2013 best companies to work for in Colorado: Edward Jones makes No. 1 large company spot yet again.

• Position: Cover story

COMPANY CULTURE IS A POPULAR BUZZWORD ON THE tip of many professionals' tongues these days. But what are the necessary ingredients to create an environment where employees are eager to hop out of bed Monday through Friday, ready to work?

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Thoughtful management. Flexibility. Advancement opportunities. Collaboration. Community investment. These overarching values and commitments barely scratch the surface of why the organizations vying for the designation of Best Company to Work For are chosen.

For the eighth year, ColoradoBiz has partnered with the Colorado State Council of the Society of Human Resources to assemble a list of the top companies to work for in the Centennial State. Of the tens of thousands of businesses throughout Colorado, only a handful are willing to open themselves up to the scrutiny required to make the top spots each year. Participating companies pay from $700 to roughly $1,000 for comprehensive reports. Finalists are classified by work-force size: small (25-99 employees), medium (100-249 employees) and large (250 or more employees). The entire work force from the small and medium categories completes surveys, giving companies valuable insight into employee experiences within their organizations; while the companies with more than 400 employees are evaluated by workers chosen at random.

While many of the 25 finalists may look familiar from previous years' lists, a sprinkling of new firms made the cut in 2013 including: Long View Systems, Simpson Housing, Endodontic Specialists of Colorado P.C., and a few others. Once again Edward Jones makes the top spot for the large company category while PCL Construction takes the title for best in the medium category, and Moneytree Inc. moves from No. 3 in 2012 to No. 1 in the small category listing.

"The organizations honored as Best Companies to Work For in Colorado devote significant time and effort into fostering environments where employees can be at their best and make a meaningful contribution to the mission and success of their employer," said Diana Sadighi, chair of Best Companies to Work For in Colorado. "They don't do this by building gyms and providing free lunches. The Best Companies demonstrate caring through feedback, recognition, growth opportunities and work-life balance."

Check out the rest of the finalists for 2013's Best Companies to Work for In Colorado on the following pages.

LARGE

1

Edward Jones

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TO LOOK AT AN OFFICIAL analysis of the perks that place Edward Jones on many "best places to work" lists, it seems pretty obvious.

It all comes down to cash, right? The company devotes 24 percent of its net profits--a tidy sum--to profit sharing for its full-time associates.

But if you ask the regional leaders and others with the company what makes it such a great place to work, money isn't the typical first mention. That might seem odd, given Edward Jones is a financial service firm. Its associates help clients handle money, assisting them in planning everything from saving for their children's college funds to ensuring their retirement is accounted for.

The answer is a bit less cut-and-dried.

"It's the people who work for the company, and the people we're serving, that make this a great company to work for," says Donna O'Bryant, regional leader for 52 offices in southeastern Colorado.

"I've always told my kids when they were traveling, 'If you get into any kind of trouble, call the local Edward Jones people, and they will help out,'" says O'Bryant, who has been with the company for more than 25 years. "We are truly a family."

It's a sentiment shared by many. The associates at nearly 11,000 locations across the company--which caters to nearly 7 million individual investors--are all members of that same family.

"It's a career field where you can change people's lives," O'Bryant says. "We build strong personal relationships with our clients, and we look at each other as associates, not competitors."

The stories of co-workers and people from the corporate office reaching out to help each other could fill a novel.

During a corporate meeting in the mountains, an adviser got word that his son had collapsed in Las Vegas. When he landed there, one of the first calls he received was from another adviser based in Nevada, offering help.

When adviser Bob Gibson and his family were evacuated from their home during the Black Forest fire, the first call he received was from a member of the Edward Jones disaster relief team.

That loyalty inspires friendships, says regional leader Scott Wilson, based in Loveland.

He feels fortunate that most of his closest friends are from within the company.

"At the end of the day, you get paid to do good for people," Wilson says. "All of us love what we do so much because of it."

Another perk, Wilson says, is that it's a great company to work for if you're raising a family.

"It's nice to be able to control your time, so you can show up to your kid's baseball game or any other function," he says.

Professional and personal rewards ensure Edward Jones shows up year after year on lists like ColoradoBiz and Fortune's Best Places to Work, O'Bryant says.

"I've told a number of folks that are looking at Edward Jones that I think it's the best business opportunity in America," O'Bryant says.

"We have the ability to build a branch office, and the backing of a firm that supports us with training and technology, along with all the support necessary for us to do great work."

-- Maria Martin

2

Hospice & Palliative Care of Western Colorado

hospicewco.com

Founded: 1993

Location: Grand Junction

Leadership: CEO and President Christy Whitney

In a Nutshell: Hospice 8c Palliative Care of Western Colorado offers physical, emotional and spiritual care to individuals coping with serious illness, and support for family and friends. A staff of employees and volunteers help thousands of people in Delta, Mesa, Montrose and Ouray counties. Services include comprehensive support from an interdisciplinary team for those with a six-month prognosis, palliative care for those with serious diseases who are not ready for hospice, and bereavement for those who have lost a loved one.

What's special: The organization offers a free, comprehensive employee assistance program, which features confidential assessment, consultation and referral services to help employees cope with personal and work-related issues. Annual gifts are awarded to those who work more than 20 hours a week. For several years the gift was...