Competition drives home what matters most to employees

My role with SBJ Publishing Inc. is not rigidly defined. In fact, I often have some difficulty describing to others just exactly what it is I do. I say, "I do a little of everything. I pick up the slack where and when I'm needed." Likewise, I complete some of the tasks that are otherwise unassigned in our relatively small working environment. Sometimes that means I'm the personnel officer or the chief accountant.

Every once in a while, I get to write something or speak at an event. Occasionally, I'm the office plumber or dishwasher. Overall, I see myself as someone that supports the staff. It was my hope that these various roles would put me in touch with the needs of the SBJ staff. I hoped I would always know what they struggle with, what motivates them and what keeps them coming back day after day. Recently, however, I was hit with the reality that the only sure way to know is to ask.

SBJ's Choice Employers 2008 is a celebration of 20 outstanding organizations with strong leaders who had the courage to ask their employees: What makes you tick? What makes your work meaningful to you? Are your basic needs for the health and well-being of you and your family being met? What makes this workplace better than all the other places you could work? SBJ's 20 Choice Employers are forever asking these questions and have proven their willingness to do what it takes to attract and retain talent for their organizations.

This year, SBJ took the challenge along with the numerous other employers who responded to 33 questions designed to quantify employee benefits and working conditions. Each year as the editorial staff is put to task telling the stories of 20 great companies, the SBJ management team consciously introspects to determine how we as a company compare to other employers. We know Springfield Business Journal is a great place to work, but it was validating to put pencil to paper on the survey to find that we rank with the best. No, we wouldn't have placed among the 20 to be honored as SBJ's 2008 Choice Employers, but we are certainly a contender.

SBJ Publishing Inc. is currently 27 staff members strong. We have employees that genuinely seem happy to be here. I'm pretty sure it's not all about the pay, as the publishing business is not typically known for its huge profits and fat salaries. We do, however, make every effort to share what comes in the door with the talented people who make it happen every day. SBJ is proud to offer a 401k profit sharing plan, dental and health insurance benefits that are paid at 80 percent, and a generous plan of paid days off that encompasses both sick and vacation leave and is available as soon as the first day of employment.

Further, we invest in the ongoing professional development of each member of our staff to the tune of $500 per year. The SBJ management team feels strongly that these benefits, though costly, are important and so richly deserved by the staff that gives us their talent, imagination and the majority of their waking hours. Still, this is not what keeps them coming back.

As so many of the survey respondents have indicated, there is much more to the working environment that can never be quantified. The editorial staff and I have spoken with many employers, asking where they report the office happy hours, birthday parties, transportation assistance, office lunches or company vacation home. The quantifiable survey is the only consistent and objective way to distinguish these great companies, but certainly it is inadequate to tell their unique stories. The following pages make every attempt to capture some of what makes these 20 employers exceptional. As for Springfield Business Journal, I hear from our employees that the people here are what keeps them coming back. We are much like a family. We appreciate each other for our differences, hard work and the contributions that each of us make to putting out the very best product we can week after week. I find that each of my co-workers is willing to do whatever it takes. Each does their job well, and each has served as the trash hauler, the dishwasher, the plumber, the errand runner, the envelope stuffer and the receptionist.

So, what makes this and other companies Choice Employers and some of the very best places to work in Springfield? It's the big stuff like respect, professional courtesy, creative freedom, shared vision and open-book financials. It's also about the benefits such as health and dental insurance, cafeteria plans and 401(k) plans. Last but not least, it's about the little stuff such as direct deposit, paid days off, and 2-ply toilet paper. More than anything else, however, it's about the people.

Jennifer Jackson is chief operations officer of SBJ Publishing Inc. She may be reached at jjackson@sbj.net