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Investing in employee longevity scores profitable results
When Dan Accordino applied for an assistant manager's position at a Burger King unit in Syracuse, N.Y., 26 years ago, he had no idea that he was planting a career-path seed that has seen him grow into an integral part of Carrols Corp. "It's the only employer I've ever had," he says, joking.
Glancing at the company directory, Accordino, who for the past five years has served as a director, president and chief operating officer of Carrols, read off several names of employees who have been with the company for 20 years or more, most notably executive vice president of finance Richard Cross, who joined Carrols 30 years ago.
Clearly, a culture that fosters employee longevity is a key to operations at Carrols Corp. With 335 restaurants in 13 states and annual revenues exceeding $250 million, the firm is the country's largest Burger King franchisee.
"Having consistency at the top and in the field is what makes our culture work," Accordino says. "Oftentimes we can complete each other's sentences."
Several of the company's six regional vice presidents have been with Carrols Corp. for more than 20 years, and many of the operator's 47 DMs are approaching two decades of service. "Consequently, there is consistent execution throughout our operations," he says.
Carrols provides its associates with the opportunity to own equity stakes in the business, and about 60 employees - from top management to district managers possess stock options. "This is very unique for a private company," Accordino adds. But employee loyalty at Carrols is not measured solely by length of service. "The company rewards performance, not just tenure," according to director of human resources Jerry DiGenova. Another longtime Carrols employee, DiGenova joined the chain in 1973 as an hourly employee at a Carrols unit in Albion, N.Y., just outside of Rochester.
"The restaurants are where the rubber meets the road. We provide them with air tonomy and don't micromanage the company," DiGenova declares.
He points to two store-level incentives in which managers are rewarded through annual bonuses if "controllable profit lines" either are met or exceed projection and a quarterly bonus program. Carrols positions those initiatives as a way to empower the general managers while maximizing sales...