Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/123973
Melton said scores have gone up "significantly." But even before the bonus program, employees, most of whom have worked at the winery about 15 years, weren't going anywhere. "It wasn't necessarily about retention because they treat us well enough so that retention is not an issue," Melton said. "But it was a way to reinvigorate, to bring a new sense of joy and excitement." Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA) director Peggy Evans reported that most of TVWA's 35 member wineries in Southern California can't afford to pay benefits for their mostly part-time employees. "Most of the wineries here are small and family owned," she said. "But I think that's common in our industry as a whole that wineries have minimal fulltime staff. There aren't many that offer benefits to part-timers." At Trefethen Family Vineyards in Napa, the Trefethen family offers a benefit in the form of no parttime or seasonal employment; employees work year-round. This way, all 112 are entitled to full benefits, including medical, dental and vision coverage, 401(k) and paid vacations. And the winery doesn't experience an annual brain drain by letting trained employees go after seasonal work. Trefethen COO Jon Ruel says it's the winery's responsibility to take care of its employees. "It really is a deliberate attempt to keep the work year-round to allow a stable workforce," said Trefethen COO Jon Ruel. "It's our responsibility to take care of people but it makes good business sense. Our people have been working with me for years and years, advancing their knowledge and quality of work and efficiency." An unusual benefit for Trefethen employees is access to a large fruit and vegetable garden, where the abundant variety of estate-grown produce is meant for employees' family tables. w w w. v w m media.com M a y - J u n e 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 85