Best Places to Work in Maine

B E S T P L A C E S TO W O R K 2 0 1 6 16 T aken together, responses to the Best Places to Work in Maine survey provide terrific insight into general themes that characterize top workplaces. So what stands out? First and foremost—whether the organization is small or large, has plenty of capital or is operating on a shoestring, is situated in a bustling city or quiet rural setting—the work itself is what people most enjoy about the workplace. Intentional philosophy That makes intuitive sense, especially because we all like to think that people are working in their chosen field. But the survey reveals that it takes an intentional philosophy to make sure folks are really enjoying their work. That philosophy is about ownership and transparency. At the top places, employees are allowed to "own" their work. That can be seen at places such as Diversified Communications, which encourages out-of-the- box thinking on ideas that might even seem "crazy" at first—but prove fruitful in the end. Collaboration is a big deal—the word "team" often comes up and there are countless ways to foster teamwork, from fun activities to professional development sessions. Employees have real relationships with clients and are encouraged to customize and innovate on behalf of client needs. And—this is a big standout—they have genuine access to and back-and-forth communication with their organization's leadership. York County Federal Credit Union has even enshrined those ideas in a key phrase—"Open Communication Philosophy"— which gives employees the freedom to voice opinions. Be well and prosper Employee well-being is another key theme. The concept of well-being encompasses several pieces. There's financial reward and financial security for the future. That's nurtured in a variety of ways—anything from professional advancement opportunity to bonus plans to $25 "spot awards;" along with excellent health benefits, retirement plans and financial counseling opportunities. Then there are the needs of employees beyond the workplace: that includes employee assistance programs and flexible scheduling so staffers can attend to family needs. Take Community Care, for example: A nonprofit with a difficult job to do, the agency's leadership works hard to support work/life balance, giving employees time to take care of things like their children's doctor appointments and baseball games. Cultivation of well-being can also be seen in an evolving roster of wellness and physical activity programs. Sit-to-stand desks, Fitbits, wellness coaching and health-related lunch-and- learns are trending up. The Portland-based IT firm Systems Engineering, for example, offers a free formal wellness program, with personalized coaching, regular biometric testing, monthly wellness lunch-and-learns and wellness challenges through the year. Many companies encourage exercise by offering their own gym or sports equipment and activities, or paying for such opportunities elsewhere. Thinking big Interest in employee well- being generally radiates to the larger community. It seems all top companies engage in some form of volunteerism and/or philanthropy, such as Portland-based law firm Bernstein Shur's annual service with numerous organizations, including causes related to youth, veterans, health, poverty, social justice, education and the environment. Overall, Maine's best places to work reflect the sentiment of a Kennebec Federal Savings employee, who arrived at work one day wearing a T-shirt that read, "Thank God it's Monday." What defines a best workplace? Employees look forward to Monday by Laurie Schreiber Good Shepherd Food Bank has employee Cornhole tournaments. Androscoggin Home Care & Health: 5% raise with completion of a bachelor's degree or master's degree. Bangor Savings Bank is proud to be the first Maine-based financial institution to implement a living wage initiative for all employees (FT, PT, seasonal and regardless of position), setting the Bank's minimum hourly rate at $13/hour in 2016. Infinity FCU offers free medical insurance for the employee and free dental for the employee and family. SFX allows employees to donate PTO time to employees with extenuating circumstances. This past year SFX employees generously donated over 250 hours of PTO to an employee with a critically ill child so he could be with his family through this time.

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