For the past 30 years, Nationwide Industries® has built a legacy of pioneering innovative and reliable gate and fencing hardware. During that time, another core principle the company stays true to is prioritizing employees. In doing so, Nationwide Industries® inspires employees to find and create solutions through community and innovation.
By empowering employees to take ownership of their development, Nationwide Industries® employees created a group focused on development and community, the Tampa DECK. This organization is the perfect display of employee ownership at Nationwide Industries®.
Through implementing innovative ideas and strategies to develop employees, individuals experience an increased sense of community both inside and outside of the company.
What is the Tampa D.E.C.K.?
The name for the Tampa DECK is an acronym for the leadership qualities that Nationwide Industries® hopes to instill in every one of their employees.
D – Development
E – Engagement
C – Communication
K – Kommittee (Committee)
This group has helped Nationwide Industries® employees to realize that growth happens both inside and outside working hours. Tampa DECK helps foster communication between employees that typically don’t interact during their day-to-day tasks. Forging these connections has produced a team that aims for continuous improvement.
Building a Company Culture
Nationwide Industries® understands how important a culture of development is for every employee, and the formation of the Tampa DECK proves just that. They’ve participated in initiatives and projects that boost community engagement and drive culture.
To help keep every employee in the loop, once each quarter the Tampa DECK sends out a newsletter. The newsletter is a great symbol for the second and third value of DECK. It increases communication about what they’ve been up to and provides Nationwide Industries® employees an opportunity to engage with their work.
At the end of each newsletter, it features a suggestion box that other employees use to give their ideas about future events, volunteer opportunities, and service projects. This small addition is a symbol of the things it takes to drive a culture of ownership within Nationwide Industries®.
Serving Each Other
Tampa’s DECK team is committed to developing a strong and prosperous culture throughout the company. Alongside culture the Tampa DECK has been diligently working to build initiatives focused on serving each other. Serving each other comes in many forms, but the most notable is by taking ownership.
Tampa’s team has shown us a fitting example of how ownership and service can go hand in hand. Every month the DECK holds employee appreciation events to acknowledge the fantastic work of the Nationwide Industries® Tampa team. This monthly celebration helps to give employees a sense of pride that they take with them when interacting with the outside community.
Serving the Community
For the past 30 years Nationwide Industries® has provided exceptional service to the community through their products. Service does not just stop at selling exceptional products, it also encompasses lending a helping hand to the surrounding communities.
One of the events that the Tampa DECK participated in this year was the Great American Cleanup at the Veteran’s Memorial Park in Tampa, Florida. On April 20th, 61 guests and 13 members of the Nationwide Industries® team participated in the event.
In only 2.5 hours they collected a total of 22 bags of yard debris and trash. It’s clear from the success of this event that Nationwide Industries® employees pride themselves on investing in their community.
Final Considerations
The Tampa DECK exemplifies Nationwide Industries® commitment to fostering a culture of development, engagement, communication, and ownership. By empowering employees and creating opportunities for growth and connection, DECK not only enhances individual development but also collective success.
Through consistent efforts like volunteering and employee appreciation events the Tampa DECK has created a thriving and inclusive culture that expands beyond the workplace.