At Leggett & Platt, we are committed to building a culture of belonging and workplaces where everyone feels accepted for who they are and what they bring to L&P.
To help us accomplish this, we launched our People First learning series, designed to enhance our leadership skills and strengthen inclusion by putting people first—our first company value.
At the beginning of the year, we launched People First Local Conversations within our branches. The conversations are hosted by People First Champions — L&P leaders — and discuss how we can improve our workplaces by being a better team.
Participating in the local conversations was optional for each branch and initially started as six conversations over four months. The feedback was so positive that over half of the branches asked to continue.
Winchester Spring in Winchester, Kentucky, was one of the branches that participated in each local conversation. They finished the series this month, hosting eleven conversations on topics like belonging, community involvement, and gratitude. We spoke with Stephen Day, Richard Trent, and James Wells — the People First Champions at Winchester, about their experience.
Stephen Day, Human Resources Manager
“What initially struck my interest was the People First courses we took before the conversations started. The facilitator was very engaging, and the content intrigued me. I was determined to make a difference at our branch. Working with Richard, James, and Billy Wiggins (Branch Manager), I knew that we were all like-minded regarding our people. Our past successes were because of the great people we have on our team. Once we got started, we received feedback from our people, and there were some great ideas on how to be more inclusive. We have implemented many of those ideas and hope to receive more.”
Richard Trent, Operations Manager
“I’ve learned a lot about our team here at Branch 2. One of the most positive changes is that people are more open with each other and management. We have a lot of different departments, and having people willing to talk to each other is a huge plus. They all started hesitant, but after we had a few conversations, they began to open up and talk with each other. The local conversations have been an excellent experience for all of us.”
James Wells, Plant Superintendent
“I learned so much about the people I work with. I have led very few groups in meetings. So, coming out of my shell, getting to know people, and finding new ways to connect were great experiences. I found things in common with people I have worked with for years. After all our conversations, people are starting to interact more with management and each other. Overall, it was a great experience, and we all benefited from these conversations.”
Thank you to everyone at Winchester Spring for your commitment to inclusion and putting people first!