How the list was made: Employee surveys

As employers take extraordinary steps to meet the needs of workers and customers during the pandemic, the Top Workplaces awards are recognizing those efforts.

Survey feedback from employees is the sole basis for determining Top Workplaces. And that feedback serves as the ultimate test of how employers are responding in the age of COVID.

“If COVID taught us anything, it’s that asking questions and listening to employees is critical to navigating this new world of work,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “More than ever, you need to be more intentional about your culture.”

This marks the 11th year the Hearst newspapers in

Connecticut have partnered with Philadelphia-based Energage to rank the Top Workplaces. The foundation of the program is a scientific survey of employees who rate their workplace culture. The feedback also gives companies insights about what makes them unique.

Surveying began in February, when news articles and promotions encouraged nominations for Top Workplaces consideration. In all, 1,322 employers in Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties were invited to have their employees take the survey; a smaller number did so.

Any organization was eligible to participate, provided it had at least 35 employees in the region. Employers could be public, private, nonprofit, or government agencies. There is no cost to enter the Top Workplaces program.

Combined, the companies surveyed for the 2021 program employed 17,613 people in the region. Of employees who received questionnaires, 11,043 responded, either on paper or online. For 2021, 56 employers earned recognition as Top Workplaces.

The employee engagement survey of 24 questions gathers responses regarding issues relating to workplace culture:

Alignment – where the company is headed, its values, cooperation, effective meetings

Coaching – managers care about concerns, are helpful, encourage employee development

Connection – employees feel appreciated, work is meaningful, working at full potential, feel informed Engagement – productivity, retention, recruiting Leadership – confidence in company leaders Performance – execution, open-mindedness, innovation, clued-in leadership The Basics – pay, benefits, work/life flexibility, training, expectations

Employers that score high enough are recognized as Top Workplaces. Employers are ranked within size groups to accurately compare results. Energage also determines special award winners based on standout scores on specific survey topics.

Wonder why a particular company was not on the list? Perhaps it chose not to participate, or it did not score well enough in the survey. Energage sometimes disqualifies employers based on questionable results detected through statistical tests it runs to ensure organizations are accurately administering the survey.

To nominate an organization for the 2022 program, go to topworkplaces.com/ nominate/hearstct.