Lifeworks Services, a nonprofit organization providing services for people with disabilities, has named Unitron as Employer of the Year at its annual gala at The Depot in Minneapolis.

Unitron’s relationship with Lifeworks started with a test in 2007. There were projects at Unitron’s facilities in Plymouth, Minn, that pulled production workers away from their most productive roles. Could a crew from Lifeworks do a quality job in the tight timeframe required? The answer was a resounding yes. 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 they 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.

Since 2007, Unitron has expanded the responsibilities for the Lifeworks crew and its job coach. Today, they build kits, 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 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 friendships 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 as both 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.

“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 Schutt.

SOURCE: Unitron