At the Heart of it All
What makes Cintas a great place to work? If you ask any Cintas employee-partner, they’ll more than likely mention the culture. It’s what guides the business and creates a supportive work environment, and ultimately, is the key to success. The Cintas culture is demonstrated not only during good times but also in periods of uncertainty or difficulty.
Monica D., Senior Director of Marketing at Cintas, and Milton H., Key Account Manager at the Cintas Tampa location, both faced serious heart health challenges. They also experienced the Cintas culture in an unexpected way that they will not soon forget.
Almost two years ago, Monica was experiencing some health issues. Despite each test she took, it would come back negative. It wasn’t until she had a CT cardio stress test that she realized something was seriously wrong with her heart. She was asked to wait so the doctor could review the scans and when they came back, the doctor told her she would be going into surgery that afternoon to put in a stent. During the surgery, they realized there was more blockage than expected and would need to perform a double bypass.
At that point, so many things were running through her head — worrying about her daughters and her husband, what else they were going to find, and what would happen if the procedure didn’t go well. This was not what she expected, and she realized it was something much bigger. During this process and recovery, she started reevaluating life, discovering new priorities and realizing what really matters.
It has been a journey, but one that has made her see things differently and appreciate things more. One of those things is the employee-partners and culture at Cintas.
“Once I came back, it was just all the little things like employee-partners going out of their way to check in on me, asking if I needed anything, or offering to help,” said Monica. “It's not just the words of encouragement; it's the sincerity and authenticity of my employee-partners and the support I received from my team, employee-partners, and everyone I've worked with throughout my career. This extends all the way up to the leaders of the company.
“I've worked at some larger companies in Cincinnati, and they don’t have the type of culture Cintas has,” said Monica. “It is an inclusive group of people that truly care about each other. I think that's the thing that makes us different from other companies.”
She gained a renewed perspective, cherishing the bonds with family, the camaraderie with friends, and the empathy shown by employee-partners. It clarified what Monica truly valued and what was important in her life.
“You value those types of relationships and what is at the heart of our culture and my experience deepened that value,” said Monica.
Another Cintas employee-partner, Milton, also went through a similar situation as Monica, as he also had heart issues of his own that led to open-heart surgery. Despite being at a Cintas location 940 miles away from Monica’s, the response was no different.
“I have felt that love and culture from the beginning when I came to this company,” said Milton. “After having my surgery, I felt that same love and care. The entire Florida group, employee-partners at VP levels, and even Macarena Cloninger (Senior Vice President of the Rental Division) reached out to me to express concern, and that they were there for me.”
Milton wants others to see this type of culture through his actions and to have a chance to come to Cintas and experience it for themselves.
“You can feel it, and that's what I want people to see,” said Milton. “You feel that love. When you work for a company like that, you want to give it your all. That's the reason why I'm here, and that's the reason why you see me happy. No one's telling me what to say. There's not a script in my hands. This is all from the heart. This is what I feel and that's why I invite people to join Cintas.”
This culture was at play during the Heart Mini Marathon on March 16, as Cintas is a major supporter of the American Heart Association. With both Monica and Milton suffering from heart health complications, it is further proof that Cintas exemplifies this culture in the communities it serves.
“It really says a lot about who we are as a company,” said Monica. “So many people have some type of connection to somebody with heart disease, whether it's a family member, a friend, or an employee-partner that has faced some type of heart issue.”
Many people do know someone impacted by heart disease, and in the United States alone, nearly half of all adults have some form of cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association’s mission is to save lives by raising awareness and educating people about the importance of heart health, and Monica feels that her experience has created a similar purpose.
“You start questioning, ‘Why am I here?’ when you come away from a situation like this,” said Monica. “I felt like my purpose was to help others. Whether it’s to help figure out when to go to the hospital, to call a doctor, or to figure out what they need to do. I believe I have a role to play by helping others, so they don’t wait until it’s too late.”