Now more than ever is the time to let people know your workplace is among the best in Orange County.
Maybe you’ve seen layoffs, lower revenue or other fallout from the recession. You’re not alone.
Appearing on the Business Journal’s inaugural list of the Best Places to Work is a way to boost employee morale during tough times.
Making our list also shows customers, vendors and prospective employees that the values that have made your workplace great remain intact.
Making our list also has long-term value. Eventually, the economy will turn, bringing the need to hire. Earning a spot on our list stands to be a strong recruiting tool.
Being considered for our list also offers executives and managers valuable employee feedback, something consulting firms charge big fees for.
The Business Journal is producing its first list of the best places to work in September. It is set to appear as part of a special report covering employers that made our ranking.
We’re now in the process of soliciting employers to take part in our selection process, which involves a two-part survey of employers and their workers.
Who’s Eligible
We’re considering just about all types of employers in the county: locally based companies, subsidiaries of companies based elsewhere, professional services firms, banks, governments, nonprofits, hospitals and universities.
Employers have to have at least 15 workers to be considered and have been in business for at least a year.
They’ll be ranked by category: small (15 to 24 workers), medium (25 to 249 workers) and large (250 or more).
To take part, go to www.ocbj.com and click on the “OCBJ Best Places to Work 2009” button at the top left of the page (or go to https://bestplacestoworkoc.com/index.php). You’ll be linked to a site with details about our list and how to have your company take part.
There’s no cost involved (though there’s a nominal fee if an employer opts to use paper instead of electronic surveys).
Process
As part of the process, employers are given two surveys.
The employer questionnaire details policies, practices, benefits and demographics and is filled out by management.
The employee engagement and satisfaction survey questions workers on their employer’s leadership, planning, culture, training, pay and benefits and other areas.
Employers will be asked to provide e-mail contacts for workers. All gathered information is confidential and won’t be released to any third parties.
The Business Journal’s list only will include basic employment and benefits details about employers. Our stories on the employers will be general profiles.
Specific comments and other details of the surveys won’t be made public.
Employers that go through the process but don’t qualify won’t be called out in any way.
Partner
The Business Journal is working with Harrisburg, Pa.-based Best Companies Group on our list. Best Companies is known for producing similar lists for business journals and magazines across the country.
Unlike the processes for some other best places lists, Best Companies’ process is methodical. Best Companies has a track record that we felt is up to our own high standards.
All employers that take part get a participation report with details about the surveys. More extensive reports, if desired, are available for purchase from Best Companies Group.
Timeline
We’ll be soliciting employers to be surveyed through May. Employers and employees are queried in the weeks after.
The Business Journal’s list and special report is slated to run Sept. 28. The paper is hosting an event around that time to recognize employers on the list.
If you have questions, contact Research Director Purnima Mudnal at (949) 833-8373, ext. 224, or at mudnal@ocbj.com.
You also can get more details from Jessica Pouchan of Best Companies Group at (717) 909-1570.
We thank you in advanced for your interest and participation.
