Atlanta’s best places to work operate with solid values to ensure employees are appreciated and contribute fully to their successes. Employees at these top workplaces say they have a meaningful job at a company headed in the right direction.
Statements such as “This company operates by strong values,” “My manager cares about my concerns,” and “I feel genuinely appreciated at this company” ranked high in surveys submitted by metro Atlanta employees for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s 2022 Top Workplaces awards.
The 305 companies that participated in this year’s survey represent 73,269 employees in the greater Atlanta area. Of those, 42,698 responded.
Among the top companies, employees overwhelmingly expressed confidence in their leaders, and appreciation and support from their bosses. Of survey respondents, 80% agreed with the statement, “This company motivates me to give my very best at work.”
When asked, “What do you like about the direction this company is going?” a Brasfield & Gorrie employee responded, “Strong management focused on a clear plan for growth and development of our people.”
When asked, “What about the leader of this company inspires your confidence?” a Homestar employee commented, “Always willing to listen and honestly wants everyone to do well financially, emotionally and spiritually.”
Statements such as “This company operates by strong values” (84.3%), “My manager cares about my concerns” (83.8%), “I feel genuinely appreciated at this company” (81.5%) and “My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful” (81%) are indicators of positivity among employees.
“I feel valued as part of the team,” an employee at Woodward Academy, the No. 3 large workplace, responded. “I feel my ideas are heard, celebrated and included. My managers are phenomenal, professional, experienced and caring. We all support one another and work together as a team. I get a sense of meaning from what I do in furthering the academy’s mission.”
Leadership also sets Atlanta’s top workplaces apart from others, with 71% of survey respondents expressing confidence in the leader of their company.
The employee engagement survey consisted of 24 questions dealing with workplace culture, including:
- Alignment and connection — company values, being informed, working at full potential
- Performance — being able to share new ideas, having managers who know what’s going on
- Coaching — being supported and mentored
- Leadership — confidence in company leaders
- Basics — pay, benefits, flexibility, training, expectations
Employees ranked issues of “connectiveness” — feeling appreciated and included — and “alignment” — the company is going in the right direction and operates by strong values — as most important to them.
Scoring low on the list of importance were issues of pay, benefits and job flexibility. For example, the statements “My pay is fair for the work I do” (54%), “I have the flexibility I need to balance my work and personal life” (52%) and “My benefits package is good compared to others in this industry (37%) ranked lowest.
Arrow Exterminators; Brasfield & Gorrie; Dorsey Alston, Realtors; Supreme Lending Southeast Region: and Woodward Academy have consistently ranked in the top five in their respective categories.
Newcomers to the top 10 in the large, midsize and small workplaces were White Cap, Popmenu, Affinity Home Lending, Florence Healthcare and Grayshift.
Three employers have been named a Top Workplace all 12 years of the survey: Smith & Howard, P.C.; Transwestern Commercial Services of Georgia Inc.; and Woodward Academy.
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