People make the difference: from flexible schedules to gym memberships, these are the best companies at investing in their employees.

• Position: BEST Employers in NORTH CAROLINA

A new age has dawned, and it doesn't involve fiery furnaces of molten metal or miles of cables tangled like spaghetti in a bowl. It's about engagement and reward, whether that means bonuses, Super Bowl parties or massages. Welcome to the human age.

"There was the technology age, the manufacturing age, and now we are entering the human age. That means the humans that work for us will be what make a difference and help us be more successful," says Paula Harvey, CEO of Charlotte-based K&P Consulting Inc. She's also the North Carolina director and Southeast membership advisory-council representative of the Alexandria, Va.-based Society of Human Resources Management. Taking stock in their most important asset--their employees--is a growing trend among Tar Heel companies. To determine which companies are treating their employees best, BUSINESS NORTH CAROLINA, with the help of Harrisburg, Pa.-based Best Companies Group and the North Carolina council of SHRM, invited companies from across the state to take part in the Best Employers in North Carolina list. Best Companies Group gathered information on the participating businesses, whose employees also completed workplace surveys. The findings were analyzed and rankings tabulated for the companies, which are divided into two categories based on number of...