You Can Never Have Too Many Reflectors

Krekenavos Agrofirma, a meat product company in the Kėdainiai district, produced and distributed 5,000 reflectors. Half of them were for the company’s employees, while the rest were given to local residents. According to police officers, it is essential to constantly remind pedestrians about the importance of reflectors.

Eglė Jaliniauskienė, General Manager of Krekenavos Agrofirma, emphasized that this reflector distribution campaign is just a small part of the measures aimed at strengthening social responsibility toward employees, their families, and loved ones.

“Every employee is a value to the company, and that is not just a catchy phrase,” said the head of one of the country’s largest meat processing companies, who took office at the beginning of the year.

The company looks for employees as far as Panevėžys and Kaunas, but to attract good specialists, they must be offered something appealing.

Proposed by the Employees Themselves

E. Jaliniauskienė said that the proposal to purchase reflectors came from the employees of Krekenavos Agrofirma themselves, many of whom have young children. In autumn and winter, children leave for school and return in the dark, making a reflector an absolute necessity under such conditions.

“Employees were able to take reflectors for themselves and their relatives. Everyone took advantage of this opportunity very actively,” said the company director.

She was even slightly surprised by the high activity of her subordinates and their mature attitude toward road safety.

“It’s great that the company cares about the health and safety of its employees; the management surprises us with something different every year,” said Jolita Repečkaitė, an employee of Krekenavos Agrofirma.

E. Jaliniauskienė believes that this reflector distribution campaign will become a tradition, allowing the company to contribute to the educational activities of the traffic police.

Reminding Everyone of the Rules is Essential

Employees of Krekenavos Agrofirma took about 2,500 reflectors for their own needs, and an equal number of these safety-enhancing items were distributed to local residents together with Kėdainiai district traffic police officers.

Over the past two decades, several million reflectors have been distributed in Lithuania. Are more still needed?

Giedrius Čižinauskas, head of the Traffic Police Subdivision of the Kėdainiai District Police Commissariat, insisted that pedestrians often lose reflectors or put them somewhere and forget them, so replenishing supplies is always useful.

“People need to be constantly reminded of the rules of safe behavior on the road and encouraged to protect themselves. Only then can results be expected,” said the officer.

According to him, the positive changes in recent years are impossible to miss—pedestrians are wearing reflectors, and cyclists are wearing reflective vests.

“Police officers are always ready to help companies distribute reflectors, as long as people actually wear them,” said G. Čižinauskas.

Conditions Matter More Than Money

E. Jaliniauskienė, General Manager of Krekenavos Agrofirma, is convinced that the compensation received is often less important to employees than working conditions; therefore, the administration does its best to meet their expectations.

“When a person is in a good mood, they perform their duties better, and labor productivity increases,” the company head is convinced.

Employees also appreciate timely attention to their concerns. Consequently, the management is pleased with the decreasing staff turnover, and current employees are confidently bringing in newcomers.

E. Jaliniauskienė claimed to know well why Lithuanians are hesitant to return from England or Norway—it’s simply because employers in those countries show respect for employees, and the workers feel safe and comfortable.

“There is no one more useful to a company than a loyal employee,” concluded E. Jaliniauskienė.