This is the fifth and final story in a series highlighting the five pillars of Freeport’s Proudly Creating Better Futures, which conveys the full value of working at Freeport. Read the previous stories here.
Pictured left to right are Rocky Hickson, his dad Richard "Shorty" Hickson and his sons Virgil Hickson and Angel Torres. Rocky Hickson grew up watching his dad earn a good living and raise his family working at the Tyrone mine in New Mexico. So, when Rocky returned home after serving in the Air Force and was offered a job at the mine, the advice of his father, Richard “Shorty” Hickson, was important.
Tyrone was a good place to work, Shorty said. Safety is paramount, and there are plenty of career opportunities.
Rocky accepted the job in security. He has since worked other jobs in his 28 years with the company and is now a Hydromet Leach Operator II at Tyrone. When his own son, Virgil Hickson got out of the Army and asked about working at Freeport, Rocky passed along the advice he got from his father, who retired about seven years ago.
“I told him he wouldn’t regret it,” Rocky said. “It has provided a very, very good living for a lot of us for a long time. It’s a good company to work for. It’s a good job. It’s a stable job. It’s safe, and the older I get, the more important the safety culture is to me.”
Virgil took a job as an electrician. Rocky’s stepson, Angel Torres, also works at Tyrone as a Hydromet Leach Operator II.
There is nothing unusual about a Freeport employee with at least one parent who also worked/works for the company. Or grandparent. Or even great-grandparent.
The multi-generational loyalty of Freeport employees is a sign that those who know the company best – those already working here – see it as a good place to earn a good living, build a career and raise a family, said Jim Merwin, Director-Talent Management.
Those are important aspects of Freeport’s Proudly Creating Better Futures, which portrays the value Freeport brings to employees, communities and the world, as well as what makes the company special.
One of the five pillars is We Succeed Together by creating a supportive team environment enabling everyone to excel together. A sign of success in that regard is the number of employees who encourage their own family members to join the company, Merwin said.
“It tells me that kids grow up seeing their parents succeeding,” Merwin said. “They see their parents build a future, build financial security and get what they need from Freeport to support their families, come home safe every day and feel like part of that community. Then those kids grow up and want to be part of the same company their parents were part of. So, there’s a bit of pride from being a Freeport employee, and that pride is passed on to the next generation.”
A positive work environment is more than competitive wages and benefits, said Pam Masson, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. It’s also about Freeport’s culture of looking out for the well-being of its employees; providing them the training and opportunities to succeed in long-term careers; and ensuring a welcoming workplace.
“It’s the environment you experience when you come to work that is supportive, inclusive and where people feel like they can make an impact and contribute value,” Masson said. “We feel very strongly that there’s value in having the right culture, appreciating what people contribute and their own unique personalities, skills and abilities. We want to make sure we are continuing to foster that.”
Involvement in local communities, responsible stewardship of the environment and good governance also are important factors. Those are all top priorities for Freeport and contribute to how we succeed together, Masson said.
Also, part of that positive culture is the company’s commitment to inclusion and diversity in a way that is safety-focused, respectful, inclusive and representative of the communities where the company operates.
“I see our inclusion and diversity work as part of building that positive culture,” Merwin said. “That work focuses on ensuring every employee feels a sense of belonging and feels like part of the team no matter their background, their gender, their race, their religion. We want everyone to feel part of Freeport.”
The whole story
Providing a supportive team environment is just one of the Proudly Creating Better Futures pillars. The four other pillars help tell the whole story:
- We Responsibly Move the World Forward – Offering you innovative and impactful work by responsibly producing the metals that improve everyday life for all.
- We Care for Your Well-Being – Committing to your overall well-being by fostering a safety-first culture and offering high-quality health and wellness programs.
- We Invest in Your Growth – Providing pathways for career advancement and skills development to help you grow.
- We Value and Reward Your Contributions – Recognizing and rewarding your contributions with competitive, performance-based pay.