By Dee C.
Becoming a Washington Post Top Workplace is not an easy feat. For the past 8 years companies across the DC metro area have been competing for the coveted title. Thousands of organizations enter the competition, hundreds are reviewed, and only 200 companies receive the honor each year. Why? The answer is simple; employee satisfaction.
Competing companies must undergo a strict evaluation by their employees. Energage sends an anonymous survey to all eligible employees within a hopeful organization. Several topics are covered in the survey, including work culture, training, work-life balance, and more. If an organization can get 35% or more of their employees to respond within the deadline, they are moved to the evaluation phase.
Ranking is based on the results of the evaluation phase. High ratings from employees place companies at the top while lower ratings may result in non-placement. Stakes are high when it comes to employee reviews.
ActioNet has been a Washington Post Top Workplace since its inception in 2014. Maintaining a great culture for employees has been our priority since day one. Now we can proudly display our dedication and successes to the entire DC metro area!
If creating (or working in) a top workplace is your goal, let our blueprints for success be your guide.
VP of HR & Talent Acquisition Monica gives details on how Top Workplaces are ranked
Employee Engagement
From charity events to company-wide parties, ActioNet keeps employees communicating and engaged year-round. Monthly birthday events at HQ bring everyone together for an hour of collaborating and cake. Summer and Winter parties see hundreds of area employees gather for a baseball game, a day at the zoo, or night dancing. Even working from home, ActioNeters stayed engaged by submitting exercise videos, competing in contests, and participating in virtual events.
Many prefer a workplace with a great culture where everyone feels connected. At ActioNet, we try to make everyone feel included and appreciated with our engagement events.
Training Opportunities
Continual learning is necessary in any job field, but especially in information technology (IT). Maintaining high security and developing innovative software requires being ahead of trends.
ActioNet leverages several employee-focused programs to keep our teams on track with the latest techniques and technologies. In-office trainings are offered multiple times a year to improve skills in project management, software development, and more. Studying on-the-go is possible through our free Skillsoft training library or A Cloud Guru training portal.
Development doesn’t stop there. Every employee has access to an annual training benefit that can be used towards college classes, certification training, and professional events.
Dedication to training is certainly an important element to employee satisfaction. Offering multiple training avenues is certainly a huge benefit to any Top Workplace initiative.
Unconventional Benefits
Standing out with health insurance or 401k benefits today is nearly impossible. Most companies offer these basic benefits to their employees, and many perspective recruits will pass over opportunities without insurance. Creating a truly great benefit experience requires out-of-the-box thinking.
Knowing what matters most to our employees is the basis of our benefits. City employees suffer additional commuting costs, so our benefits allow them to set aside commuting funds with pretax earnings. Emotional, familial, and legal troubles may also arise during an employee’s time with a company. That’s precisely why we invest in an Employee Assistance Program.
When workers feel safe and valued, they are happier in their jobs. That is why ActioNet has created an ecosystem that provides benefits that are geared toward creating an outstanding Employee Experience (EX) that leads to successful careers, not just jobs.
Tying it all Together
Developing a Top Workplace is more than having an extra benefit or a few parties. Every aspect of a winning culture must be combined to create an environment employees love to be a part of. Take consideration into your workplace and see where you can improve to make your teams happier. Design the plans to implement those changes and take stock of the outcomes.
If you are an employee, look at your company’s culture. Are you happy where you are, or would you like to be a part of a Top Workplace? ActioNet is always hiring for energetic talent across the country and around the world. Join a growing team at a Top Workplace with ActioNet.