture reflects this core belief. Our commitment to creating an environment where J29 Team Members feel valued, engaged, and empowered is what sets us apart as both an employer and a business. As an “employee-centered healthcare management consulting company”, our success derives from, first, prioritizing the employee experience first, and then conducting exceptional delivery on the health and human service programs that we support, second.
A People First Culture
J29’s Founder and CEO, Tracy Mills, feels it is the obligation of an employer to ensure that the team comes to work in an environment that is focused on employee experience. Tracy Mills has gone to great lengths to enact her vision of a “paradise” working environment at J29 that prioritizes achieving high employee satisfaction levels while also ensuring that the best interests of J29 are met.
As the company and headcount has grown, Tracy has built a Leadership Team that not only shares her vision, but the skills and expertise to execute that vision into reality. “One of the main reasons I was attracted to J29 was Tracy’s clear commitment to the employee experience. I was excited to work in an environment where my day-to-day challenges are focused on how J29 can help Team Members reach their full potential,” says Sarah Tonelli, J29’s HR Manager.
As part of the constant push to make J29 a great place to work, leadership uses frequent surveys to ensure we’re on the right track. Based on feedback from the surveys, J29 holds monthly all hands ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions designed to foster Team Member’s professional development and highlight progress that we are making on areas that Team Members feel we can increase satisfaction levels . Additionally, leaders at J29 have regular one on one meetings with Team Members outside of their own reporting structure to learn and understand the employee experience across the company, where that respective employee is visioning their growth, and how we can mutually support both parties through J29’s growth. Through creative and unique approaches to employee engagement, J29’s People Operations Team has worked to open cross-collaborative opportunities with team members that may not be on the same team. “Under Jennifer and Sarah’s leadership and support, they have pushed the empowering of J29’s environment to get to a place that not only encourages, but seeks feedback, on ways we can keep raising the standard as an employer of choice,” said J29’s President, Nick Vass.
Team Engagement Through Empowerment & Well Being
J29 knows that an empowered Team Member is an effective Team Member. We define empowerment as when a Team Member feels secure in their role regardless of day-to-day challenges at home or work. To that end, we offer flexible working arrangements that meet the employee on what they need, wellness programs to aid in mental health and physical well-being, and an emphasis on work-life balance that truly allows for an employee to not carry their work stress into their personal life. Internally, team members are constantly encouraged to share ideas and give input on new (or old) initiatives and processes that may support their team or other areas that they may have been exposed to across the organization. J29 has been successful in engaging with employees, despite their remote status, by launching virtual items such as an; Employee Engagement Team, Company Newsletter, Company All-Hands Calls, ‘Stepping’ Challenges, Books Clubs, Health and Wellness ‘Missions’, Company Cookbooks, & Virtual Game Nights. J29 places great importance on making employees feel valued and ensuring their achievements are recognized with regular gift cards for milestones and achievements. J29 has orchestrated local meet-ups for Team Members who live in the same geographic area, to encourage direct connection as much as wanted. On occasion, J29 will also bring respective teams together for a series of in-person gatherings, team building events, or other cultural building activities that just cannot be accomplished virtually. Through extensive engagement both virtually and in-person with staff members, J29 has been able to create a two-way flow of feedback to understand what employees are looking for in the employer/employee relationship.
Standing Out as an Employer-Philanthropy
J29’s mission extends beyond Team Members’ homes and family, and directly into their communities. Every month, J29 tithes our earnings to a charity or local community impact group suggested by a member of our team. At every New Hire Orientation and all hands meeting, our team encourages new team members to reach out to leadership introducing us to a cause that is important to them.
Recently, J29 sponsored a 5K supporting the Kind Souls Foundation and the suggestion of our Vice President & General Cousel, Shawn Deane. Team Members were able to sign up to participate in the run in their own communities and with their own families and friends. The photos from runs completed across the country were highlighted in next month’s newsletter and generated a lot of engagement among the team on ways to connect at a distance.
Jennifer Biggs, J29’s Operations Manager stated, “J29 seeks to take the road less traveled in our team engagement, retention and growth efforts. We take pride in implementing feedback to ensure that we continuously improve and grow, while ensuring that Team Members recognize the ‘why’ associated with their work and daily tasks. We strive to stand out not just in the work we do, but in how we empower our team to succeed both personally and professionally.”
J29 is proud to highlight an employee retention percentage that exceeds 96% across the seven (7) years of company history. Interested in joining an employee-centered healthcare management consulting company that empowers its employees to do great things for the benefit of others? Check out our career opportunities here.
