Cover Story : What's F.A. Davis Doing Right?

The publisher's "rich" benefits, openness, "book tosses" and block parties helped it get a thumbs-up from its employees.

November 2009 By James Sturdivant

multipage

It was known as the Green Room, a relic of 1960s-era decorating—felt walls and all—that served for decades as prime meeting space on the first floor of Philadelphia health sciences book publisher F.A. Davis Co. While nobody mourned its passing when it was finally renovated two years ago, it was believed that the demise of the groovy grotto warranted the creation of a commemorative plaque, handed out around the office at the holidays. Amid photos and an actual mounted green wall swatch was engraved a promise to hereby “stop meeting like this.”

The plaques do more than inspire an affectionate chuckle. Like the large photo of employees standing in front of company headquarters in 1968 that occupies the wall behind company President Robert H. Craven Jr.’s desk, they serve as a reminder of the unique legacy and continuity of F.A. Davis, one of the few remaining independent health sciences book publishers.

“We have been able to see the dividends that are paid for stability,” Craven says. “I have eight [people who report directly to me] whose average tenure with the company is over 11 years. In most cases, the management team and the acquisition editors … got their love of publishing [working] elsewhere, but got tossed around. Here is a sanctuary for them to enjoy what they came to love about publishing in the first place.”

It also is a place for them to enjoy just going to work, evident in the company’s rank as the No. 1 “Best Book Publishing Company to Work For” this year.

Letting Employees Know They’re a Part of Things
In a volatile publishing market where, lately, anxiety has been the name of the game, F.A. Davis has managed to provide workers with a welcome sense of security. While the down economy has necessitated a hiring and salary freeze, the company—which grew in recent years from about 100 employees in the late ’90s to its current 136—has managed to get by without staff layoffs or payroll reductions.

“We’re under a certain amount of duress like any business,” Craven notes, “but we haven’t had to do any of the invasive maneuvers that would really affect staff.”

In the midst of economic trouble, F.A. Davis’ human resources department has worked to create ever-more creative and sophisticated benefits packages. Recent changes included dropping one of two personal choice health plans and adding a high-deductible plan, with the company paying 75 percent of the deductible. The company also offers an HMO and a point-of-service plan, as well as dental insurance, life insurance, profit sharing and a 401(k) plan that is matched dollar for dollar up to the first 3 percent. “Our benefits are rich, especially for a company our size,” says Crystal Spraggins, human resources director. “In many of the [human resources] decisions that are made, the employees’ point of view is considered, and we try to do a good job of communicating to employees why we do what we do.”

• MORE ON
• MANAGEMENT & FINANCE