COVID-19: Putting People First

Posted in: Company News
COVID-19: Putting People First

At Superfeet one of the truths we live by is People first - together we are more than a company we are a community.  

Now, more than ever, is the time to embrace and support our community. We are doing all we can to protect the health, safety and well-being of our community, including our employee-owners and their families, Superfeet retail partners, consumers and essential service providers. 

Throughout this pandemic we've been inspired by stories of CEOs giving up their salaries and retailers continuing to pay employee wages despite temporarily closing their doors. We applaud these actions, at the same knowing not all businesses have the privilege to mirror these decisions.  

We've decided to lean on what we do best: putting people first. People are and always have been the heart of Superfeet. As a 100% employee-owned company our greatest strength lies in each other.  

Together, we have a plan to ensure the vitality of our company and help the community that built this brand stay intact.  

The following are some of the things Superfeet employee-owners are doing during this pandemic.

Shared Pay Reductions 

All Superfeet employee-owners have agreed to a tiered wage reduction program. Members of our Executive Leadership Team will experience the largest reduction at 20 percent. Collectively sharing in the tiered reduction program ensures all our jobs stay intact when we come out of the COVID-19 crisis.    

Staycation Time 

Vacation is good for our organization for a variety of reasons. Spending time away from work is a proven stress reducer. During the month of April all employee-owners will be taking a week of paid vacation time. Our Senior Leadership Team are generously donating their personal vacation time to new employees and those without a week of accrued vacation.  

Giving Back 

Over the past 43 years giving back has consistently been part of the Superfeet culture.  We have temporarily suspended normal giving and company volunteer programs to focus our efforts on fighting the spread of COVID-19 through our PPE hood program. Over the next four weeks we will manufacture and deliver to local hospitals, helping equip our local community to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.   

Supporting Local 

Beginning this week, we are implementing a Retailer Relief program to help provide income to specialty retail stores closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Products sold on Superfeet.com initiated through our retail partners' social channels and websites will result in a portion of the sale going back to that local retail shop.

Look for messaging like this to support local while supporting your feet:

COVID 19 People First 2

The impact of COVID-19 can be a difficult one to process. It is easy to be overwhelmed by its magnitude, its effect on our daily lives and the lives of people we love.  

What we do know is that our community is better together. By working as a community, we're confident that we'll come out of the COVID-19 pandemic stronger than ever.  

 

Sincerely,  

Team Superfeet  


Edited to add:

Since we first published this blog post we have made the difficult decision to put some of our team members on standby.

We made this decision to ensure the viability of Superfeet for the long haul, and to keep everyone who was employed at the start of this pandemic employed when it's over. Our team members on standby will experience their full benefits during this time.

We appreciate the sacrifice our fellow owners are making by taking a step back from the business and promise to do our best to fill their shoes while they are out.

We are still here to support you from the ground up. We continue our efforts to support healthcare workers through the production of PPE, retailers with our Retailer Relief program and you with the insoles you know and love.

 
April 8, 2020