Six Months of CMC’s 3 C’s
Written by: Uriah Hansen, Director of Human Resources
As we near the six-month mark since launching our corporate values at CMC, I can’t help but look back on the progress we’ve made regarding our people and our team. Many are aware that 2024 was a transformative year for our organization. From welcoming an entirely new senior leadership team to shifting our hiring strategy from primarily contractor/contingent-based roles to a fully CMC-employed workforce in production roles, we took a firm stance: for growth, people must be at the core of our business.
This focus on our people has yielded significant success, yet one of the biggest successes was just a building block in the bigger picture, our corporate values. Our leadership team dedicated multiple days offsite to define, refine, and establish what ultimately became the 3 C’s of CMC:
Character: We build trust through transparency, integrity, and respect in every interaction.
Collaboration: We roll up our sleeves and work together to achieve shared success for all.
Commitment: We are dedicated to delivering the highest quality in every action and interaction.
These values are simple, yet often overlooked in many organizations today. We specifically opted for clarity over complex language or buzzwords typically found in larger organizations. By embracing a straightforward and simple approach, we created values that resonate with both our employees as well as our current and future customers.
Over the past six months, we have frequently paused during meetings to ask ourselves critical questions, such as, “Does this action align with our values?” or “How would this decision be perceived in light of our commitment to character?” These moments, which some might overlook, have significantly contributed to the cultural rebuilding of Continental Manufacturing.
So, how does our strong culture impact our business and drive growth? The answer is straightforward: it saves us money daily by building a strong reputation among our team and gaining their trust to refer friends and family. In fact, 60% of our new hires in 2025 have come from employee referrals, and remarkably, only one of those referrals has left the team this year. This level of retention and the ease of recruiting not only streamline the workload for my HR team, but also strengthen the entire organization. Attracting and retaining talent that shares our values allows us to meet customer demands and fosters the trust necessary for partnerships as they pursue their growth opportunities.
The saying, “A business is only as good as its people,” is often repeated, but I can genuinely attest to the real-life transformation that occurs within the team, customer relationships, and overall business strength. When companies align their values with decision-making and leverage the strength of their teams, the results can be off the charts.
If you ever question the value of investing in your people, remember that while machines and technology can compete on a level playing field, it is the individuals who set up, create, and maintain processes that define success. Do not underestimate the power of your people…
Uriah Hansen leads the Human Resources function and team at CMC. Since joining the team in April of 2024 he has helped to lead the culture revitalization within the organization.
He can often be found on our production floor or working amongst the team to better understand daily operations, enabling his team to support in creating unique and innovative HR solutions to support our teams and customers.