By Angela Blue
2680 Production Rd., Virginia Beach | 757-868-7600 | OneHourComfort.com
Founded: 1979
Employees: 80+
You might not expect that working for an HVAC company would lead to an all-expenses paid trip to the Dominican Republic. But then again, there are a lot of unexpected—and refreshing—aspects about One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning that extend far beyond heating and cooling homes.
For one, they pay close attention to their employees’ needs and wellbeing. “From a management perspective, everything we do revolves on enhancing our workplace culture,” says Owner and General manager Todd Kletz. “We try to remain somewhat flexible, and by that, I mean we recognize that we have a group of individuals that have various wants and desires and needs, and our culture has to accommodate that, but at the same time as a team we have a mission to serve our clients, so we have to intertwine those.”
Secondly, they not only care about their clients, but they care about the community as well, making giving back a strong part of their company mission, as well as a way to bring employees together. Through their One Hour Cares initiative, the company awards $5,000 to a different nonprofit organization each quarter. Aside from giving funds as a company, employees are encouraged to get involved and volunteer as a group, whether it’s donating blood for the American Red Cross or helping to build a home for Habitat for Humanity.
And finally, they take their employees on amazing vacations—like the one mentioned above. This year, Kletz took 34 individuals (teammates and their spouses) on an all-expenses paid trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. He plans to continue the trips to different locations every two years as a “thank you” for everyone’s hard work.
Even with great getaways, Kletz recognizes that company culture is ever-changing, and he aims to keep a constant pulse on employees’ goals and challenges and to provide them with a supportive environment. Several years ago, he implemented a program called “huddles,” where department managers meet with individuals on a one-on-one basis to talk about anything other than business. “You learn about their families, their hobbies, their aspirations,” Kletz says. “I really think that’s the beginning of building the foundation for a healthy company culture. When I know you and you know me on a different level, it’s far easier for us to communicate common goals when I know what your individual goals or challenges might be.” He recommends getting to know employees as individuals versus just employees, to start a foundation for good communication. “Start with the individual. Learn about them. Share a little bit about yourself. Be a little vulnerable. And you’ll start to build something good.”
Work Perks
- Daily internal training
- Opportunities with industry leaders, focusing on career and personal development
- Quarterly department get-togethers
- Multiple annual team events
- All-expenses paid trip to thank employees for their hard work
- Teambuilding activities
- Celebrations for individuals as well as group efforts
Why I Love My Job
“Every team member has a part in the day-to-day efforts to keep us on track as we proactively keep a finger on the pulse of our business. This has been a major contributor to our continued success and consistently positive culture.”
—Lauren Smith, Marketing Coordinator, Over a year with One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning
