What makes a great place to work?

The 2006 list of the 100 greatest places to work in the US is up here. Many of the same companies top the list, Gore, Wegman's, Amex, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Four Seasons... Seems to be a disproportionate number of financial services companies and this really surprises me - I wonder if something is driving this...

I found this explanation of their judging criteria interesting.

What Makes a Great Place to Work^®?

Any company can be a Great Place to Work^®!

Our approach is based on the major findings of 20 years of research - that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the very best workplaces.

At the heart of our definition of a great place to work - a place where employees "trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with" - is the idea that a great workplace is measured by the quality of the three, interconnected relationships that exist there:

• The relationship between employees and management.
• The relationship between employees and their jobs/company.
• The relationship between employees and other employees.

 

In other words - it's all about relationships. I could go further to say it's all about conversations, because that's our mechanism for relating to each other.

How would YOU define a great place to work? Do you work for one of the 100 companies listed? If so, do you regard the workplace as great?

Comments

[Starbucker]

Lisa, I call this the "bed barometer" - it's a great place to work when most everyone there will tell you that they "jump" out of bed every morning in anticipation of their day at work. I'm fortunate to be in the jumping position today, but I've been on the other side too. If the environment is nurturing, supportive, and stimulating, you'll want to be there every day, and so will everyone else.

[Phil Gerbyshak]

One of the keys to my firm's success has been our employee stock ownership plan. We're privately held, with 93% by associates. That's been a big reason for our listing the last 3 years on the list.

And we also have fun, enjoy each other's company, and work hard.

One other thing to note: company's have to apply to be part of the list, and from what I understand, the application process is pretty time-consuming.

[Lisa Haneberg]

"Enjoy each other's company."

Interesting - I think this is chosen, do you? Sure, there are people with whom we would not want to go bowling, but we really can enjoy almost anyone's company if we choose too.

Yeah, there are freaks on the fringe that are intollerable, but 90% of the folks we work with are interesting, caring, and hard working.

[Lisa Haneberg]

Starbucker - It is great that you feel this way. Hmmm...I can honestly say that I have not experienced a high bed barometer reading in any of my past jobs.