🔒HBJ reveals 2017 Best Places to Work

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Successful companies are often defined by those institutions that are most profitable.

But the bottom line isn't really what makes a business successful — it's the people who pour their blood, sweat and tears into making, selling and marketing products or services. And it's typically the companies that can recruit and retain top talent that engender the greatest amount of success.

Indeed, the most acclaimed companies are oftentimes considered some of the best places to work. They are organizations that not only grow consistently and satisfy customers, but also invest in employees, offering competitive pay and benefits, a roadmap to future growth and a work environment that promotes collaboration and even fun.

In this week's issue we are featuring Hartford Business Journal's 2017 Best Places to Work. They are a hodgepodge of technology and financial services companies, nonprofits, marketing, law and engineering firms, etc. While they all compete in different industries they each have created work environments that promote productivity, enthusiasm and even levity.

Whether it's offering weekly, monthly or annual bonuses or recognitions, work-life balance flexibility, continuing education incentives, fun social gatherings, or even a place for employees to work out, these companies know how to elicit positive feelings from their workers.

As you read their stories in the pages that follow, think about how your company can incorporate some of their tactics to improve the workplace environment. Because at the end of the day the most important asset any company can invest in, is its people.

Greg Bordonaro Editor

How the ranking process works:

Now in its twelfth year, the Best Places to Work in Connecticut program was created by the Hartford Business Journal and Best Companies Group to identify and recognize best places to work in the state of Connecticut. The program is managed by Best Companies Group, a third-party research firm that manages similar programs all over the United States and in Canada.

The Best Places to Work in Connecticut program was open to all public or privately-held organizations, either for-profit or not-for-profit. To be eligible for consideration, companies must have had a total of 15 or more employees working in the state of Connecticut. Companies with headquarters in another state, but with 15 or more employees working in Connecticut, were also eligible. Participation in this program required organizations to go through a workplace assessment process, which included surveying their employees, as well as taking an inventory of the company benefits, policies and offerings. The information was processed and analyzed by Best Companies Group and then used to determine the Best Places to Work in Connecticut. 

All participating companies went through a two-part workplace assessment process. Part one of the assessment (worth 25 percent of the evaluation) consisted of a employer questionnaire about benefits, policies, practices, and other general information. Part two of the assessment (75 percent of the evaluation) consisted of a 72-question, confidential employee engagement and satisfaction survey. This comprehensive, two-part assessment allowed the workplace experts at Best Companies Group to perform an in-depth analysis of each company’s strengths and weaknesses and ultimately determine which companies deserved to make the list. Susan Springer, Best Companies Group Director of Workplace Assessments, managed the overall analysis process. 

Companies received the in-depth employee feedback report, which showed the percent of positive responses for each of the 72 questions, along with the percent of positive responses within seven demographic categories (gender, age, ethnicity, duration of employment, full- or part-time status, job role, and department). Companies received state benchmarking reports in which they could compare themselves against list-making companies and all participating companies. 

More information about Best Companies Group is available at www.BestCompaniesGroup.com. Information on the Best Places to Work in Connecticut program can be found at www.bestplacestoworkinct.com.

Read the digital edition

Best Places to Work in CT 2017: Large Company Category
No. 1 – Consigli builds communities for clients, employees
No. 2 – Employee ownership gives Shawmut workers skin in the game
No. 3 – CDW-G's benefits aim to earn employee loyalty
No. 4 – Edward Jones
No. 5 – Cyma Systems Inc.
No. 6 – Hinckley Allen
No. 7 – Citrin Cooperman
No. 8 – CBS, a Xerox company
No. 9 – Comcast - Western New England Region
No. 10 – Datto Inc.
No. 11 – Burns & McDonnell
No. 12 – COCC
No. 13 – Vineyard Vines
No. 14 – Inspira Marketing Group

Additional information on the Best Large Places to Work

Best Places to Work in CT 2017: Small/Medium Company Category
No. 1 – VLink's worker development, community support build edge
No. 2 – Lockwood Group keeps focus on employee development, retention
No. 3 – Creativity builds loyal workforce at Mintz + Hoke
No. 4 – Connecticut Wealth Management LLC
No. 5 – Celldex Therapeutics
No. 6 – Nicola | Yester
No. 7 – IT Direct
No. 8 – Fiduciary Investment Advisors
No. 9 – Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity
No. 10 – OFI
No. 11 – Workers' Compensation Trust
No. 12 – Qualidigm
No. 13 – Digital Surgeons
No. 14 – Motorlease
No. 15 – Cooperative Systems
No. 16 – Charles IT
No. 17 – Nathan Accounting Group LLC 
No. 18 – CMIC Group
No. 19 – iDevices LLC
No. 20 – Simpson Healthcare Executives
No. 21 – ADNET Technologies LLC
No. 22 – IMCORP
No. 23 – Tallan
No. 24 – Vivial
No. 25 – CME Associates Inc.
No. 26 – Core Informatics

Additional information on the Best Small/Medium places to work Nos. 1 to 8
Additional information on the Best Small/Medium places to work Nos. 9 to 26