Best Places to Work Awards

Your company can be recognized as a leader in developing a quality workplace!

Applications for the 2011 Best Places to Work Award will be available in early 2012. Companies will be recognized at the Polk Works Annual Meeting in August 2012.

Polk Works Business Services is seeking applications for its Best Places to Work Awards to recognize and honor employers who exemplify best practice workplaces who are committed to improving the quality of life for their employees. This prestigious award not only offers businesses insight into their organizational strengths, but also excellent advertising and promotional opportunities of their excellent status.

Application process is in 2-parts:
1.) Register and pay application fee which includes online application, online surveys, and a participation report

Information from the two parts will be combined to produce a detailed set of data enabling the analysts to determine the strengths and opportunities of the participating companies. The workplaces will be ranked based on this data and a complimentary report will be returned to each participating company.

We advise you to print the blank application and answer the questions on your printed copy, and then transfer those answers to the online application. You will not be able to save and go back into the application once you start.

2.) Employee Satisfaction Survey
The Employee Satisfaction Survey consists of statements that employees respond to on a 5-point satisfaction scale and 3 open-ended questions. This survey is done online. While the online survey process is part of the application fee, a processing charge will be applied to registrations that require paper-based surveys. For the online version, each employee will receive a unique weblink via email to complete the survey. Companies choosing the online version of the survey will be asked to submit a list of randomly selected employee email addresses. All employee data is submitted anonymously and will be kept strictly confidential.

Polk Works Business Services Unit will survey up to 600 randomly selected employees per participating business, depending on the company size. We encourage all companies to use the online survey process; however, if the online survey process will not work for your company, we offer a traditional paper based survey option. The chart below lists the fees for the paper survey evaluation process (Companies will be invoiced separately for paper surveys).

Number of Employees	# Employees Surveyed	On-line Cost	Paper Fee (1)
15 – 24	All	Application Fee Covered	$35
25 – 99	All	Application Fee Covered	$125
100 – 199	All	Application Fee Covered	$225
200 – 399	Up to 250 (3)	Application Fee Covered	$450
400 – 2499	500 (3)	Application Fee Covered	$550
2500	600 (3)	Application Fee Covered	$625

(1)A nominal non-refundable paper fee to cover the cost of printing, processing and handling the paper surveys.
(2)To ensure the credibility of the information, companies with 15-24 employees must have an 80% (or better) response rate to be considered for the award.
(3)Employees are randomly selected.

Results
The two data sets are combined and analyzed to determine the rankings. The online application and the employee satisfaction survey are equal in value. The maximum points available are equal on the application and the employee survey. Additional points can be awarded based on employee participation rates in the Employee Satisfaction Survey. The judges then review the application and the surveys before deciding on the winners. All participating companies will receive a Participation Report as part of the application fee.

Benefits of Being a Winner
Improved employee morale
Improved recruitment and retention
Increased visibility of company among job seekers and industry peers

2010 Award Recipients were:
American Compliance Technologies, Clark Environmental, DSM Technology Consultants, Madrid Engineering Group, Cross, Fernandez, & Riley, First Service Administrators, Clark & Daughtrey, Florida's Natural Growers, The Estates at Carpenters, Coca-Cola Refreshments, Ferguson Enterprises, and Southern Wine & Spirits.

2009 Award Recipients
American Compliance Technologies, BCI Engineers & Scientist, Bunch & Associates, Clark Environmental, Clark & Daughtrey Medical Group, Coca-Cola North American, Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP, DSM Technology Consultants, Ferguson Enterprises, Florida's Natural Growers, Southern Wine & Spirits, The Estates at Carpenters, The Mosaic Company.

2009-2011 Employer of Distinction Lanier Upshaw
The “Employer of Distinction” designation was created by Polk Works to recognize companies in Polk County that have shown consistent commitment to improving the quality of life for their employees. These companies are leaders in developing a best-practice workplace that encourage employees to work at their very best.

The above businesses will have the opportunity to work with Polk Works' Business Services as mentors to another company in the community which strives to improve their practices in motivating and retaining their employees.

For more information on the awards application process, please email BSU@polkworks.org.