Investing in long-term success.
Tom Hauschel, CEO at Heartland Co-op
In any business, attracting and retaining quality employees are two of the most important, but challenging, keys to success. Offering an appealing benefits package with long-term rewards is a good way to bring in employees who plan on committing to your cooperative for the long haul. For Heartland Co-op, our pension plan is one of the cornerstones of our benefit offerings.
Pension plans represent the cooperative principle of shared prosperity—for the cooperative itself, its members, communities and employees. We’ve seen the power of the pension benefit in helping recruit and retain top-tier talent at Heartland. We want our employees to be invested in our cooperative, so we show them our commitment to investing in them as well. In a world where many companies have shifted to 401(k)-only retirement plans, pensions offer a level of stability and predictability that’s increasingly rare. For our employees, it provides peace of mind, knowing they’ll have a reliable income in retirement, no matter what the markets do.
From an HR perspective, the impact of this benefit is significant. Recruitment becomes easier when candidates see that we offer more than just a paycheck; we offer long-term security. Potential hires frequently tell me that our pension is a deciding factor in choosing Heartland Co-op over other employers. It’s particularly appealing to those who value a strong sense of community and loyalty, traits that align perfectly with our cooperative culture.
Retention is where the pension’s power truly shines. Employees who feel secure in their financial future are more engaged and committed. They’re willing to invest their time and energy into their roles because they know the company is equally invested in them. Our pension has also fostered a culture of longevity. It’s not uncommon to celebrate employees who’ve been with us for 20, 30 or even 40 years. Their institutional knowledge is invaluable, and their mentorship helps us develop the next generation of leaders.
Of course, offering a pension requires a significant commitment from the company, but we see it as an investment in our people and, by extension, in our mission to support our local communities. It’s a commitment that pays dividends not just in employee satisfaction and loyalty, but in the overall strength of our cooperative and the communities we operate in.
In my role, I’m reminded daily of the power of the pension benefit. It’s not just a line item in the HR expense column; it’s a cornerstone of what makes a cooperative like ours a great place to work. For our employees, the pension represents security, stability and a future they can count on. For us, it’s a testament to our commitment to them and the cooperative values we live by.
ABOUT OUR EXPERT:
Tom Hauschel is the CEO and General Manager of Heartland Co-op. Tom’s experience in agriculture began as he grew up on a family farm in northeast Kansas and continued as he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University. He has been involved in the cooperative system since the beginning of his career, starting with 18 years at Ag Processing Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, before transitioning to Heartland Co-op in 2005.
Tom has served as CEO and General Manager of Heartland Co-op since 2013. Heartland Co-op has corporate offices located in West Des Moines, Iowa and more than 50 locations in Central and East Central Iowa. The organization serves more than 4,500 members with operations in grain handling and marketing, fertilizer and application, agriculture chemicals and application, livestock feed and processing, agriculture energy products and propane.