Employees like open communications, the feeling that they can make suggestions and be heard, and knowing that their job makes a difference to the company and the communities in which they take part, says Susan Springer, director of workplace assessments for Best Companies Group.
The Pennsylvania-based firm recently evaluated responses from companies across Alabama who believed their businesses are among the best.
Based on the surveys of both employees and employers, Best Companies Group has released a list of winners. The survey results also go back to the participating companies.
Employers are asked to provide basics about their company, such as average salaries for exempt and non-exempt employees, the number of new jobs created, layoffs and voluntary departures by staff members, benefit plans, percentage of health care paid for by the company and vacation, sick and personal day policies.
The company also answers a series of open-ended questions that include describing its top three bonus or incentive programs, any community service initiatives and health and fitness facilities at the workplace. Other questions regard policies about telecommuting, job sharing, business dress, internal communications and training programs.
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Employees take a shorter survey, in which they rate their satisfaction with various aspects of the company. Employees rank their reactions to statements such as, “The leaders of this organization are open to input from employees, ” or “Safety is a top priority with this organization.”
Employees also rate their satisfaction with compensation and benefits. And employees are asked whether they plan to stay at the company and whether they would recommend the company’s products and services to a friend.
Employees also have open-ended questions that cover such ground as “What makes this a good place to work” and “What would you do to make working here more satisfying?”
The results of the survey are useful to the businesses, Springer says, because the company can compare its results—based on anonymous surveys of employees, as well as corporate leaders—to benchmarks for the region.
Click here to download the list of winners in the small company, medium company and large company categories.
Kathy Hagood and Michelle Matthews are freelance writers for Business Alabama. Kathy lives in Homewood and Michelle in Mobile.
By Kathy Hagood and Michelle Matthews
