By Craig Ruppert, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Board
In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, the significance of diversity in the workplace remains an important opportunity. We are a diverse and accepting company, with team members of all ages, genders, ethnicities, education levels, and socio-economic backgrounds. We are proud of how the company has evolved. Our goal is—and has always been—to attract and retain the most talented team members. This will enable us to grow and provide the very best service for our customers.
When I look back at our earliest days and how we recruited, our process was much different—I looked to my group of friends and asked some of the guys from the neighborhood if they wanted a job. Then as our business grew, we continued to follow that method for hiring—looking predominantly within our social circles and geographic footprint—for other team members who would help us build the business. I expect that this approach was very similar to how our three new partner companies recruited when they first started out and that it aligns with the approach of many startup companies.
Career paths looked very different as well. We historically promoted from within, so most of our managers started out in field positions and worked their way up from crew member or field manager into positions as area managers or branch managers. This resulted in very similar approaches to management and not many external ideas being brought into the mix. Essentially, we figured out recruiting and advancement methods that enabled us to build our company and we continued to replicate that, building on that foundation as we grew.
While those approaches certainly contributed to our success, we continued to change and evolve as we grew. We began to attract Latino team members many from El Salvador and Honduras. The number of Black team members grew, as did the number of women. We started attracting people with different talents, perspectives, and roles that were important to our growth. We hired horticulturalists, estimators, accountants, and mechanics who each brought their unique and special skills, educational backgrounds, and abilities. Every person who has joined our team has helped us become better, more innovative, and more efficient.
So how do we continue to capitalize on that diversity and use it to help us grow? At present, we have a team of just over 2,500 people and our need to attract smart and hardworking team members grows by the day. I’m proud of way we’ve embraced diversity—let’s keep up the good work. In addition to promoting from with, we will continue to rely on our existing team members to refer their family, friends, and acquaintances, which have traditionally been a great match for us. We want to continue to seek the very best candidates we can find for every job and we want to continue to increase the number of women and minority leaders.
The fabric of our company will be stronger if it’s woven with diversity. Employees from different backgrounds bring fresh perspectives, unique problem-solving approaches, and varied skills, helping us solve problems faster and make better decisions. A diverse team also allows us to better connect with our diverse customers, improving communication and building closer, more meaningful relationships. This ensures a more personalized service experience, which benefits not only our company but also our customers and the broader community.
Thank you for your continued efforts to expand our talent pool by actively including diverse candidates. Let’s all do our part to make sure everyone feels welcome, respected, and valued at Ruppert.