November touts “Best Places to Work” issues across many major media outlets. Most prominently, Fortune releases its list of 100 Best Companies to Work For, but numerous other outlets partake in the ritual of recognizing how essential happy employees can be to a company’s overall success. Websites like Glassdoor.com, which presents a list generated by surveys of actual employees, and publications like The Boston Globe, highlighting excellent companies on a local level, prove that operating in a positive environment is highly important to many businesses.
According to a survey by Robert Half International Inc., one third of executives believe the work environment is the most critical factor in keeping an employee satisfied in today’s business world. Besides the obvious truth that happy employees are productive employees, there is meaning as to why defining the right type of workplace is such a crucial element for business, regardless of industry. In the same survey in 1993, ‘praise and recognition’ was at the top of the list of factors most important to employee happiness, cited by 47%. (Of course, ‘compensation’ was another major choice.)The recent increase in attention to good work environments as a priority for both business owners and employees has likely stemmed from the successes of high profile companies who have chosen to construct nontraditional workplaces.
Top computer animation film studio Pixar constructed an imaginative and unique physical space for each employee, promoting creativity and enthusiasm. Google has offices across the country encouraging employees to find healthy distractions from their work, an unorthodox approach that has revolutionized productivity and has since been mimicked by companies worldwide.
The formula for creating an amazing workplace isn’t really about casual dress code, free lunch, or pool tables. In reality, the most imperative practice is to maintain a connection to the values and mission of the company. Pixar and Google, beyond the superficial appeal of their offices, are tremendous examples of this.
Here at Junction, we operate in a work environment that reflects the values that inform our business practices. Our brand goals are authenticity, integrity, and value. Operating in a tight-knit, lean office environment allows us to communicate effectively, keeping our impact high and our clients’ costs low. We take pride in the fact that our workplace is an extension of our philosophy. Under the surface, any list of the ‘Best Places to Work’ is full of companies who do the same.