Jervis B Webb staff at work

Ice cream socials, 'Sports Apparel Day', sponsored health programs and an onsite barber are just some of the reasons Jervis B Webb Company is a great place to work.

The materials handling company, established in 1919 and employer to over 1,000 in US and overseas, has been selected by the American Society of Employers (ASE) as one of Michigan's 2007 'Cool Places to Work'.

Susan M Webb, company president & CEO, says the company believes in taking care of its "greatest assets".

"We have worked diligently to not only attract the best talent but also provide a positive environment that fosters creativity and high quality productivity."

The company's employee-friendly policies must work as the average employee tenure is 15 years and some have been there for decades.

Webb's incentives for its 500 Michigan employees include ice cream socials, lunchtime cookouts and special afternoon treats. There is also an onsite barber and a weekly massage service. Other perks include free sporting event tickets and concert ticket discounts.

But what is perhaps most revealing of the company's care for its greatest assets is its sponsorship of health programs.

Workers interested in healthier living can take advantage of the company's full-cost sponsorship of the American Lung Association's "Freedom from Smoking" program and the company undertakes half the registration fee of the "Weight Watchers at Work" program.

Employees are encouraged to join the American Cancer Society's annual "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk and those who are interested can go for free CPR training.

On "Sports Apparel Day", employees come to work in their favourite sporting team's jersey. Team-building and social functions include a company-sponsored golf league, a bowling league, employee hockey games and whirly ball and volleyball tournaments.

Privately owned Jervis B Webb Company designs, engineers and installs integrated systems used in the warehousing, manufacturing, airport, beverage and automotive industries. It has manufacturing locations in US, Canada, India and China.

The ASE of Southfield, Michigan, is one of the US's oldest and largest human resources-related organisations. It evaluates Michigan companies on their work policies, benefits and "talent management" practices. Sixty companies were designated "cool places to work" and ranked according to company size.