2012 Choice Employers: Southwest Missouri a choice place to work

My first year compiling Springfield Business Journal’s Choice Employers awards booklet has been an educational experience. Reading each employer profile opened my eyes to the perks and general hospitality southwest Missouri businesses have to offer and – as you might expect – the 2012 class is pretty choice.

Obvious perks include 401(k) plans, health insurance and paid-time off, but it was the not-so-obvious extras listed that really drove the point home. I’m already jealous of the 36-hour workweek at Olsson Associates Inc. and the free soft drinks and monthly jeans days at KPM, CPAs PC, but mostly it’s the Monday morning cookie platter at GHN Architects/Engineers.

Nearly every survey respondent mentioned a positive company culture in their answers, proving while the big things add up in the long run, sometimes it’s the little things that mean the most.

Companies like this year’s top honoree, McKesson Corp., understand that. With the top score overall and high scores in the incentives and corporate culture categories, McKesson employees are rewarded well for their efforts. The 19 employees of Springfield Paper Co. can say the same, with the company taking top score in the corporate culture category.

Ranking tops in the family-friendly category, CoxHealth understands its staff needs, and offers six or more weeks of paid maternity or paternity leave. And if any of those babies are lucky enough to work at KPM CPAs PC, their future looks bright because the company took home the top score in the people development category.

Add in this year’s new individual categories and Choice Employers has proved to me something I already knew – southwest Missouri is a great place to live and work.

Click here for full coverage of the 2012 Choice Employers.


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