Best companies to work for: senior leaders walk the talk at firms touting work-life balance.

• Author: Ryckman, Lisa

For the key to 10th annual Best Companies to Work For in Colorado, look no further than the C-suite.

"What employees think of senior leaders has a significant impact on what they think of the organization as a whole," says Rich Boyer, founding partner at ModernThink, the organizational development and management-consulting firm that gathers the data and determines the ranking of the Best Companies to Work For. "When you have senior leaders who espouse a work-life balance, what that sends is a message that's something they care about - in the well-being of their employees."

This year's rankings feature some newbies--Total Quality Logistics, Quick Left and OZ Architecture, among others--and some legacy groups, including Edward Jones, Bona US and Odell Brewing Co. Each endured a rwo-part assessment: an employee survey; and a review of policies, practices and demographics.

Themes covered in the employee survey include communication, collaboration, senior leadership, relationships with supervisors, pride and recognition, among others. In essence, how employees rate their engagement levels with the company determines a company's rating.

"Lots of organizations look great on paper," Boyer says. "But when you get down to the day-to-day experience of the employees, it doesn't measure up."

Anybody can offer monthly massages or discounted gym memberships. The game-changer, Boyer says, is making benefits both relevanr and meaningful. An example: KPMG's new parent career coaching, training for an effective transition to a new life role.

"It's taking that to the next level," Boyer says. "The message is, 'We want you to be a successful human being, not just a successful employee.'"

Benefits that make sense within the company's culture provide more value, Boyer says, such as Odell Brewing's weekly beer allotment.

"As fun as that is, there's something unique about that, when we can provide benefits unique to what we offer, the benefit makes a lot of sense for them," he says. "Some financial service organizations have banking services deeply discounted or provided free of cost, a meaningful benefit they're uniquely able to offer."

Even for those companies that don't make the cut, the information can be invaluable.

"Because of the data we have, we can very quickly help organizations understand where they are on the continuum of workplace quality," Boyer says.

That, in turn, can impact the employment brand, a crucial factor in winning the talent wars.

"When you're out there trying to recruit employees, employment brand is important," Boyer says. "When you're known to be a place people work hard but also play hard, that can be very compelling."

Read on to find out more about the 25 winners: some of their perks, their passions and their people.

SMALL

1

Total Quality Logistics

www.tql.com

Location: Denver

The culture: TQL operates on four "Winning Principles": Pledge integrity. Exceed expectations. Recognize the value of teamwork. Be forthright about conflict

Perks: TQL's famous "Beer Drop Fridays" occur every time the team breaks a company record or hits a major milestone. Other perks: Discounted LA Fitness memberships; family-oriented events such as the Easter Eggstravaganza; the TQL Summer Picnic; TQL's Pancakes with Santa; and patio parties, complete with grilling, ping-pong and bean bag toss tournaments to foster team building and camaraderie.

Giving back: Employees volunteer at the Denver Rescue Mission and have an annual fundraiser, Hauls for Heroes, in which a portion from every load TQL arranges during a given week during the month of May is donated to a foundation that supports and sends care packages to troops.

The inside scoop: From a recent hire: "I have the privilege of working with some of my best friends. Ping-pong, in-office TVs, fantastic camaraderie, after-work happy hours--all of these things are paramount to keeping people sane while battling the daily grind. So often I hear people talking about how much they hate their job, how much they hate their boss, how Monday mornings are the worst part of their week. I feel incredibly lucky to have no idea what that feels like."

2

VolkBell

www.volkbelt.com

Location: Longmont

The culture: A focus on character: living the company's values and valuing each other. Executives hire for character above skill or experience. According to the ModernThink survey: "We believe that you can train anyone to do a job, but truly strong character comes from within the individual, and at the end of the day, that is what matters most in order to build our organization and best serve our clients and the community."

Perks: Teams focus on ways to incorporate fun into the organization and focus on community service opportunities. Activities have included: building a golf course in the office, bowling competitions, Easter egg hunts and picnics.

