Building superior systems, company

UPDATED FOR TODAY'S WORKPLACE: Peirre LaPerriere, center, Gilbane Building Co.'s senior vice president, corporate director of human resources, has transformed the company HR function into a tool to support growth for the company and its workers. With him are intern Alia Sasa and Tim Grace, communications specialist. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY
UPDATED FOR TODAY'S WORKPLACE: Peirre LaPerriere, center, Gilbane Building Co.'s senior vice president, corporate director of human resources, has transformed the company HR function into a tool to support growth for the company and its workers. With him are intern Alia Sasa and Tim Grace, communications specialist. / PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, PRIVATE COMPANY

When Pierre LaPerriere first joined the human resources department at Gilbane Building Co., he faced a daunting bank of filing cabinets containing thousands of personnel files going back decades.

In his ensuing 13 years with the Providence-based real estate development and management firm, one of his major initiatives has been to digitize each and every one of those files – essentially re-envisioning the way the company’s human resources department works.

Today, instead of being tied up with tasks such as new hires, promotions and retirements, the department has the ability to do what it does best: Serve as a business partner, asset and resource to the many teams that operate throughout the company.

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“Personal relationships are what make the employment experience positive,” said LaPerriere, who serves as Gilbane’s senior vice president, corporate director of human resources. “It’s easy to leave a company – it’s hard to leave a relationship. Gilbane … builds relationships with employees. Not just because we want them to stay, but because we care, and we chose people who fit into this culture and who genuinely care about others.”

Among his many sweeping reforms, LaPerriere has worked to improve and enhance Gilbane’s recruitment efforts – attracting and retaining workers at all levels. He also has helped the 143-year-old company to grow its market and size through acquisitions, and has been instrumental in expanding employee training programs and benefit offerings.

Since 2003, the company’s workforce has grown from 1,573 to more than 2,500. Its annual gross revenue also has increased steadily, from $3.4 billion in 2013 to $4.5 billion in 2015.

Ultimately, LaPerriere said, it’s about the execution – anyone can have a great idea, but the keys are the resources and wherewithal to see that initial concept to fruition.

LaPerriere has spearheaded an extensive program that ensures that all new employees arrive with their paperwork completed, and, on day one, have a lunch meeting with their new manager, as well as a functional computer at their desk. Throughout their tenure with the company, employees are also required to refresh their skills by completing 30 hours of training annually.

Further enhancing the Gilbane experience – and ultimately, its results – are the company’s improved benefits packages and performance reviews. All performance reviews are now performed digitally and within the same one-month time frame.

Meanwhile, benefits have been boosted with more paid time off in lieu of vacation and sick time, adoption benefits, and four weeks of leave for births and caregiving; advanced family-leave benefits are expected to be rolled out this year.

Gilbane encourages outside growth and engagement, supporting employee commitments to civic and community causes.

“It’s incredibly beneficial for a professional to be able to operate in other organizations and learn from them,” LaPerriere said, “while contributing to them at the same time.”

Looking ahead, the company expects to have its personnel records – including its oldest legacy records – completely digitized by 2017. As for those filing cabinets he was met with on his first day? They’ve been upgraded to a series of custom-made, in-house programs that allow employees and their managers immediate access to human resources data.

“That’s been powerful,” he said.

A new human resources vision plan will move the department from a more traditional structure to a shared-services model, so that human resource professionals can contribute and influence “even virtually” with Gilbane’s offices worldwide.

As the result of its various initiatives, for 12 years now Gilbane has been acknowledged on Training Magazine’s Top 125 list. The company is a three-time Forbes Top 100 Company to Work.

“I particularly enjoy working at Gilbane,” said LaPerriere, “because not only me, but every single employee has access to the executive leadership. With that access comes the ability to influence change and drive change.” •

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