Korellis is one of the Region’s greatest small-business success stories: a local business that grew to become synonymous with roofing in Northwest Indiana. Its reputation was earned through over 60 years of excellent work on countless projects and landmarks that dot the area’s landscape – work made possible by consistently following a core philosophy to be a world-class employer.
“We are proud to be employee-centric, which means Korellis invests in our employees’ well-being as the main driver of our performance,” said Kali Zaremba, Human Resource Manager at Korellis. “Our employees receive good wages and benefits, are provided with industry-leading technology, tools, and equipment, and are empowered every day. In turn, they deliver ultimate customer satisfaction. No matter what Korellis’ main face of business is, our focus will always be in taking care of our employees and their families.”
From the moment Korellis posts a job opening, every new or prospective hire is seen as a new career opportunity – just a job.
“We treat our employees equally and allow them opportunities to grow and develop within the business, where they can see themselves retiring,” said John Ziolkowski, President of Korellis. “We accomplish this by always informing all our employees about the business. We talk about changes before we make them, how we can grow, and the strategy to stay as one of the most well-known, reliable companies in Northwest Indiana and surrounding areas.”
When a new field employee is brought aboard, Korellis makes every effort to make them feel welcomed and prepared for every facet of their job.
“A big part of educating new employees is the Korellis Training Center,” said Dan Stella, Workforce Development Manager for Korellis. “It allows us to teach our employees important aspects of their job before they ever step foot onto a project. It gives them the knowledge and confidence to try and to succeed.”
Training never truly ends, because every job is an opportunity to learn – even for the most seasoned veterans.
“Korellis truly regards itself as an employee-centric company in that the worker is always the primary focus in everything we do, and that includes our training,” said Joel Barnes, Safety Manager for Korellis. “We always want them to return home in the same condition in which they arrived to work and keeping our focus on them is where that is achieved.”
After onboarding and training, one of the keys to keeping any team successful is strong communication – an area in which Korellis excels and a necessity when safety is a top priority. Aside from the standard channels such as newsletters and safety meetings, every member of the team is connected through a texting application that allows for members to quickly and efficiently relay information to the field.
“I know from experience that being kept in the dark, even over little things, can add stress to an already demanding job,” said Barnes. “We also have a company-wide email chain with all leaders in the office and field where safety awareness briefs and alerts are sent to notify and educate employees on any safety concerns, no matter how minor it may be perceived by others.”
Korellis is an employee-owned company, so the focus on team building is not simply a top-down effort. Everyone from the office staff to the crews in the field prioritizes teamwork, safety, and collaboration. Few understand this better than Mike Christensen, who started his career at Korellis by spending 12 years in the field before moving to the office and becoming the Director of Operations.
“Being an employee stock ownership company is definitely a huge factor in promoting a growth mindset, which encourages the entire team to thrive,” he said. “When referring to our field force, I’d describe the culture as safety-oriented. We pride ourselves as the safety workers in our industry, and continually invest in the most current, industry-leading equipment. This lessens the stress on their bodies, and ultimately keeps the team healthier and less fatigued both short and long-term.”
Korellis also offers a number of picnics, parties, and unique benefits such as an online store. Team members that accumulate safety bonuses, apprentice upgrades, and content winnings can save up “Korellis Cash” and use it to purchase high-quality apparel such as North Face jackets, Carhartts, and other items that they can use on or off the job site.
“The employees are not just a number at Korellis, they’re the glue that holds this company together – strong, and united,” Ziolkowski said. “We are very thankful to have such an amazing team!”
To learn more about Korellis and to see career opportunities, visit https://korellis.com/.
