We’re just weeks away from the release of the Great Place to Work® Rankings: 2011 Best Small and Medium Workplaces presented by Entrepreneur® and, as you can imagine, the anticipation level around here has hit fever pitch. On October 18th the 2011 list will be published on http://www.entrepreneur.com/greatplaces
So what does it mean to be one of The Best? What do these guys have that others don’t? Well, the companies who make our list have successfully created and sustained a great workplace culture based on trust. Employees believe they work for great organizations when they consistently: trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with.
Building great culture doesn’t happen because the cosmos align and it isn’t something that is born overnight. Companies are as unique as individuals and a one-size-fits-all approach to programs and policies just won’t work. World-class organizations, like this year’s list makers, take the time to know their employees, to understand what drives and motivates them. Thanks to this they are able to choose initiatives and benefits that will resonate with all their people.
Plus, practices and policies that resonate don’t have to break the budget. In fact, consider these creative and powerful policies that didn’t cost much but have paid dividends for this year’s list makers:
- Equipping all new hires with a guide about the company that contains pertinent information about the organization, including a list of local restaurants and things other employees have said they wish they knew on their first day.
- The President hand-writing the thank you cards sent out to each employee
- On-site fitness classes lead by senior leaders
This is just a sampling of the kinds of practices that The Best carry out. Perhaps the best lesson here is that by knowing their employees, world-class organizations of all sizes and industries don’t waste precious resources on developing programs that don’t speak to their culture.
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