Are you still waiting for things to look up in the job market? You may be waiting a while…All indications are that we are in for a bit of a bumpy road for the next patch. But, all is not lost for job seekers! Did you know that workplaces that have been recognized as “great,” such as those highlighted here on GreatPlaceJobs, historically outperformed the general market and are less likely to have to resort to layoffs during tough times?

These award-winning employers typically offer better job security, which is a terrific benefit for anyone who needs a job!

In fact, the Wall Street Journal notes that socially responsible investing has actually done well this year compared to benchmarks. Despite odds stacked against them, the article states:

As of Oct. 30, a total of 15 out of 91 faith-based and secular socially responsible funds that invest in stocks had outperformed the Dow Jones Industrial Average benchmark, some by more than 10 percentage points, according to investment researcher Morningstar.

Among the best performers is Parnassus Workplace Fund, which outperformed the Dow, was sprung from Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” The principle of companies treating employees well is the driving force for the fund.

Fund manager Jerome Dodson notes:

“As time goes on, I’ve become convinced that investing in a company that’s a good place to work will do very well for you over time,” Mr. Dodson says. “There’s a connection. When you get this kind of socially good management, you get overall good management.”

The fund’s screening process includes gauging corporate governance and good accounting practices — factors that also reflect better-managed companies, Mr. Dodson says. Among his non-Fortune picks are Baldor Electric, a Fort Smith, Ark.-based maker of motors and generators. The company has a literacy program for its employees, and 15% of its pretax profits go to its workers.

Fortune Magazine touts its winning companies as firms that “not only pamper employees in good times, they look out for them in bad.”

Let’s face it, when companies are laying off workers left and right, wouldn’t it be comforting to be employed by an organization that strives to define itself as one where “trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic?”

The Great Place to Work® Institute, which produces FORTUNE’s 100 Best Companies to Work For® list, measures workplaces by three relationships:

• The relationship between employees and management.
• The relationship between employees and their jobs/company.
• The relationship between employees and other employees.

This is not to say that award-winning employers don’t sometimes experience financial crisis just like the rest of the competition, but when statistics show these companies outperforming the market and trust and relationships serve as philosophical underpinnings of these organizations, it makes sense to turn to designated great workplaces during difficult financial periods. GreatPlaceJobs is here to help connect you with the very best rated employers!

Miriam Salpeter
GreatPlaceJobs Career Advice Expert
www.keppiecareers.wordpress.com

Should You Be Looking for a Better Job? Take Time to Choose Your Organization

Marketing guru and author Seth Godin recently noted:

“The single most important marketing decision most people make is also the one we spend precious little time on: where you work… Think about this for a second. Your boss and your job determine not only what you do all day, but what you learn and who you interact with.”

This is an excellent point! How much time do you spend thinking about the type of organization where you’d like to work? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to recognize that your workplace impacts your quality of life, both in and outside of work hours.

When possible, it is a good idea for professionals to evaluate their work lives and create goals for initiating change if the workplace isn’t living up to standards. ITWorld asked the question: “Is your workplace drowning in a sea of anxiety?” These are their suggested evaluation criteria:

1. Do people take sides with other people instead of taking stands on issues? Do they form coalitions and/or cliques?
2. Do people assert their territory to the detriment of the organization as a whole? Are feuding, back-stabbing, and turf wars a way of life?
3. Do work groups tend to come to rapid agreement, with very little discussion or dissent?
4. Do particular individuals or departments tend to be blamed consistently for organizational problems?
5. Is there a problem with disruptive employee turnover? Are people constantly quitting due to job stress or dissatisfaction with the organization?
6. When conflicts and problems arise, are people exhorted to show more “team spirit”?
7. Does leadership send out conflicting instructions and mixed messages? Are organizational objectives contradictory or unclear?
8. Do people tend to avoid conflict by avoiding each other altogether? Do they hide out in their offices or cubicles, neglect to return calls, etc.?
9. Is “improved communication” considered the solution to all problems and conflicts rather than making decisions that are based on solid principles?
10. Is high productivity emphasized as the key to organizational well-being? Do you get the feeling that people are overworked?

If your answer to most of these questions was an emphatic yes, you probably are dealing with a level of anxiety that’s too high to be healthy—for your employees or for the company itself.

Step back and try to objectively evaluate your workplace. It is easy, in a seemingly downward spiraling economy, to get caught up in the idea that just having a job is good enough. The fact is – jobs continue to be available. If you are a top performer and/or have great job seeking materials and skills, you may very well be able to find a more desirable workplace.

Miriam Salpeter
GreatPlaceJobs Career Advice Expert
www.keppiecareers.wordpress.com