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The Anheuser-Busch Adventure Parks (Busch Entertainment Corporation)

Winning years:  2006, 2005
Industry:  Entertainment
Location:  Clayton, MO
URL:  www.anheuser-busch.com

Winning Strategies 2006

Busch Entertainment Corporation’s on-line and telephone service ‘Life Assistance Services’ assists employees in selecting day care services, elder care services, and also offers advice on nursing homes.  In addition, the company’s long-term care policy is available not only to employees but also their parents and grandparents.

Other Benefits:

• Recruiting: Busch Entertainment’s ‘Legends Ambassadors are a team of individuals ages 55+ in each park who are committed to helping SeaWorld/Busch Gardens provide quality employment and job satisfaction to the 55+ population.  The Ambassadors are selected annually to provide leadership, guidance, advice, and help in 'learning the ropes' to employees and to offer suggestions, concerns, and ideas to Human Resources.  Ambassadors meet each month as well as participate in activities such as job fairs, recruiting efforts, and training.   The company established this program in an effort to recruit this age group.  The company also uses senior placement agencies to target mature workers and retirees for employment.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: The company offers the following learning and development programs to its full- and part-time employees (working 24 hrs/week):  tuition reimbursement (5% used in past 12 months), in-house classroom training (95% used in past 12 months), on-line training (3% used in past 12 months), and certification classes.  Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, and awards.  Employees with 25 years of service receive an all expense paid trip for the employee and guest to the company headquarters in St. Louis.
• Benefits/Health: Full- and part-time employees (working 32 hrs/week), receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, and individual and family vision and dental insurance, individual and family long-term care coverage, as well as short- and long-term disability.  Ninety-five percent of employees are enrolled in the individual and family medical and prescription drug coverage plans, 70% of employees are enrolled in the individual vision insurance plan, 65% in the employee and family vision insurance plan, 70% in the individual dental plan, 65% in the employee and family dental plan, 2% in the individual long-term care plan, 1% in the employee and family long-term care plan, 100% in the short-term disability plan and 50% in the long-term disability plan.  Health benefits for retirees pre-65 and 65+ include individual as well as spouse medical and drug coverage, individual and spouse long-term care insurance, EAP services and individual life insurance or other death benefit coverage.  For the pre-65 age group category, new hires are eligible for all of the above retiree benefits upon retirement.  For the 65+ age group category, new hires are eligible for the individual and spouse medical and prescription drug coverage benefits upon retirement.   The company offers a health flexible spending account.
• Benefits/Financial: The company offers a defined benefit and a 401(k) retirement savings plan to its full- and part-time employees.  Full-time employees also receive stock options.  The company match may not be less than 33.3% nor more than 125% of participants matched contributions up to 6% of base pay.  Employees age 50+ can make ‘catch-up’ contributions to their 401(k) account.  The company offers referral services to assist with child care and elder care and the child care benefit is offered to employees to use for their grandchildren.    The following wellness programs are offered to full- and part-time employees:  flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, exercise programs, and weight loss programs.  In the past 12 months, 19% of employees utilized at least one of the above wellness benefits.  The company offers an annual Wellness Contest for employees and spouses.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: The company offers alternative work arrangements such as flex time and job sharing to full- and part-time employees.  Part time employees must work eight hours a week to be eligible for the flex time benefit and 24 hours per week to be eligible for the job sharing benefit.  Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: The company currently has 7,157 retirees.  There is an individual within the company who has a direct responsibility for retiree relations.  The company stays connected with its retirees by communicating on a regular basis with retirees, inviting retirees to organization events/celebrations, and formally acknowledging retirees on the occasion of their retirement.  Retirees are offered the following work arrangements; temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, as well as part-time work.

Winning Strategies 2005

Busch Entertainment Corporation (BEC) has a leadership training program that employs a variety of exercises, assessments, and out-of-class assignments to teach the importance of and the keys to promoting service leadership. BEC says that it believes in hiring and promoting employees from within the organization. It also actively recruits mature applicants.

Employees can enhance their skills through a 16-hour leadership training program delivered over three to four weeks, cross-training, team projects, participation in roundtable events, and visiting other parks for benchmarking. BEC offers tuition assistance to all full- and part-time employees.

BEC offers retirees temporary work assignments, consulting or contract work, and part-time work. The company has flexible work schedules, including telecommuting. Employees can have up to 12 weeks as time off for caregiving. In addition, employees can request and be granted an unpaid personal leave for up to six months. Benefits continue for the leave period provided the employee pays the appropriate contributions.

Benefits:

• Full-time employees, who are offered several different types of health plans, pay an average of 24 percent of the premium for employee and family health insurance and prescription drug coverage. However, the majority of full-time employees are enrolled in an HMO plan, and these employees pay about 5 percent of the HMO premium. Part-time employees (minimum 32 hours/week) pay 36 percent of the premium for employee and family health insurance and prescription drug coverage. The company covers the short-term disability benefit in full for full-time employees. Employees pay long-term disability at 80 percent. Part-time employees are not eligible for short- or long-term disability.
• BEC offers a defined benefit and defined contribution plan to all employees. The 401(k) match rate contributions may not be less than 33.3 percent nor more than 125 percent of participants/matched contributions up to six percent of base pay. Employees may take up to two loans out on their 401(k). Stock options are granted to qualified full-time employees.