BUSINESS

Top Workplaces survey: Good benefits, more-confident future are bright spots

Chris O'Malley, Star correspondent

More Central Indiana workers perceive that their benefits are "good" compared to others in their industry, according to an annual survey by WorkplaceDynamics for The Indianapolis Star.

The 2015 survey also found that workers felt a bit more confident about their future with their employer — up 2.3 percent from last year, to 70.1 percent — as the recession appears more distant in the rear-view mirror.

"Year over year, Indianapolis is up in a few things — most notably employees' perceptions of their benefits," said Niki Reid, a data scientist at Exton, Pa.-based WorkplaceDynamics.

The percentage of Central Indiana employees who thought their benefits packages were good compared to other firms in the same industry rose nearly 5 percent from last year, to 55.6 percent.

"That's a pretty big jump," Reid said.

Most important perk

Such a perception may seem surprising, however.

For many workers, employer-provided health-care coverage is the single-most important benefit. Yet many employers have dumped their relatively generous health plans of old for those with high deductibles and health savings accounts, said Michael Hicks, a professor of economics at Ball State University.

Hicks wonders whether some employers are compensating by providing other kinds of benefits, such as more-flexible working hours and the option to work remotely.

Allowing employees to shift their work schedule even a little bit might allow them to get kids on/off the bus without having to pay for expensive child care.

"Those things (child-care expenses) are big hardships on families," Hicks said. "The tangible savings to the wage earner could more than compensate for the shifts in their health care spending."

Indeed, when legal administrative assistant Alisha Graber returned to work at Barnes & Thornburg after having a baby, the law firm allowed her to adjust hours so she could drop off and pick up her child from day care.

"It's good to have a place where I work that acknowledges that kind of need," Graber said. "They're very accommodating."

Tech firm influence?

Another factor potentially driving up the real or perceived boost in benefits: the growth of the city's information technology industry.

Many of these firms employ the computer-savvy younger generation who appreciate nontraditional benefits, such as on-site gyms, recreation rooms and beer-on-tap in the break room.

Some even require "chill time."

TechPoint, the city's technology initiative, rattles off a long list of quirky benefits offered at IT firms, including a "mandated" week-long spring break at education software firm Lessonly LLC. That break is in addition to an employee's standard vacation time.

WorkplaceDynamics' survey does show a slight increase in the number of IT companies included in this year's survey — 11 percent vs. 9 percent in 2014. That's not much of an increase, though. Thus, said Reid, "it's possible that the perks of new IT companies coming into the market are having an effect on the other employers, since they need to compete for that talent."

Curiously, employees in other Midwestern cities and in the nation as a whole were even more likely to say they had a good benefits package than Indianapolis — roughly 5 percent more likely to respond so. So, "it looks like employers may very well be trying to reverse that trend in the region (Indianapolis)," Reid added.

Less confidence, less appreciated

But Indianapolis employers have more work to do as far as making their workplaces tops in the eyes of their workers.

The biggest year-over-year decline in WorkplaceDynamics' survey were responses to the question: "I believe this company is going in the right direction." Central Indiana employees were less likely to agree than last year — with favorable responses falling 3.1 percent, to 74.4 percent.

When it came to the question: "I feel well-informed about important decisions at this company," Indianapolis workers responded "yes" less often than their counterparts around the country — 60.7 percent vs. 64.7 percent, respectively.

Finally, there's a touchy-feely question asked by WorkplaceDynamics that's likely not tracked in management's monthly metrics, but perhaps should be if employee retention is important: "I feel genuinely appreciated by this company."

The number of positive responses had been trending steadily higher each year locally — from 69 percent in 2011 to 79 percent in 2014. But in WorkplaceDynamics' 2015 survey it reversed direction — falling 0.3 percent, to 78.7 percent of respondents saying that they felt genuinely appreciated.

Reid said that decline is consistent with findings in the Midwest and in the nation. She also said that percentage change is so small that it's likely statistically insignificant.

Still, a wise boss might want to remain sensitive to that sentiment. Those workers who stuck with you during a bad economy may now be dusting off résumés, as job opportunities blossom at better places to work.

WHO MADE THE LIST?

There were 85 Central Indiana companies identified as Top Workplaces in 2015, an increase of five companies from the previous year.

The No. 1 large company, Monarch Beverage Co. Inc., rose three spaces this year. It has been named to the list five times.

The No. 1 midsize company, Fusion Alliance Inc., moved up from 12th place last year. It has made the list seven times.

The No. 1 small company, Georgia Reece's Southern Table & Bar, made the list for the first time this year.

TOP 5 IN EACH CATEGORY

Top Large Companies

1. Monarch Beverage Co. Inc.

2. Keller Williams Indy Metro

3. Tendercare Home Health Services

4. Barnes & Thornburg LLP

5. RCI

Top Midsize Companies

1. Fusion Alliance Inc.

2. Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites

3. Opportunities for Positive Growth

4. Northwestern Mutual

5. Insights Consulting Inc.

Top Small Companies

1. Georgia Reese's Southern Table & Bar

2. Terry Lee Honda

3. Child Advocates Inc.

4. Gateway Funding, Parker Mortgage Group

5. Hancock County Public Library

DETERMINING THE TOP WORKPLACES

The Indianapolis Star partnered with Philadelphia-based WorkplaceDynamics, the employee survey firm, to determine the region's Top Workplaces. Of 926 companies invited to participate, 135 of them took part.

Anyone could nominate a company. The sole requirement was that the organization employs at least 50 people in the Central Indiana region. The company could be public, private, nonprofit or governmental.

To pick the Top Workplaces, WorkplaceDynamics went straight to the experts — the employees. The surveyed firms employ 38,987 people in the Central Indiana Area. Receiving questionnaires were 34,987 employees, of whom 22,540 responded, either on paper or online.

The employee survey included 22 questions covering areas such as company values, leadership, management, benefits, pay, growth opportunities, training, appreciation, retention and work/life balance.

You might wonder why your employer is not on the list. One possibility is that the company took the survey and scored too low. Another is it may have chosen to not participate.

SNAPSHOT OF SURVEY RESULTS

Here are some responses from Central Indiana employees in 2015, compared to 2014.

Upward trend

• My benefits package is good compared to others in this industry; 55.6 % (2015); 50.7 (2014); +4.8%.

• I am confident about my future at this company; 70.1% (2015); 67.8% (2014); +2.3%.

• New ideas are encouraged at this company; 74.4% (2015); 72.5% (2014); +1.8%.

• Senior managers really understand what is happening at this company; 63.2% (2015); 62.3% (2104); +0.9%.

Downward trend

• I believe this company is going in the right direction; 74.4% (2015); 77.5% (2014); -3.1%.

• I would highly recommend working at this company to others; 75.7% (2015); 78.1% (2014); -2.4%.

• This company operates by strong values and ethics; 81.3% (2015); 83.6% (2014); -2.2%.

• I want to stay at this company for more than a year; 73.3% (2015); 75.5% (2014); -2.2%.

Source: WorkplaceDynamics