Despite the fact that many of us spend more of our waking hours at work than at home, those of us who truly look forward to going to work each day are in the minority.

The 2007 Employers of Distinction awards recognize local firms that have gone that extra mile to ensure employees are engaged and even excited about their jobs.

Now in its second year, the awards program salutes 10 Ottawa employers who demonstrate a commitment to best practices in human resource management, by making their companies, according to their employees, the ideal places to work. Organized by the Ottawa HR Forum, Talentmap and the Ottawa Business Journal, the Employer of Distinction Awards is a unique, employee-driven recognition program, offering workers a confidential opportunity to identify what makes their workplace exceptional.

The survey was managed by Sean Fitzpatrick, president of Ottawa-based company Talentmap. The results were evaluated by a panel of judges with a wide range of HR experience, including Tom Bursey, board director, Human Resources Professionals Association of Ontario; Jane McVeigh, vice-president of human resources, General Dynamics; Gisele Samson-Verreault, assistant deputy minister, human resources, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade; Jean-Pascal Souque, associate, CCI Leadership Institute and Michael Curran, publisher, OBJ.

"It is fantastic to have an awards program like this for local employers," says Mr. Bursey. "The project has captured a lot of interest, showing that there is significant attention being paid to what drives employee behaviour and satisfaction." This year saw a 24-per-cent increase in the number of participating firms.

"What I particularly like about the National Capital Region Employers of Distinction program is that its backbone is Talentmap's employee engagement survey," he adds. "Their expertise enables us to present a selection of very detailed questions to employees of participating firms who answer anonymously. As a result, we get both quantitative and qualitative data that comes directly from the employees – it's not filtered by management in any way."

The major categories explored in the survey included: the perception of senior leadership, an assessment of immediate management, whether or not an employee considers this the best place they've ever worked, as well as the employees' overall level of commitment to the firm. In addition, employees were able to respond openly to the question, "Why do you think your employer is one of the top 10 employers in the National Capital Region?"

Responses were tabulated and presented in blind form to the judges, enabling them to make an independent assessment of each firm.

"The survey touched on very powerful indicators and most of the top 10 employers are strong in all key categories," says Mr. Bursey.

"There are tangible benefits to all firms who participate in the survey process," says Talentmap's Mr. Fitzpatrick. "Those selected as top employers can use this as a marketing tool when recruiting. Being an Employer of Distinction validates that you provide a great workplace and makes your firm more attractive to potential recruits. It also helps you cast a wider net and receive a better selection of applicants."

He adds that companies who participate also get a powerful benefit in terms of the data and insight they receive, which can help improve the way a company is managed.

"The process gives you an opportunity to improve your employment brand. All participants receive strong graphical reports illustrating how well their company is doing in terms of employee engagement, including comparative data. Talentmap consultants visit each participating firm and discuss their specific results, as well as offering suggestions on how they can leverage this information to improve their organization."

"There is no doubt in my mind that all of the firms being recognized as the 2007 Employers of Distinction are great places to work and if you were to speak to employees of these firms, they would validate the judges' opinions," adds Mr. Bursey. "Ottawa employers who want to make sure they have attractive workplaces should use these 10 companies as benchmarks."

The top 10 employers will be showcased in the fall issue of the OBJ's Ottawa HR magazine, available on Nov. 26, and at a special awards ceremony on Nov. 27 at the Brookstreet hotel. For event and ticket information, please contact Sue Perry at sue.perry@transcontinental.ca

This year's recipients are (ranked by alphabetical order):

bitHeads inc.

Brookstreet

Classic Care Pharmacy Corp.

Ginsberg Gluzman Fage & Levitz LLP

Interis Consulting Inc.

KPMG

Macadamian Technologies Inc.

Protus IP Solutions

Ross Video

The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro.

By Paula Roy

Special to the Ottawa Business Journal