BRONX, NY - What separates successful companies from the rest of the pack is, yes, the product, and, of course, the vision—but always, the people. D’Arrigo New York deeply believes in this measure of differentiation, a mindset that can be found in the company’s culture, its go-to-market strategies, and above all else, its people. With the challenges of 2020 and 2021 in its rearview mirror but also fueling its present, D’Arrigo New York has turned a focus back on its team once again, to reinvest in its Human Resources (HR) program and build a stronger platform for the years to come.
“Here at D’Arrigo New York, we have invested in a new platform that helps us track the necessary information for all our employees. From work anniversaries and birthdays to sick days and vacations, we take a holistic view of each team member’s overall health, wellness, success, and milestones,” Gabriela D’Arrigo, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, shares with me.
Gabriela pauses to reflect on how far the company has come, expressing how the previous system the company had in place was pretty archaic compared to the strides it is making now.
“This new system is accessible to all employees and makes the process of requesting dates or information much more seamless. We also hired a new HR assistant to assist our HR director,” she tells me. “We have expanded the company quite a bit over the past few years, with three separate facilities here in the South Bronx today. With the additional facilities, we have hired more employees, and it's been a big undertaking”.
D’Arrigo New York is a growing company and in order to continue that growth, the team realized it needed to beef up departmental positions that traditionally wore multiple hats, like HR.
“A change like this, although small and gradual, makes a huge difference for companies like ourselves. It gets us out of the ‘just-your-small-family-business’ mentality and into a more comprehensive corporate structure with more organization,” Gabriela says. “This allows us to keep the family feel, but with a strong foundation to build corporate growth.”
Looking ahead to the remainder of 2022, Gabriela adds that there will definitely be continual change in HR throughout the year and beyond. And, when I ask her why D’Arrigo New York is so driven to support its people, she tells me, “Because, they are worth it.”
