By: Matthew Carmichael
With layoffs rippling through the economy, a steady paycheck might be considered a pretty good job perk these days.
Several companies on Crain's list of the Best Places to Work, most notably Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., announced job cuts after the surveys for this project were completed in November. Local firms, including Sentinel Technologies Inc. and West Monroe Partners LLC, have pared staff. And across the nation, employers looking for ways to stay afloat in a devastating downturn are freezing salaries, cutting health care benefits, trimming 401(k) contributions and ditching other extras.
Despite the difficult times, investing in employee programs now can pay dividends when the economy comes around, experts say.
"The relationship between employees and the company is formed and changed in unique ways when people are at risk," says William Macey, CEO of Valtera Corp., the Rolling Meadows-based employee and human resources consultancy that conducted the surveys for this list. "Those organizations that squander the opportunity or damage their employment brands will find themselves at a significant disadvantage in the marketplace when the economy emerges."
So some companies continue to go the extra mile - or miles - for their workers. Downers Grove-based Sentinel Technologies is keeping its management retreats, and Chicago-based Clune Construction Co. shut down for four days in January for a staff meeting in the Bahamas.
"Given the weather and the economy, this is a great time to do it. It's the best money we spend," President Michael Clune says. "I do not know why other companies don't do it."
Honorable mentions
The following companies represent the "next 10" in our survey of the Best Places to Work. In alphabetical order, they are:
- Allstate Insurance Co.
- Aquascape Inc.
- Astellas Pharma U.S. Inc.
- Chicago Trading Co. LLC
- DraftFCB
- Energy BBDO
- Executive Construction Inc.
- Feldco Factory Direct LLC
- GE Healthcare Financial Services
- Hill Mechanical Corp.
