Best Places to Work Honoree 2022
Organization Name: Ryan's
Address: Multiple locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire
Website: https://ryanfamily.com/
Phone: (508) 759-5464
Contact Email: rfazack@comcast.net
Describe in detail the culture of the company and a recent experience supporting that.
Since our founding in 1958, Ryan’s has built a culture around two core tenets - family and fun. Just like we have a mission to create an environment in our centers that caters to families, we’ve built a similar environment internally. We treat our colleagues and employees as if they’re members of our extended family - with respect, compassion, support, encouragement and open communication. The family culture is also embodied by our customers. Many of our customers came to us as children and now are bringing their own children. The nostalgia and traditions we provide families is an important part of what we do. We know many of our customers (and their children and grandchildren) by name.Has the company/organization offered rewards or incentives for great customer service or a positive employee attitude?
We often award bonuses to employees in the form of cash or gift cards for jobs well done. This could be going the extra mile for a customer, doing an exceptional job on a project, leading by example, or maintaining a great attitude. We love to both empower and show appreciation for our team members on a regular basis.Does the organization offer training for levels of advancement? Is there room for growth?
We provide on-the-job training and are always trying to advance from within. We have several employees in management positions who joined us at entry-level and were trained by their managers/mentors to advance. Zack McCaul is a great example. He joined us at 14 years-old working the prize counter. Today, at 31, he is our Director of Operations. overseeing all aspects of operations at all of our centers.Does this organization promote from within, or hire outside when looking for employees?
We do both. We love offering career advancement from within, but we hire from outside, as well. We have positions at all levels, from arcade attendants to managers, so we need a large candidate pool. But we absolutely love it when we take an employee at an entry-level and help them grow and advance in the company. That drives us!Provide an example of how this organization has recently gone above and beyond for an employee, team or client/customer.
We had a couple of employees who suffered from unforeseen health problems over the past year. One was diagnosed with a heart issue needing immediate attention and another was hit by a car. We provided both financial and emotional support throughout their recovery and are happy to report that they are healthy and doing well today. As another example, when we were forced to close during the pandemic and our employees were furloughed, we paid both the company and employee portion of everyone’s health insurance plan.Communication is key, how effective is the organization at communication with their employees and/or client/customer? *
We feel our communication with our customers is fantastic. We have spent a lot of time developing a website that is not only informational, but fun. Recently we also launched an online reservation system for bowling, axe throwing and cornhole, which has been very well received by our customers. It means they can guarantee a lane in advance and get on their lane faster with a quick check-in.
We are different than many businesses in that we have nine locations, along with a headquarters, spread across three states. We work very hard to bridge the geographical gap with “face to face” engagement. We may not be physically able to work with each other day in and day out, but we work hard on staying connected.
In what ways does the organization give back to their community? Please provide an example.
We award $10,000 in scholarships annually to students who have an interest in pursuing a career in the hospitality industry. Ten scholarships, each in the amount of $1,000, are awarded in the communities where we operate. We have also developed ongoing fundraising programs at all of our centers and we highly encourage charitable organizations to take advantage of them. And we are extremely supportive of requests for donations for all sorts of fundraising events throughout our operating area. Are you actively hiring/recruiting outside your organization?
Yes.