CORTEZ, CO (BRAIN)—Osprey Packs, Inc. was named to Outside magazine’s third annual “Best Places to Work” list.
Osprey was ranked number 12 out of 50 selected companies, and is one of only five companies to be chosen every year of the award. The full list and related story will be published in the May issue of Outside magazine, available on newsstands April 13, 2010.
Outside’s “Best Places to Work” list was compiled with the help of the Outdoor Industry Association (outdoorindustry.org) and Best Companies Group (bestcompaniesgroup.com). The year-long selection process began with an outreach effort that identified a wide range of non-profit and for-profit organizations with at least 15 employees working in the United States. Participating companies were then sent confidential employee-satisfaction surveys and employer-questionnaires to collect information about benefits, compensation, policies, job satisfaction, environmental initiatives, and community outreach programs. All of the results were analyzed by Best Companies Group experts, who selected the 50 companies that strive to enhance their employees’ enjoyment of active endeavors, and environmental and social involvement.
"Having happy, fulfilled employees with company paid time to get outdoors and give back to the community is just as important to us as having stellar products,” said Gareth Martins, marketing director of Osprey. “We try very hard to bring work-life balance into the workplace, and we’re honored to get this recognition once again from Outside.”
"These 50 companies come from a vast array of industries but they're all following the same enlightened path," said Michael Roberts, executive editor of Outside. "They're successful businesses in a challenging economy precisely because they support a proper work-life balance. They know that benefits like on-site gyms and fitness classes, reimbursements for ski passes and sports racing fees, and support for community service efforts during work hours make their employees happier and thus more productive."
There were several aspects to Osprey’s positive workplace culture that stood out among all the other applicants. Generous vacation time (three weeks for starting employees), a fitness program that includes paying employees to walk or bike to work and a floating “powder day” in winter are just the tip of the iceberg.
Other notable programs include the Outings Holiday, introduced in 2010, which allows each Osprey team member one paid day to participate in sanctioned Osprey Outings trips. Last year's trips included a three-day White Rim mountain biking trip, a San Juan Mountains backcountry ski hut trip and a single day climb of local thirteener Dolores Peak.
Said Martins, “These trips are great not only for overall team building and camaraderie, but they also serve as opportunities for product testing and provide team members access to the great outdoor opportunities that abound due to Osprey’s southwestern Colorado location.”
Community giving is also a company priority. Osprey’s Volunteer Incentive Program pays each team member eight hours per calendar year for local, state and national volunteer efforts. In 2009 Osprey donated nearly 240 volunteer hours on a wide variety of projects, including Conservation Next’s Boulder Backyard Collective, National Public Lands Day in Mesa Verde National Park, The Access Fund’s Hawkins Preserve Project and the local Carpenter Preserve Open Space project, among others.
On a local level, Osprey donates 5 percent of all proceeds from bi-annual community Local’s Sale events to select, local non-profit organizations. In 2009, they raised over $3,500 benefiting the Southwest Colorado regional community.
Sam Mix, outdoor marketing manager added, ”In the end, what makes Osprey a great place to work, besides a healthy work/life balance, is the inclusion of every Osprey team member in the process of normal day-to-day business. We have really worked hard to not only create a cohesive, efficient team, but to create a family. Each Osprey team member shares equally in the work and the potential reward with their motivation as the only limitation to what they and Osprey can achieve.”
