EAGAN, MINN. (May 22, 2012) - It started with a test five years ago. There were projects at Unitron in Plymouth that pulled production workers away from their most productive roles. Could a crew from Lifeworks Services, a nonprofit providing services for people with disabilities, do a quality job in the tight timeframe required?
The answer was a resounding yes. A crew of Lifeworks clients assembled 1,800 promotional pieces for the marketing department and finished the work ahead of deadline.
That was the beginning of what Unitron's CEO and President Rodney Schutt describes as probably the proudest relationship we have. "The Lifeworks team is critical to our operation." For 136 Lifeworks clients, Unitron has provided meaningful work and the opportunity to be part of a workforce that values their contributions.
For this strategic business partnership, Lifeworks named Unitron as Employer of the Year at its annual gala at The Depot in Minneapolis.
Since 2007, Unitron, designer and manufacturer of products for people with hearing loss, has expanded the responsibilities for the Lifeworks crew and its job coach. Today they build kits and program hearing aids, prepare marketing mailings, and handle delivery, shipping, inventory and recycling.
This is more than a story about getting work done efficiently. Schutt says the diversity Lifeworks brings makes Unitron a better company. The Lifeworks crew people are part of the company, impacting its culture. They attend company events, talk sports in the employee cafeteria, and have lunch about once a month with Schutt.
"I enjoy the people we have met and the friendship we have made at Unitron," said David Spragg, one of the members of the Lifeworks crew. "I've heard through word of mouth that employees in other departments like having us here because we are friendly and we get the job done."
Michael Houston, whose daughter Kerry is a Lifeworks client and employee at Unitron, says it is the culture of Unitron that moved Kerry to new heights of accomplishments both as an employee and an individual.
"Unitron implicitly understands the value Lifeworks brings to an organization and is a dedicated and giving Lifeworks partner. They have adopted a culture that asks the question, how can we incorporate Lifeworks?," says Lifeworks President and CEO Judy Lysne.
"When new projects come up, Unitron actively seeks new tasks to accompany the already vast array of jobs performed by clients. They also have gone out of their way to include our clients in every aspect of their business, including the company's 'Favorite Sound' marketing campaign. They include our clients in social activities outside of work, and Unitron employees routinely stop by the Lifeworks team areas to catch up and chat about current events. We are thrilled to honor them with our Employer of the Year award."
Unitron's mission is to improve the lives of people with hearing loss. Little did the company know in 2007 when Lifeworks clients became a part of its workforce that it would be improving the lives of people with disabilities in the process of meeting its own business needs.
"It's been an extraordinary experience and a rewarding partnership on both sides. We are incredibly proud to be named 'Employer of the Year' by this great organization and to play a role in making a difference in the lives of Lifeworks' clients," says Rodney Schutt, President and CEO, Unitron US.
About Lifeworks
Lifeworks gives Employer of the Year, Personal Achievement, and Advocate of the Year awards at its annual April gala. The Employer of the Year award honors a business that employs people with disabilities through Lifeworks and includes those employees in its workplace through recognition programs, employee clubs, and other activities. The Employer of the Year considers employees with disabilities to be an integral part of the team and looks for opportunities to expand the job duties or careers of people with disabilities.
For more than 45 years, Lifeworks Services has collaborated with employers, volunteers, and government agencies to create expanded opportunities for people with disabilities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and Mankato. Through employment at area businesses, social enrichment opportunities and customized support service, Lifeworks provides the tools clients need to build the lives they want to live. www.lifeworks.org
About Unitron
Unitron is a global company that understands the hearing healthcare business is built on strong, personal relationships. We work closely with hearing healthcare professionals to improve the lives of people with hearing loss. A member of the Sonova Group, Unitron has a proven track record of developing hearing innovations that provide natural sound with exceptional speech understanding. Headquartered in Canada, Unitron distributes its full line of hearing instruments to customers in over 60 countries. For more information, please visit us on the web at unitron.com or the Unitron web channel on AudiologyOnline.
