Millennials rank Ultimate top workplace

S. Fla. tech firm leads Forbes survey

Every workplace wants to attract millennials — and some South Florida employers have won national recognition while achieving the goal.

For its efforts, Ultimate Software emerged atop the 2017 list of 100 “BestWork places for Millennials” compiled by Great Places to Work and Fortune magazine.

This is the first time the Weston software developer has led the coveted list, although it ranked No. 5 in 2016 and No. 6 in 2015. More than 1,000 employees at Ultimate are considered millennials, those who were born between 1980 and 2000. In South Florida, 56 percent of Ultimate’s workforce are millennials, said spokeswoman Heather Geronemus.

Other South Floridabased employers that made the list are: JM Family Enterprises in Deerfield Beach, Bankers Healthcare Group in Davie, and Miami Children’s Health System.

Ultimate gets high marks from employees for investing in training and tools for workers. Ultimate has programs that prepare employees for leadership positions an offers network and social events that “promote acceptance, equality and support,” Geronemus said.

The company also stresses “whole health and well-being,” offering on-site massages, meditation, acupuncture and exercise classes, as well as perks such as on-site car washes, and a basketball court and game room.

One employee quoted by Fortune pointed to Ultimate giving stock to all its employees upon hiring and never “micromanaging” employees. “At Ultimate, the bottom line is about making sure the employees [and their families] are taken care of, which in turn gives us the confidence and freedom to take good care of our customers,” the employee said.

JM Family Enterprises,

an auto-related business that includes Southeast Toyota Distributors, was No. 20 on them ill en ni a ls workplace list.JM Family employs more than 1,000 millennials, which makeup 25 percent of its work force.

Of those, 248 work in Deerfield Beach, which is about 20 percent of its total headquarters workforce, according to spokeswoman Lauren Fyke, She noted that the company’s internship program, which employs about 50 interns each year, helps attract millennials.

JM Family employees surveyed talked about the company’s encouragement of millennials, according to Fortune. “Despite our size, we have a very close knit group. My Zone VP sends out reminders of birthdays and work anniversaries, and I’m always amazed by how many people take the time to send each other encouraging words,” one millennial employee was quoted as saying.

Bankers Healthcare Group, which provides financial solutions for health care professionals, employs more than 200 millennials, which make up 68 percent of its workforce, in work sites in Davie; Syracuse, N.Y., and NewYork City.

This is the first time for BHG on the list, according to spokesman Charles Beeler. BHG ranked No. 37 on the list of top 100 employers for millennials.

BHG president Bob Castro said the company “cultivates a high-energy atmosphere in a non-traditional corporate environment.” He said the company also “rewards hard work and loyalty.”

Workers are sent daily inspirational videos to help them establish a “positive mental attitude,” one employee told Fortune. “I feel important and valued,” the millennial worker said.

Miami Children’s Health System counts more than 1,580 employees or 42 percent of its workforce as millennials, according to Fortune. Employees surveyed note that Miami Children’s Health invests in its future leaders, making professional development tools available.

Millennial employees said they feel “like they belong” at the hospital and look tohave a long-term career there.

To determine the best workplaces for millennials, Great Places to Work surveyed more than 398,000 employees from around the United States.

Companies were ranked on how positively millennials rated their employers on metrics including managers’ competence and whether they provided meaningful work; on how millennials’ ratings compared with other generations’ ratings; and whether the work experience was consistent, regardless of who they were or the work they performed.