The Best Places to Work in Connecticut program puts companies through the wringer. As the description of the process below details, the selection system measures a wide range of company benefits and takes the pulse of employees with a 72-question survey.
Those who pass the test and are celebrated in these pages have achieved a milestone. They have external validation that their efforts are paying off. Designation as a Best Place to Work in Connecticut also provides a recruiting tool in the endless hunt for the best talent. Those who don’t make the ranked list walk away with valuable feedback that should help them get better.
It’s a classic win-win for participants. And it’s also a win for readers of this special section who get to look under the hood of these successful companies and pick up tips that can improve their own company’s performance.
One of the key lessons of this year’s Best Places to Work in Connecticut is that over time, excellence can become part of a company’s culture.
As the adjacent chart details, many companies are building an impressive record of success. Take a look at the three highlighted examples — Comcast, Robinson & Cole and Edward Jones. Each has made the list each of the six years we’ve done Best Places to Work. And their stories tell a consistent tale: They treat their employees well and create a climate of empowerment that builds engagement and satisfaction. There’s also a strong sense of wanting to give back to the larger community that makes each of those companies a model employer.
But each year we do Best Places to Work in Connecticut, new companies crack the list. There are seven new faces this year, led by Stew Leonard’s (#4 in the large company category), Bearingstar Insurance/Arbella Insurance Group (#4 in the small/medium category) and Charter Oak Insurance and Financial Services Co. (#5 among small/medium companies). Their stories too tell a tale of employee engagement that is impressive.
Congratulations to all 25 Best Places to Work in Connecticut.
We hope you enjoy this sixth iteration of the Best Places to Work in Connecticut section. And we hope it inspires you to both reflect on your company’s culture and start planning to be a part of the 2012 Best Places to Work in Connecticut. Watch our website — www.HartfordBusiness.com — for details on how to participate. We look forward to seeing you in these pages next time.
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