Corp! Magazine - Chicago Workplaces Show Why They’re the Best and Brightest
Chicago Workplaces Show Why They’re the Best and Brightest
August 18, 2010
Only companies with the highest quality human resources initiatives are named “Chicago’s 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For,” an honor highly sought after by competing companies throughout the region. These select companies were honored by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) on Mon., August 2, 2010 in Oak Brook, Ill.
This year’s winners practice innovative strategies and represent best practices in human resources in industries as diverse as automotive, insurance, hospitality, communications and nonprofit.
An independent research firm evaluates each company’s entry based on key measures in the categories of: Communication, Community Initiatives, Compensation and Benefits, Diversity and Multiculturalism, Employee Education and Development, Employee Engagement and Commitment, Recognition and Retention, Recruitment and Selection, Small Business and Work-Life Balance.
It’s no small feat to be named a Best and Brightest company, especially since the Conference Board says U.S. job satisfaction is at a 22-year low. Add to that the pending retirement of a large part of the work force – Baby Boomers – and planning for the transfer of knowledge from one generation of workers to the next also becomes critically important for maintaining a top workplace.
In fact, it’s becoming clear that the workplace and the relationship to employees is changing, as evidenced by the 2009/2010 U.S. Strategic Rewards Report from Towers Watson, which describes the importance of a company’s Employee Value Proposition (EVP). EVP encompasses the collective array of programs the organization offers in exchange for employment and is influenced by the organization’s brand, values, culture and leadership, according to the report. Certainly, an important aspect of culture is work-life balance and management’s view of employees from a holistic perspective.
Based on this information, Corp! asked Chicago’s 101 winners about their plans for the generational knowledge transfer, how their companies keep employees motivated and satisfied, and to share with readers their innovative approaches to creating a great workplace.
Instant Technology
Chicago, Ill.
www.instanttechnology.com
Instant Technology has discovered that employees are encouraged and motivated through incentive programs and these programs have helped the company reach their goals and increase productivity and revenue. The various rewards include tickets to sporting events, gift cards to restaurants and other locations and a shopping spree. These contests run four times during the year and sometimes a fun spin is added to the competition, such as integrating themes from games like Monopoly and Battleship and reality TV shows like “The Amazing Race.” Instant Technology has created a wellness program that gives employees the opportunity to eat healthy and stay active. Recently they partnered with ADP, allowing the wellness program to go to the next level and provide employees with additional resources to better their lives. Along with employee health, Instant Technology also takes its role in the community seriously. In 2009 alone, the company donated thousands of dollars to multiple nonprofits including Ronald McDonald House Charities. And the company is always open to employees’ suggestions on new ways to get involved in their Chicago community. “Developing, empowering and retaining our internal employees is the key to our success,” said Rona Borre, president and CEO. The company works work hard to find the right people and are willing to provide them with all of the training and knowledge necessary to let them flourish.
