Best Places to Work 2015: Medium category winners say why they rank at the top
Dec 2, 2015, 5:00am CST Updated Dec 2, 2015, 5:56am CST
Todd Bragstad Managing Editor, Print Editor Milwaukee Business Journal
PointOne Recruiting Solutions Inc. | Score: 96.32
With the help of Quantum Market Research in Omaha, Neb., the Milwaukee Business Journal sought participation from area businesses to have their employees, through surveys created and scored by Quantum, rate their companies on topics such as trust in senior leaders, team/manager effectiveness, retention probability, work engagement and feeling valued. We then selected 33 winners based on the highest scores in each category. We congratulate the 2015 winners and expect they’ll walk with extra swagger knowing they are among the area’s Best Places to Work.
We asked each of the winners some questions about being a Best Place to Work. They provided a lot of good insight and had some fun with their answers along the way.
Today, we are featuring information on the 10 winners in the medium category (25-49 employees). Check out the attached slideshow to see photos of some of our winners.
Read more on the winners on our website in the large and extra-large categories Thursday and Friday. (See the story on our small-category winners here.) A full listing of the scores will be included in our Dec. 4 issue.
2015 WINNERS — MEDIUM CATEGORY (25-49 employees)
PointOne Recruiting Solutions Inc., 8411 Corporate Drive, Racine
Score: 96.32
Describe your company culture in five words.“The seven tenets of our longstanding culture policy are: dedication, unity, giving back, trust, respect, competitive and fun. That is more than five words, but each of the seven pieces are equally important and it would be hard to exclude two.”
Give specific ways you ensure all of your employees know they are valued.“The tagline to our company is ‘making the connections that change lives.’ Our president lives that tagline. First, he gives us all the tools and training to help our candidates get the jobs and our clients to attract much-needed talent. Second, he allows us the flexibility and trust to schedule our day as needed to support our families. And finally, he pushes us and empowers us to envision a better life for ourselves and families. When totaled, our president created an environment where our personal growth, development and success are completely in our hands. What is more valuable than that?”
What concrete steps do your senior leaders take to create a great work environment for all employees?“We worked together to create a culture policy: a written, living document that describes what we value, how we will treat each other, and expectations for behavior. It is reviewed and updated as needed. Quarterly, the company gives awards to employees who, as voted by their peers, best exemplify that tenet that quarter. Those token awards are coveted and are celebrated with an all-office, off-site social event. We shut down the office and just have fun together.”
Give specific examples of how your company creates opportunities for individual development and career growth at all levels of the company.“No one at first grade ‘Career Day’ says they want to grow up to be an executive recruiter. Our work is a highly technical, complicated, indescribable combination of details, emotions, and life-changing events. We work with candidates and companies when they are most stressed and making very important decisions. Training for our recruiters is therefore very important, frequent, and delivered effectively. Whether it is leadership delivering new ideas, peer-to-peer, manager to rookie, role playing, in person, online, videos, e-webinars, from corporate, at conferences, training is core to preparing our employees to facilitate the process. Our cooperative culture allows anyone needing help in the way they best receive it.”
How would you describe your company in 30 seconds to someone you meet at a cocktail party?“We help people find new work and companies find great talent. We have a visionary leader who gives us all we need to have fun and make a great life for our families. We are truly blessed and grateful. Best job ever! And we are hiring.”
What are the most popular perks you offer to employees?"Free coffee — we drink a lot of it. Flexible scheduling, abundant training, free lunch twice a week, trips to Caribbean yearly, 401(k) match, challenge, respect, leadership opportunities, support, opportunities to pay our good fortune forward, and an entrepreneurial vision of a very strong tomorrow.”
How does being a Best Place to Work affect your bottom line?“We are fiercely loyal to the company and incredibly competitive, yet cooperative with each other. This award will help us attract and retain new recruiters into our family. We have very high-performing employees who work together and push each other ever higher. We work hard, play hard, and give back. What more could someone want?”