CHESAPEAKE PLUMBING AND HEATING

A WINNER OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 2017 TOP WORKPLACES AWARD

Chesapeake Plumbing and Heating, Inc. has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by The News Journal. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits.” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

Travis Martin, Chesapeake’s owner, feels strongly that company culture is a large factor in the winning the award. “Not only do we have the best individuals in the industry by a landslide, we have a special synergy that flows amongst us where we feed off each other’s achievements and excitement for staggering results.”

Recently, the company was named to the Inc. 5000 list (of the fastest growing private companies) for the third year in a row. Locally, this ranked Chesapeake as the 8^th fastest growing company in the state and leads the list for Sussex County. “With growth at the rate we have experienced, it is easy to lose the culture that drove that growth,” remarked Regina Dietz, Chesapeake’s Human Resource Manager. “No matter how busy things get or how fast we grow, we work hard to stay focused on our core values to ensure that our culture is preserved.”

The company hosts an annual retreat to reflect on progress, present motivational messages by national speakers, and celebrate success through fun and lighthearted games and activities. Benefits, state of the art tools and “downtime” are examples of ways Chesapeake supports the goal of employee enrichment. According to Martin, “We believe that treating our employees well translates into better employees, longevity and ultimately better customer service.” Comradery often goes beyond the work day, too when employees form teams to participate in diverse charity events throughout the communities they serve. “Simply put, we’re like a family,” explains Deb Chaney, Chesapeake’s Chief Financial Officer.

Chesapeake Plumbing and Heating has served residential and commercial customers in Delaware and Maryland since 2003. Locally owned and operated, Chesapeake specializes in repair and new construction services for plumbing, heating, cooling and fire sprinkler systems. It also has a division that provides utility construction and trenching.