Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
MacElree Harvey wins top marks as Chesco’s best place to work
MacElree Harvey placed first among all Chester County businesses in an independent ranking of Pennsylvania’s top 100 places to work. The West Chester-based law firm also placed sixth statewide in the Small Business category.
The annual “Best Places to Work in PA” list recognizes the state’s leaders in employee satisfaction and workplace best practices. The program’s sponsors include the Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Pennsylvania State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Central Penn Business Journal.
Employee happiness was the most important factor in each company’s ranking. Policies, practices, and demographics accounted for 25 percent of the overall score. Employees’ responses to a survey on their engagement and satisfaction, however, contributed the remaining 75 percent.
MacElree Harvey earned its place in the top 100 list by paying conscious attention to employees’ well-being and taking a holistic firmwide approach to creating that kind of positive environment, according to CEO Michelle Foster.
“Our approach to workplace well-being is not complicated. It starts with a recognition that each person at MacElree Harvey has a valuable role to play in its success. We also recognize that the challenges in today’s professional environment cannot be met by a workplace whose energy is diverted by complaining rather than engaging. From top to bottom, we all get evaluated not just whether our work is technically proficient but also whether we help each other to grow and succeed as well. This necessitates creating a culture which breaks down barriers and encourages rather than discourages. It is really gratifying that this straightforward approach leads to the recognition that we have received from both inside and outside the firm.”
MacElree Harvey regularly recognizes individual employees who produce outstanding work, according to Foster. Career development also receives special attention, with opportunities for mentoring, crosstraining and participation in leadership workshops as well as support for leadership roles in volunteer organizations.
Meanwhile, MacElree keeps its employees engaged with regular social events such as happy hours, ice cream socials, picnics, a special culinary day and an annual Halloween party for employees and their families. During football season, the company hosts pep rallies for Philadelphia Eagles games while wearing team attire.
In addition, the firm offers profit-sharing bonuses and a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, long-term disability insurance and tuition reimbursement.
A happy workplace is worth pursuing for its own sake, Foster said, but it also leads to a more satisfying experience for clients.
“MacElree Harvey really fuels all of us, and we take tremendous pride in our work of providing highlevel legal services to our clients. Clients comment all the time on how happy they are with the level of service they receive from our lawyers and staff.
“For us, our people really are our secret weapon.”