Cultures of Ownership and Trust: How the 2009 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America Become Great Workplaces

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San Francisco, CA, June 29, 2009 — Great Place to Work(R) Institute today announced the 2009 “50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America,” produced in conjunction with the Society for Human Resource Management and published in the July issue of HR Magazine. This year’s #1s, 166-person sand-mining operation Badger Mining and 942-person technology development company Ultimate Software, perfectly demonstrate that cultivating a strong workplace culture and a great work environment can lead to greater innovation, productivity, and bottom-line success.  One way leaders at the best workplaces achieve these results is by empowering employees to think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions.

This year’s #1 Small-Sized Company to Work for, Wisconsin-based Badger Mining, has a relatively flat-structure without a lot of room for upward growth. However, the organization still succeeds at creating opportunities for employees to contribute and grow. All associates at Badger are asked to join cross-functional teams, such as the Wellness Team or Safety team, and have a stake in decisions outside their core area of responsibility. Such practices achieve an ownership-mentality among employees who feel a greater responsibility for the success of the business; as one employee commented, “I have never seen, heard of, or will likely ever see a place where so much ownership and trust is placed directly in the hands of the associates (employees). This is the reason our facilities run with unheard of efficiencies and our culture of teamwork is so strong.”

At Ultimate Software, a Florida-based software development firm and this year’s #1 Medium-Sized Company to Work for, teams select their own work, self-organize, and manage projects. A widely utilized open-door policy means that management and employees are regularly in communication; one employee commented on this policy, “The VP’s doors really are open when you have questions.” CEO and Founder of Ultimate Software, Scott Scherr, believes that the participation of all employees is critical to the success of the business. This echoes the actual experience of Ultimate employees, one who stated: “I have a sense of wanting to do my best not only for the excellent compensation and benefits package but because I want, and feel as if, I contribute to the overall success of the company.”

Great Place to Work(R) Institute has produced the “50 Best” list of the past six years. Of this year’s winners, Institute CEO Ricardo Lange commented: “Being a great workplace is a real business priority for the companies that appear on the 50 Best list. Leaders at these companies make decisions and treat employees in a way that recognizes that they are only as successful as their employees make them.”

About the “50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America”

The “50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America” are selected by employees at the participating workplaces. Each year, businesses nominate themselves to participate and a survey of their employees comprises the majority of their score in the list competition. The methodology used to evaluate the participants is the same as the methodology the Institute uses to select the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work for.

For a complete list of the 2009 winners, visit: http://www.greatplacetowork.com/best/list-sme.htm

About Great Place to Work(R) Institute, Inc.

Great Place to Work(R) Institute, Inc. is a global research and consulting firm dedicated to “building a better society by helping companies transform their workplaces.” Through its education, consulting and annual “Best Companies to Work for” list activities, Great Place to Work(R) Institute recognizes the world’s best workplaces and provides information and advisory services to those who seek to create great workplaces of their own. In addition to its global headquarters in San Francisco, Great Place to Work(R) Institute has affiliates throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. For additional information, please visit http://www.greatplacetowork.com

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