Culture creates award-winning workplaces

This issue includes the results of our first Best Places to Work contest We're also sharing some of the insights we ’ ve learned throughout the survey process regarding what it takes to make a workplace great. From flexible workdays to in-house fitness centers and paid time off for service missions, the 50 companies you ’ re going to read about represent a diverse number of ways businesses can boost their employee recruitment and retention strategies In an area with extremely low unemployment and rapid economic growth, we ’ re happy to share some of their stories with you and recognize them for making employee happiness and well-being a priority.

A little about the nomination process: Earlier this summer, we put out a call on social media, in our magazine and through other media outlets, inviting employees to visit our website and complete an anonymous employee satisfaction survey. The survey allowed participants to rate their employer in areas including work environment, employee benefits and employee happiness. We reviewed all completed surveys and selected the top 25 small for-profit companies (companies with 99 or fewer full-time employees) and top 25 large for-profit companies (those with 100 or more full-time employees) based on survey results and the number of surveys submitted per company.

Having never conducted a contest of this type before, we weren’t sure what to expect but we were blown away by the outpouring of responses we received Nearly 2,000 surveys were submitted and more than 100 companies received nominations. We sincerely thank every employee who took time to participate and share with us why they like their workplace. We look forward to making this contest an annual event and hope to expand it in future years to include nonprofit groups and other niche categories

Creating a successful culture is certainly worthy of recognition As Tonya Stende, president of Dale Carnegie Business Group of North Dakota, points out, creating and implementing a truly successful culture initiative is a lifetime commitment for management It’s also a financial commitment on behalf of the company But, if done right, good company culture more than pays for itself in the long-run Studies have proven that satisfied employees are more productive and more likely to stick with their employer

Many of the comments on surveys we received confirmed what leadership experts have been preaching for years salary is not the most important aspect of a job While pay increases are certainly always appreciated, higher pay rarely topped employees’ wish lists when asked what improvements could be made to make their jobs better. They were much more likely to cite issues that culture initiatives could address, such as relationships with their managers, belief in leadership and pride in their workplace Contributing writer Rob Swenson covered the employee perspective in his article, “What Employees Really Want,” and reported on several of the issues commonly mentioned in survey responses. Some, such as workforce shortages, are regional issues and not quickly solvable by companies. Others, such as recognition for good performance and input in company decisions, can be resolved fairly easily by making those items part of the company culture

As you read this issue, I hope that you will think about your company culture and perhaps implement a few tweaks to the initiative if you recognize a need, or pat yourself on the back if you recognize your company in the comments about what makes a workplace great We all spend a great deal of time at our workplace Let’s enjoy it

KORRIE WENZEL, Publisher

RONA JOHNSON, Executive Editor

KRIS BEVILL, Editor

BETH BOHLMAN, Circulation Manager

KRIS WOLFF, Layout Design, Ad Design

Sales Director: JOHN FETSCH

701 212 1026 jfetsch@prairiebizmag com

Sales:

BRAD BOYD - western ND/western SD 800 641 0683 bboyd@prairiebizmag com

SHELLY LARSON - eastern ND/western MN 701 866 3628 slarson@prairiebizmag com

Editor: KRIS BEVILL

701 306 8561 kbevill@prairiebizmag com

Editorial Advisors:

Dwaine Chapel, Executive Director, Research Park at South Dakota State University; Bruce Gjovig, Director, Center for Innovation; Lisa Gulland-Nelson, Vice President, Marketing and PR , Greater Fargo Moorhead EDC; Tonya Joe (T.J.) Hansen, Assistant Professor of Economics, Minnesota State University Moorhead; Dusty Johnson, Chief of Staff for South Dakota Gov Dennis Daugaard’s office; Brekka Kramer, General Manager of Odney; Matthew Mohr, President/CEO, Dacotah Paper Company; Nancy Straw, President, West Central Initiative

Prairie Business magazine is published monthly by the Grand Forks Herald and Forum Communications Company with offices at 375 2nd Avenue North, Grand Forks, ND 58203 Qualifying subscriptions are available free of charge Back issue quantities are limited and subject to availability ($2/copy prepaid). The opinions of writers featured in Prairie Business are their own Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork are encouraged but will not be returned without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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