Episode 46: How to Become the #1 Food Company on Forbes List of Best Employers
Featuring: Todd Simmons, CEO and Vice-chairman of simmons foods
Co-hosted by Endeavor Northwest Arkansas
Today on the show, we're joined by Todd Simmons, CEO and Vice Chairman of Simmons Foods. Todd talks about how he has cultivated a diversified talent recruitment strategy at Simmons as the company requires so many different skill sets with over 8,000+ employees and counting. Todd and the team has also has built a profound healthcare program for employees which has created a no-cost structure to cover Simmons team members at the Simmons Care Clinics. He also shares his strategies for ensuring safety during recruitment and retention in the last few years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This episode is co-hosted by Endeavor Northwest Arkansas Managing Director, Canem Arkan.
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EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
(05.20): Canem Arkan asks, “Talk us about your other values because I think they are very core to what makes Simmons food such a great place to work ”
(05.33): Todd Simmons says, “We start with people first and then, act with integrity. We then talk about taking responsibility, being curious, and finally taking action. When I think about the word integrity, values and morals sink up with actions and decisions. I think it also speaks to an integral hole or integrity of an organization.”
(06.46) Todd Simmons continues, “Take responsibility! If you see something broken or wrong then we all need to raise our hand and say I am ready to fix it.”
(08.10) Canem asks, “What did you learn along the way in terms of how the company works at different levels?
(08.28) Todd Simmons explains, “I learned that every job is important. They are not easy jobs. I did work in all aspects of the business as I was growing up.” “What you come to realize is that there are leaders at every level. There can be formal or informal, but informal leaders are extremely important. They are the obvious people that their team or their peers look up to. The informal leader can be really impactful for the morale of the organization.”
(14.39) Canem says, so the main takeaway: Every job is important. You need to adapt to the job, who you work with, and how to talk all relate to them. How do you hire for such different jobs in this market?
(15.42) Todd Simmons says, “It is tough. I think that one of the pieces that I would describe is decentralization and inside of that recruiting efforts.”
(22.40) Canem asks, “We would love to hear more about the structure that you set up for the Simmons Care Clinic, why it was so important to you, and really how important it was over the pandemic.”
(22.59) Todd answers, “We have clinics for team members. If you are part of our health plan, the clinics are free to use for the team members and dependents and you can go as many times as you like. We have been doing this for over 15 years now.”
(45.44) Canem asks, “What’s some of the best business advice you’ve ever received?”
(45.41) Todd says, “ I think it was Warren Buffett: A great management team cannot outperform a poor strategy or business. Recognizing when your ladder is leaned up against the wrong wall.”
ABOUT TODD SIMMONS
Todd is a founding board member of the Endeavor NWA office and Canem Arkan, managing director of Endeavor NWA alongside our team is so privileged to have him as a mentor to our entrepreneurs engaging in the Endeavor selection process. Todd began working at Simmons in 1990 and was promoted to CEO and Vice Chairman in 2012. In 2016, he was selected as one of 10 local business leaders in the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal’s C-Suite Awards. Todd is also a partner of Natural Capital, and has over 25 years of operating and investing experience in the Heartland.