Automation distributor noted for putting people first

UK-headquartered Inspiring Workplaces (IW) recognized RS among the top 100 companies globally.

The Global Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces awards annually recognize and celebrate organizations of all sizes and industries from each of IW’s operating regions worldwide for creating exceptional, people-first workplaces with positive and inspiring cultures that make employees feel like they belong. They also rank the global top 100 organizations across Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, the UK, and Ireland based on the inputs of a judging panel. This year, RS earned its first global Inspiring Workplaces recognition and a ranking of 81 based on its priorities, initiatives and achievements in six categories that IW believes are fundamental to creating an inspiring workplace.

Purpose and culture: According to RS, it prioritizes the well-being of employees as individuals who extend beyond the confines of work and aims to provide a genuine and open environment that welcomes knowledge sharing and supports all employees’ experiences. Company-sponsored volunteering days give employees the time and opportunity to give back to their communities.

Leadership: RS indicated its leadership team works to inspire employees by fostering passion, humility, and trust. RS values diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints and nurtures growth through extensive training and development opportunities. The company said it supports internal employee resource and engagement groups that facilitate community outreach, host topical panel discussions and arrange guest speaker sessions for enrichment, collaboration and learning.

Well-being: RS said it empowers employees to bring their authentic selves to work, and one of its central missions is to create a space that actively supports mental, physical, and financial well-being. The company also has ongoing wellness resources and initiatives, including mental health first aid training, an employee assistance program that provides access to professional help and complimentary access to the mindfulness app, Calm.

Employee experience and voice: According to RS, it creates an employee experience that fosters a sense of belonging to ensure that employees feel connected and valued and, in turn, positively influence their well-being, productivity and overall job satisfaction. Contributing efforts include cultivating a culture of inclusivity, supportive and empathetic leadership, open, transparent and effective communication channels designed to make employees feel heard and understood, providing opportunities for professional growth and development and acknowledging employees’ achievements, both big and small, with rewards and recognition.

Inclusion: As part of RS Group’s strategic vision, the company has set targets for a more diverse leadership and workforce and is working towards having 40% of its leadership positions held by women and 25% filled by individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The company also supports organized educational events around recognitions like Mental Health Awareness Month, Pride Month and Black History Month and fosters employee resource groups, including Bloomers for early career employees, Spectrum for LGBTQ+ employees, Elevate for women employees and EmbRACE for employees with diverse ethnicities, races and cultures.

Earlier this year, RS earned a 2024 North American Inspiring Workplaces Award, a 65 ranking and special recognition for its inclusion practices, which the judging panel named as the strongest element of the RS submission, saying, “RS articulates an inspiring purpose and appears to impressively weave DEI throughout every part of the organization. The leadership philosophy emphasizing passion, humility, trust, and active listening is well-developed, and their approach to mental, physical, and financial wellbeing is truly impressive, as is their commitment to DEI. This is an excellent submission from a company clearly committed to their employees.”

When congratulating this year’s Global Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces winners, Matt Manners, Founder of The Inspiring Workplaces Group, noted that this year marks the first time that companies in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa earned global recognition and said, “One clear message we can take from this news is that, despite what else might be going on in the world, there is a clear and global desire to put people first being led by the private sector. Our mission is to change the world through the world of work, and recognizing these Inspiring Workplaces and their dedicated employees is a crucial step in that journey.”

D’Mar Phillips, vice president of people and culture at RS, said: “We are incredibly proud of the vibrant culture we’ve built at RS Americas. Being recognized as one of the world’s best for putting people first is a testament to our unwavering commitment. By fostering a positive and inspiring workplace, we show our team how much we value their contributions. This not only boosts engagement, morale and productivity but also attracts and retains top talent, driving our collective success.”

D’Mar continued, “We take immense pride in leading the industry in people and culture, both regionally and globally. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to every team member for helping us create a culture we can all be proud of. We are dedicated to advancing our people-first initiatives, enhancing our inclusive culture, and driving positive change every day.”

The 2024 Top 10 Global IW winners were: