This week wasn’t the first time HB&G has let its workforce take weeklong furlough since the recession began.

But, it may be the first time the company has taken steps to benefit business in the process.

“Operation Beautiful” is what the week has been dubbed at the local business, as supervisors and some maintenance workers spend a week beautifying the campus, while some 210 others file for unemployment.

“What we’re doing is a general area beautification,” said Glenn Camp, director of human resources.

“We’re tied directly to the home building market, and we had some free time on our hands for a lot of our salary employees.”

From painting to putting up new columns, some employees have worked diligently this week in hopes of making stronger first impressions on customers.

“When we bring a customer down here, we want them to see what we’re capable of,” Camp said.

Camp said in the last year, the company has had to layoff employees for a week to cut costs.

“Normally, we would just let attrition take its course, but this year we had to do it about three times,” Camp said.

Also since economic hard times began, Camp said HB&G has froze some hiring, temporarily laid off less than 50 employees and had some transfer to other jobs.

Still though, the company is in good shape to weather the storm, Camp said.

“We could be doing a lot better, but we’re still strong, and people are still buying our product,” Camp said.

“We’re going to make it.”

As for the 210 without employment this week, Camp said many have already been given unemployment benefits and will return to work Monday in a building that has a whole new look.