Top 10 Recognition for Innovative and Effective Workplace Practices

Kasey Krifka, The Climate Trust
May 26, 2017

For the second year in a row, The Climate Trust has been honored with a When Work Works Award for exemplary workplace practices. Of the nearly 300 award winners, three Portland companies were recognized among the Top 10; Rose City Mortgage, first place; NPC Research, second place; and The Climate Trust, seventh place.

The prestigious When Work Works Award is part of the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) When Work Works project, a national initiative that helps employers become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces.

The award recognizes employers of all sizes across the country that are excelling at offering a variety of top-rated employee initiatives such as work-life fit policies, flexible scheduling and transition to parenthood programs. The award goes beyond work-life programs and includes initiatives that address the additional evidence-based aspects of effective workplaces, such as opportunities for learning, a culture of respect and trust, and job autonomy.

“We are so pleased that The Climate Trust has been honored among a premier group of organizations for the second year in a row,” said Sean Penrith, Executive Director for The Climate Trust. “During my career I’ve lead many organizations, but this group stands out as a truly extraordinary team, and I couldn’t be more proud of the positive culture we’ve built together.”

In applying for the award, The Climate Trust was evaluated on factors associated with employee health, well-being and engagement: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work-life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement.

“Considering that 78 percent of employers report difficulty recruiting employees for highly skilled jobs and 38 percent report difficulty recruiting for entry-level hourly jobs, When Work Works Award winners have leveraged this recognition opportunity to distinguish themselves as exemplary employers that offer new or enhanced options that help them attract and retain top talent,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute, the original creator of this award, and senior research advisor at SHRM.

“These winners have reinvented their workplaces in ways that benefit business and employees alike and are reaping the benefits in terms of employee job satisfaction and retention,” said Cassidy Solis, senior advisor, workplace flexibility, at SHRM.

The award is earned after a rigorous assessment that emphasizes the real-life experiences of employees and incorporates national benchmarks of employer practices from the National Study of Employers and the employee experiences from the National Study of the Changing Workforce. Two-thirds of an organization’s winning score is based on a survey of its employees.

To learn more about the awards, view an interactive map that lists winning organizations by state and a list of winners by name.

Additional information about the When Work Works Award and the When Work Works initiative is available online.

About When Work Works
When Work Works is a national initiative led by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to help businesses of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious annual When Work Works Award, which recognizes exemplary employers for creating effective workplaces to increase business and employee success. Visit www.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @WhenWorkWorks.