What Can We Learn from Top Workplaces?

I am always curious about what makes some places good places to work. I think that good workplaces tend to have stability within their staffs and good services--the kinds of things we all value in businesses we deal with.

I started thinking about this again when The Cincinnati Enquirer named Greater Cincinnati Behavioral (GCB) Health Services as a 2010 Top Workplace in Cincinnati. The Top Workplace is a program run in conjunction with the major newspaper in a region. Employees can nominate their company and an independent research company then conducts anonymous workplace surveys and selects the top workplaces.

First, I am pleased that a mental health center received a Top Workplace designation. Mental health centers are sometimes seen as, well, depressing places to work by the general public. Hopefully this honor will show people that mental health centers are good places to work.

Second, I found the comments that GCB staff members made on their surveys revealing. As I read these comments, I noticed common themes that give insight into what makes any workplace good:

Customer-focused

• Everyone is focused on the organization's mission to improve the lives of its customers
• From top to bottom, people care about the organization's customers

Positive culture

• Staff are valued and are seen as part of a team doing important work in the community
• Staff are encouraged to give feedback and suggestions for improved services
• Staff regularly receive positive feedback as well as constructive feedback for improvement
• The organization has good internal communications

Investment in human capital

• Staff are given leeway in how to do their jobs best
• Staff have competitive salaries and benefits
• Staff have opportunities to grow and career paths are in place
• Co-workers are energetic, caring, and dedicated
• The work is varied and interesting, not the same everyday

Being a community partner

• The organization is always looking ahead for ways to innovate and be leaders in the field
• The organization is not afraid to step up and help tackle tough community problems

This is an impressive list, but as I think about it, I have seen these same qualities in many of our grantee agencies who have been successful in implementing projects. How does your organization stack up? What steps can you take to make your workplace good--or even better?