Nominees are sought for best workplaces program

If you believe your business is a great place to work, put your opinion to the test and enter for the annual Best Places to Work Program in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Deadline to submit an application is Friday, March 14.
The Best Places to Work program is designed to provide employers with valuable feedback from workers and to formally recognize those workplaces judged the best on the basis of employee surveys.
Businesses that rank the highest will be honored at an awards dinner June 5 and will be featured in a special “Best Places to Work” supplement, which the Providence Business News will publish June 9.
Companies with at least 15 employees are eligible, including nonprofits and government agencies in Rhode Island and Bristol County, Mass.
Nancy Roderick, president of the Rhode Island chapter of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and an organizer of the program, pointed out that it is often difficult for a business to obtain honest assessments on workplace conditions, benefits and other issues from employees. Roderick is human resources manager for Concordia Manufacturing in Coventry.
Surveys are conducted, mostly online, of employees and management teams, and every company receives a detailed report of what the surveys said. Based on the results, companies that rank the highest in three categories – small, medium and large businesses – will be recognized at the awards dinner and in the special supplement.
The Best Places to Work program was developed in 2006 when Providence Business News partnered with the Rhode Island State Council of SHRM and the national research firm, Best Companies Group.
“The award is a strong recruitment tool, as well as a positive message for employees, customers and clients,” said Peter Burke, president of Best Companies Group. &#8226
To register, go to www.bestplacestoworkri.com. The 2008 Best Places to Work program is sponsored by SHRM, Cox Business and USI Insurance. For more information, contact Megan Burns at Best Companies Group, 717-909-1570 or by e-mail at mburns@bestcompaniesgroup.com .