What is the number of employees within each of the the company-size categories?
What is involved in the first survey?
What are the nine assessment categories?
How are companies selected to remain in the game for Phase II, the second survey?
How does the second survey work?
How are employees randomly selected to take part in the employee satisfaction survey?
How are the scores from this second survey determined?
How are the final rankings determined?
Do all participating companies find out their scores?
What is the value of purchasing more detailed reports from the Employee Opinion Survey?

What is the number of employees within each of the three company-size categories?

What is involved in the first survey?
The first survey is an initial assessment questionnaire with 125 different criteria designed to measure company policies and practices in nine categories.

What are the nine categories?

1. Work-Life Balance (Training Managers & Supervisors; Company offerings for balancing work-life),
2. Employee Voice & Workplace Culture (Soliciting Employee Input),
3. Community Involvement (Programs and Policies Offered),
4. Turnover (Rate, Incentives/Support for Employees who are downsized or permanently laid off),
5. Pay (Pay Programs offered, Retirement Savings Plans, Health-Related Benefits),
6. Benefits (Other Health Benefits, Paid Time Off),
7. Perks & Incentives,
8. Training & Opportunities for Advancement, and
9. Diversity (Programs for Women/Minorities, Senior Management).

How are companies selected to remain in the game for the second survey?
A blind-scoring system is used to determine the semi-finalists within each of the four company-size categories, and these companies move on to the second phase of the survey process.

How does the second survey work?
Employers Group conducts a confidential Employee Satisfaction Survey on a random sampling of employees at each semifinalist company. The sampling is based on company size, and those companies that do not provide at least 75% of the Employee Satisfaction Surveys requested of them are disqualified.

How are employees randomly selected to take part in the employee satisfaction survey?
Using a random number generator, Employers Group generates a list of random numbers for companies to use, along with a numbered list of the company's employees. Using the list of random numbers, companies select the employees whose names correspond with the numbers from the random list. Only these employees are asked to complete the survey.

How are the scores from this second survey determined?
Using employees' answers to each of the 12 questions ("Strongly agree," "Agree," "Disagree," "Strongly Disagree"), a final “employee satisfaction” score is determined.

How is the final ranking determined?
Ranking is determined by scores taken from both surveys. The company score and the employee satisfaction score are weighted equally and added together to determine a final total score and ranking. Statistical ties are broken using the highest employee satisfaction score.

Do all participating companies find out their scores?
All best workplace entrants are given their final scores and statewide rankings. 

What is the value of purchasing more detailed reports from the Employee Opinion Survey?
Maintaining an engaged and motivated workforce is more important than ever for long-term organizational success if companies are to emerge from the current economic downturn fully prepared for future prosperity.  Employee satisfaction is a critical ingredient, and a well-conceived, properly administered employee opinion survey will give HR the opportunity to shape the future corporate direction through a process of vetting employee concerns and championing positive and realistic employee suggestions.

HR practitioners have traditionally operated under the belief that monitoring employee needs, attitudes, opinions and concerns was an integral component of an effective recruiting and retention strategy.  Regularly taking the pulse of the workforce ensured that organizational structure, management effectiveness, communications, compensation and benefits and other significant working conditions measure up in a completive marketplace  to attract and retain the best employees, prevent lawsuits and ward off any potential unionization efforts.