Giving back: The offices "adopt" a few families, including a single mother, during the holidays, then provide meals, gifts or financial support to help them through a specific hardship. Employees also individually volunteer at local humane societies, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children and The Community Foundation of Northern Colorado Celebration of Philanthropy. They participate in Longmont's "Clean and Green" initiative and adopt a park to keep clean.

The inside scoop: Survey results exposed: "When an employee's parent passed away, the office was closed so that everyone would be able to attend the funeral and support that individual. The owners are so focused on taking care of their employees that they are the ones who drive our wellness programs, not only from activity and nutrition standpoints, but also through a strong emphasis on mental health, including managing stress levels, getting enough sleep and recognizing gratitude."

3

Gutterman Griffiths PC

www.ggfamilylaw.com

Location: Littleton

The culture: A family dedicated to helping families, and each other: a team approach to combine talent and experience to ensure each client gets precisely the expertise that case requires.

Perks: The firm's Pathfinders mentoring program hires recent college graduates as legal and technology assistants, receptionists and junior paralegals, allowing them to gain experience and training in a real legal environment, enabling them to understand the day-to-day demands of the profession. If they decide to attend law school, the firm provides partial tuition funding. Other perks include bonuses, profit sharing, lunch provided every Wednesday, in-office massages, monthly volunteer time off and team-building events, such as hiking Fourteeners.

Giving back: The firm contributes to the legal community through continuing legal education courses, pursuing mentoring opportunities, and participating on commissions, committees and task forces. Work in support of women includes the Domestic Violence Task Force and Colorado Bar Association Domestic Violence and Legal Issues Committee; the National Council of Jewish Women; and the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce and Women's Leadership Foundation.

The inside scoop: An employee feedback survey shared: "One of the firm's most valued and experienced paralegals was determined to attend law school, but she did not want to abandon her part in the practice that she so enjoyed. She now attends University of Denver's Sturm College of Law at night, receives a contribution to her tuition by the firm, and has an offer to join the firm as an associate when she graduates, which she plans to accept. This opportunity to use the Pathfinders program to develop young minds into future leaders of the firm speaks volumes about the value these young people bring to the firm, and the value they place on their experience with the firm."

4

J.G. Management Systems Inc.

www.jgmsinc.com

Location: Grand Junction The culture: JGMS is an organization built on people and four principles: Stewardship. Leadership. Integrity. Commitment.

Perks: JGMS provides a year-end bonus to each part- and full-time employee, based on company profits. Also available: a company-paid Employee Stock Ownership Plan and a $1,000 annual professional development allowance for seminars, university classes, and/or updating certification requirements and professional association memberships.

Giving back: JGMS is a direct contributor to the Riverside Education Center in Grand Junction, which provides academic, social and general mentoring to arguably the most financially impacted young people in the region. Employees also tutor the students. The company is a longtime supporter of the Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, which works with returning troops to provide employment assistance.

The inside scoop: ModernThink results divulged: "An employee made a significant error, costing the company over $20,000 in a week to correct. On the verge of being terminated, the management team opted to place the employee on a performance improvement plan with targeted behavior goals. The PIP was successfully completed, the employee was retained, the mistake has not been replicated, and the employee's performance is so much better that he is being considered for additional responsibilities."

5

BluSky Restoration Contractors Inc.

www.goblusky.com

Location: Centennial

The culture: Everyone pitches in and lends a hand in all situations, whenever, wherever. One employee shared: "Our culture is to cultivate and grow our internal talent and help develop and grow the careers of our employees. We always look to our employees for personal referrals when we have open positions because we believe that the best employees run in similar circles and have equally talented referrals. Our employees are collectively known as the BluSky Nation, but are also fondly known as the BluSky Family."

Perks: All BluSky employees receive a 90-minute delayed start from their normal start time on rwo "Remembrance Days": Sept. 11 and Dec. 7. BluSky also holds team-building events, retreats and happy hours.

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