By Energage
A research study funded by the SHRM Foundation shows award-winning organizations attract better job candidates and have lower turnover. But with many employer recognition programs out there, it’s tough to know which one will help your organization stand out from the competition and strengthen your employer brand. Leaders and HR professionals often ask how Top Workplaces differs from other award programs.
Here are 10 things that separate Top Workplaces from the rest — and how they can give your organization a competitive advantage:
1. The Top Workplaces program is driven by feedback from your employees.
Some programs ask organizations to submit self-serving essays to a panel of judges who decide whether an organization is worthy of recognition. Not us. The only input we care about comes from people who know your organization best: your employees. We gather this information by using our research-based, anonymous employee engagement survey that captures what’s really happening day to day, straight from those who are on the front lines.
2. You benefit from our research and experience. And we have lots of it.
We’ve been studying Top Workplaces for more than 14 years. Since our start in 2006, we’ve surveyed more than 20 million employees from well over 60,000 organizations across the United States. Because of the unmatched scaled and precision of the half-billion data points we’ve captured, we’re able to compare organizations well beyond typical attributes, achieving the industry’s deepest and most robust competitive set.
3. Your organization is measured on what matters most. Some programs recognize organizations for their perks, pay, and benefits.
At Energage, we consider those table stakes. More than a decade of research proves that while those factors play a role, they’re not what drive today’s best workplace cultures. Top Workplaces prioritize actions such as appreciation, direction, confidence in leadership, and much more. Organizations that excel in these drivers are more likely to be recognized, and that’s what our employee engagement survey identifies.
“Due to our involvement in the Top Workplaces program, we have attracted outstanding candidates and filled vacancies quicker than ever because the pool of applicants has learned that we are one of the area’s top places to work.” Vince Payne, Director of Public Relations, Hamilton Local School District
4. The Top Workplaces program gets your organization noticed.
We work with the nation’s most prestigious media partners — including The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and the Chicago Tribune — to bring the Top Workplaces program to more than 50 regions across the United States. Recognition from these leading sources of news and information helps a Top Workplace attract better job candidates, especially from your local talent pool.
5. You’ll strengthen your employer brand to attract better job candidates and retain the right talent.
When your organization wins a Top Workplaces award, you should shout it from the rooftops — and we help you do that. In addition to being featured in the regional Top Workplaces supplement, winning organizations receive a complete media pack and a comprehensive profile on ww.topworkplaces.com. We also show you how to use your unique hiring differentiators to recruit and retain the right talent.
6. Your employees take an engagement survey that’s simple, smart, and backed by science.
Other programs may ask 40 questions, 78 questions, or more. Our engagement survey includes a combination of 24 statements and open-ended questions, which take employees about five minutes to complete. Research-backed and rigorously tested, our survey quickly and accurately uncovers your culture’s blind spots and bright spots so you can make data-driven people decisions.
7. You get survey insights that are relevant to your organization now.
Some recognition programs rely on surveys that haven’t changed in decades. At Energage, we believe relevancy is vital to accurately capturing the here and now. Our employee engagement survey is continuously verified and improve to measure what matters most in today’s market.
“In my two most recent recruitments, both of the candidates we selected mentioned the recognition. They saw the logo that’s on our brochures, our website, and in our lobby. It really is having an effect for us, and it’s exciting to see that.” Kerrie Bryan, HR Manager, East Valley Water District
8. We hold our program to high standards.
When researchers gather employee feedback from small groups, honesty and accuracy can easily be compromised. Each regional Top Workplaces program requires a minimum employee count. This ensures the data is accurate and avoids issues involving participation pressure and privacy.
9. There’s no cost to participate. And that matters.
Other programs charge a fee. Our program is always free when you participate online. Why? We don’t want cost to discourage participation or influence the results of the program. And as a
participant, you also receive a complimentary, high-level survey snapshot when your organization’s survey is complete.
10. We guide you through the process, from start to finish.
Our survey specialists ensure the entire process runs smoothly. And it doesn’t end there. If you want to take a deeper dive into your organization’s survey insights, we’re here to help with that, too. We’re proud of our Net Promoter Score, which is consistently in the high 50s and low 60s.
Nominate your company as a New York City Top Workplace at amny.com/nominate. Laura Brinton is content marketing director at Energage, a Philadelphia-based research and consulting firm that surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 7,500 organizations in 2019. Energage is the research partner for Top Workplaces.
