2019 Top Workplaces
Nominate your employer
Do you find yourself saying nice things about your employer? Oh, sure, we all like to complain, but if your workplace is actually pretty good — and many of them are — here’s an idea.
Nominate your employer in the annual Top Workplaces contest sponsored by
Hearst Connecticut Media Group. The program is open for 2019 as of now, and we’re looking to honor the best places to work — whether they’re privately owned companies, publicly traded corporations, subsidiaries, partnerships, nonprofits or even government agencies.
The contest is open to any employer with 35 or more people in the area covered by Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties.
Recognition is given for small, midsize and large organizations, and the contest also rewards the best executives. Last year, Hearst Connecticut Media honored 50 employers from across the region, chosen from more than 900 that were
nominated. A smaller number actually participated, by letting our partner — Energage, a research and employee engagement company in Pennsylvania — give their employees a 24-question survey.
Nominations are due by March 15, so don’t delay. Anyone can nominate an employer — take the credit or do it anonymously!
“The Top Workplaces program is about more than just recognition,” said Doug Claffey, founder and CEO of Energage. “Our research shows organizations that earn the award attract better talent, experience lower turnover, and are better equipped to deliver bottom-line results. Their leaders prioritize and carefully craft a healthy
workplace culture that supports employee engagement.”
Recruitment is key for many of the Top Workplaces winners. Connecticut’s economy just hit 4 percent unemployment, which means it’s a market that favors employees. They’re looking for companies with an edge and the Top Workplaces award is part of the package.
Last year’s top winners were Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties in the large employer division, over 500 people in the three counties; Norwalk-based Family & Children’s Agency in the midsize group, with between 150 and 499 employees; and debt-collector Eastern Account System among small employers with 35 to 149 people.
OperationsInc, a Norwalkbased human resources consulting company with nearly
100 employees, has been recognized in the Hearst Connecticut Media Top Workplaces for the last six years. Founder and CEO David Lewis said his company allows employees tremendous flexibility.
“Do you want to get your kids on the bus and then come to work, or leave early to get your kids off the bus? We go to great lengths to work with our people,” Lewis said. “You need to lead by example and do things that are supportive of our employees. Our culture had so many facets to it.”
Lewis said OperationsInc differs from traditional workplaces with casual dress days, themed annual meetings, bowling nights, company outings to baseball games, flexible schedules and workfrom-home options. The office also includes games such as Jenga and cornhole.
“It’s an opportunity to take a break, have some fun and be a little competitive,” he said.
Hearst Connecticut Media Top Workplaces winners will be featured in the Connecticut Post, The News-Times of Danbury, Greenwich Time, The Stamford Advocate, The Norwalk Hour, New Haven Register and The Register Citizen of Torrington in September — and will be highlighted on all of the associated websites.
Energage , formerly known as WorkplaceDynamics, carries out the Top Workplaces surveys for more than 40 metro newspapers including some of the biggest. Last year, the company surveyed 2.6 million employees at more than 7,500 organizations.
Employers can be nominated online at topworkplaces. com/hearstct or by calling 203-617-0727.