San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Living your dream job? Nominate your employer as a Top Workplace in the Bay Area
The San Francisco Chronicle wants your feedback on the best places to work
The pandemic may have forever changed the workplace, but many might argue that parts of it are for the better.
About six-in-ten U.S. workers who say their jobs can be done remotely are working from home all or most of the time, according to a January 2022 survey by Pew Research Center. And more workers say they are doing this by choice rather than necessity – out of those who have a workplace outside of their home, 61% now say they are choosing not to go into their offices.
More employers recognize the reasons why, with the majority of staffers saying being remote makes it easier for them to balance work with their personal life, and many saying working from home without interruptions has made it easier for them to get their work done and meet deadlines.
Still, employees need to feel connected, so companies like LendingClub stress increasingly open, robust communication. Indeed, the San Francisco-based financial services company was recognized as San Francisco Chronicle’s Bay Area Top Workplaces winner this year, and was also singled out for a Special Award winner for its Communication Programs.
“If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s the important role internal communication plays in the employee experience and company culture,” said Anuj Nayar, LendingClub’s Senior Vice President of Communications and Financial Health Officer. “We prioritize strong levels of transparency and connection with our employees.”
Some examples of those efforts include bi-monthly Town Halls, led by LendingClub’s CEO with average regular attendance of 700+ employees; weekly internal newsletters, with reading rates of approximately 70%; quarterly “Ask Me Anything” sessions with the CEO; and technological capabilities to support communication across various locations – like Zoom Rooms with collaborative features – for both in-office and remote employees.
Legacy Real Estate & Associates is another leader in communication. The Fremont real estate firm is another one of the companies on Chronicle’s 2022 Bay Area Top Workplaces list.
“We just really have a lot of transparency here. It makes a huge difference,” said Legacy Operations Manager Kathleen Minser. “People aren’t kept in the dark. They aren’t surprised when we do something, because they’ve known all along. This is what we were thinking, this is the direction we’re headed.”
For 2022, The San Francisco Chronicle and Energage surveyed more than 21,000 Bay Area workers to find the top workplaces in the region, where employees feel empowered and appreciated.
And now, with the Top Workplaces competition in its 10th year, Any public, private, nonprofit or government organization with more than 35 employees in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma or Solano counties is eligible to participate. Submit your nomination at sfchronicle.com/nominate or by calling 408-841-7554.
To determine the best places to work in the Bay Area, we’ll go straight to the source: the employees. The Chronicle has partnered with Energage, a Pennsylvania research company that surveyed more than 2 million employees in 59 markets in the past year.
After companies are nominated, Energage will ask permission to poll their workers on what they like and dislike about where they work, including questions on fair pay, work-life balance and how employers handled remote work during the pandemic. Polling will take place through February 2023.
The top performing workplaces will be recognized in the pages of The Chronicle next year. The competition results will honor organizations that go above and beyond, offer feedback on what employees really think and provide valuable information for talented Bay Area workers seeking their next role.
To unveil the award winners, the San Francisco Chronicle welcomes guests to a gala at Oracle Park, entertaining the crowds with a casino game night, gourmet food, craft cocktails, elaborate gift basket raffles and deluxe prizes like thousands of dollars’ worth of air tickets.
BKF Engineers has been a Top Workplaces award winner every year since 2014, operating 16 offices spanning California and in Portland. This year, it sent 10 of its employees to attend the gala as yet another reward for their hard work.
“This Top Workplaces event has been an incredible experience, because during the pandemic, we weren’t able to celebrate in-person,” said Recruiting Coordinator Sophia Fanucchi of BKF Engineers. “And (with the event) being back in the Bay Area where we’re so prominent in our business has been special for us.”