7. Workplace Practices >
7.1.0 Restructuring & Rebuilding
Restructuring
Since the Ben & Jerry’s acquisition by Unilever in 2000, we’ve seen the closure of two manufacturing sites in Vermont and the relocation of many other Company functions to the headquarters of Unilever’s North American Ice Cream in Green Bay, Wisconsin. In the last two years, our parent company’s “One Unilever” initiative has also consolidated several positions at Ben & Jerry’s Vermont sites. Over the past three years, the Company has severed 242 employees.
In 2005, 22 positions were eliminated due to restructuring, including six in the Finance Department, five in Human Resources, eight in Information Systems, and three in Retail Operations. All of these employees were eligible for severance benefits ranging from a minimum of 13 weeks salary to a maximum of 104 weeks salary, paid in a one-time lump sum.
Total Ben & Jerry’s employee turnover for the year, excluding those receiving severance, was recorded at 11.9%. While this figure is still lower than the industry average, it’s an increase of two percentage points over 2004. This has perpetuated a sense of grief and loss for many of us who have been challenged by the departure of friends and co-workers, new reporting relationships, and shifting job responsibilities. The changes have taken a toll on our feeling of community.
Rebuilding and Rejuvenating
We put a great deal of effort into programs to rebuild and rejuvenate our workplace culture in 2005, and we’re pleased to see that we’re already making headway in this area. Our initiatives touched on several areas of our practice:
Communication
We continued to implement programs that enhance ongoing communication processes and ensure a working environment that’s open to discussion and feedback.
Employee recognition
In an effort to rekindle positive recognition for work well done, we enhanced our Rewards and Recognition program.
Leadership
Ben & Jerry’s senior leadership team has responded to our changing workplace by redefining its role and reshaping its agenda to meet the current needs of the Company.