“Our employees are the heartbeat of Wonderland Tire,” says Jon Langerak, the company's CEO and president. “They’re on the front lines every day, doing the work with a smile on their faces.”
Jon learned early in his career that it’s important to recognize employees and highlight their contributions. Wonderland Tire pays for employees who have hit their 20-year mark with the company to go on a vacation of their choosing, with their spouse or partner — anywhere in the world, all expenses paid.
The idea, according to Jon, came from Rebecca Reed, Wonderland Tire’s marketing manager. “She came from a family business, Reed’s Tire, and saw that we have many long-term employees. She went into David’s office and said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to do something for people who’ve been with us for more than 20 years? Why not send them on a nice trip?’"
And Dave Langerak, Jon's brother and Wonderland Tire's chief operating officer, said, "Yes."
“Our people love it,” says Jon. “I think it shows the level of commitment we make to them.”
Jon and Dave show their appreciation in other ways. Last year, when fuel prices spiked, each Wonderland Tire employee received a $50 prepaid gas card. “That was Jim DeVries’ idea,” says Jon. (DeVries is Wonderland Tire's chief financial officer.)
“Every Thanksgiving, they get a $50 card to one of the supermarkets in the area. In western Michigan, it’s Meijer. And we do it with other supermarket chains” where other Wonderland Tire stores are located.
“We also take a portion of our profits each year and distribute that to our employees. Typically, that’s anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500 for line employees. Our managers get one-and-a-half-times that. It can fluctuate. but we want (employees) to understand that the more profitable we are, the more we can give them.
“The vast majority of our employees also are on an incentive program,” says Jon. “The tire business can be slow in January, February and March. The rest of the year, it ramps up. Summer can be a stressful time. It’s busy. It’s hot. With the incentive, during the summer months our employees can make double or triple what they can make in the winter months.”
Jon and Dave also make personal appearances at Wonderland Tire stores. “When we had our first million-dollar month 12 years ago, we went to each location and grilled steaks for employees,” says Dave. “Last year, in September, we had our first $3 million month. We ended up going to every store and grilled steaks.”
“Employees recognize it when you do things for them that you don’t have to do,” says Jon.
