What is it?

A survey, study and award program to identify the best places of employment in Pennsylvania for the benefit of the Commonwealth, its workforce and businesses.

Why was this program developed?

• To develop definitive information to help existing companies in Pennsylvania retain their workforce.
• To promote Pennsylvania's best employment opportunities to attract new workers
• To distinguish businesses in the Commonwealth that attract and retain Pennsylvania's talented workforce.

Who organized the program?

Central Penn Business Journal
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Team Pennsylvania Foundation
Best Companies Group

How will the top 100 companies be determined?

After a company has completed the entire Assessment Process, Best Companies Group will determine which companies make the final list. Best Companies Group manages the process and will evaluate all surveys submitted by companies.

If I register, what happens next and when?

Please refer to the Timeline for a detailed list of important dates and deadlines for the program. All registered companies will be notified regularly via email of upcoming deadlines.

Our company has employees in many states; will the survey apply to those who are out of state?

No, only those employees working in Pennsylvania will be surveyed.

Our parent company is located outside of Pennsylvania. Are we still eligible to participate?

As long as you employ at least 25 employees in PA (consisting of full and part-time), you are eligible.

We have several companies under one parent holding company. Each company has its own FEIN and each has its own set of benefits and working environments. Do I need to register each company?

Yes. Since each company is its own entity with its own benefits and working environment, we will treat each company as a separate employer and send each location a separate set of surveys, etc. Each subsidiary company must have at least 25 full and part-time employees to be eligible.

We have several offices/facilities in the state of Pennsylvania that operate using the same FEIN and same set of employee benefits and procedures. Should I register each company separately?

No. If you are one company with multiple locations, facilities, factories, stores, etc., you should submit only one registration for all locations. We will then conduct a survey of employees that are randomly selected from the various business units that you operate in PA, up to a total of 400 employees.

We are a personnel placement company with associates who are technically our employees, but they work for other companies. Are we still eligible to participate?

Yes. However only those "in-house" employees will be counted and surveyed. The employees who are "placed" with other companies are not counted and will not be surveyed. There must be a minimum of 25 "in-house" employees to be eligible.

What if our workforce contains unions?

This is OK. We make no distinction between union vs. non-union employees. Union employees must be included in the survey process.

Our company employs seasonal, temporary, per diem and independent contractor employees. Should they be included in the survey?

No. Seasonal, temporary, per diem or independent contractor employees should not be included in the survey process. We only want to survey the permanent full- and part-time employees.

Do the employee surveys go to everyone?

If you have 250 or fewer employees in your company, then the answer is yes. If you have more than 250 employees, a random sample of up to 400 employees will be asked to complete the survey.

Are managers included in the employee survey?

Yes. All employees will be asked to participate and complete a survey unless the company has more than 250 employees. In that case, a random sample will be chosen. Even then managers are not excluded.

We have more than 250 associates to be surveyed. Who decides which employees will receive the surveys and how they are distributed? Do we have to give you a list of who is being surveyed?

The random selection will be conducted by Best Companies Group for companies choosing the online survey process. Companies choosing the online survey process will be asked to upload a list of all employee email addresses into an online portal shortly after registration has closed. Best Companies Group will then randomly select the appropriate amount of employees (based on company size) to receive the survey. Companies choosing the paper survey process will be required to tell Best Companies Group how they conducted the random selection of their employee population.

How does the online survey process work?

To conduct the online survey process, companies submit a list of employee email addresses to Best Companies Group via our upload portal. Employees are then directly sent an email invitation containing unique access information from Best Companies Group. The invitation directs employees to a unique Web page where they can submit their confidential responses. We can only send email invitations to company email accounts.

Not all of our employees have email addresses. Can we still utilize the online survey?

Yes! The online survey process can still be utilized, as long as the majority of employees have company email addresses. In order to maintain the integrity of the survey process, we cannot supply access codes for your entire employee population, or for more than 15% of the number of employees that need to receive a survey based on company size. If you will need to request access codes for more than 15% of employees participating in the survey, you will have to switch to the paper survey process.

Employees receiving access codes will need to be able to access the Internet at work. In this situation, it is recommended that the company set up a computer station/kiosk for those employees without company email to take the survey, as the online survey can only be used if employees have Internet access. Best Companies Group will then provide the organization with enough unique access codes for employees without email addresses (less than 15%, if applicable), so that they can complete the survey online.

How does the paper survey process work?

Best Companies Group will send your company a box of paper surveys and envelopes that must be distributed to employees. Employees complete the survey, place it in the envelope, seal it and then drop the completed survey in the US mail. Completed surveys are mailed back to our processing facility by each employee.

If we elect to do paper surveys, what does the employee do with the survey once it's completed? Will the return envelopes be postage-paid?

The employee will put their completed survey in an envelope (provided), seal it and place the envelope in the US postal mail back to our processing facility. The return envelopes are postage-paid.

What if not all of the employees complete and return the surveys? Is there a minimum response rate?

We are looking for a response rate of approximately 65% or greater. Therefore, it is not absolutely necessary that all who receive a survey fill it out. While companies who have not reached 65% may still be considered, response rates are taken into account during the analysis process. The higher the response rate the more representative it will be of your company as a whole and the more valuable your company's data will be at the end of the process.

Can I see the survey before I sign up to participate?

Yes. The link to the survey tools is found on the Assessment Process Page.

How long will it take to complete the employee survey?

It should only take about 10-15 minutes for each associate to complete the employee survey.

How long will it take to complete the employer questionnaire (EQ)? Will it require a lot of research?

The employer questionnaire can take between 8-10 hours to complete, depending upon how easy it is to retrieve your company's information regarding company policies, practices and demographics. Some research may be necessary. The EQ is completed and submitted online. This questionnaire must be completed in order for your organization to be considered for the list.

Should the participation fee be submitted with our registration?

No. Best Companies Group will invoice you for the participation fee after you register and it is determined that your company meets all the requirements to be eligible to participate.

When will I find out if our company made the list and where we rank?

You will receive a letter notifying you whether or not your company has made the list approximately one month after the survey completion deadline. If you make the list, you will find out where you rank either at the gala event or in the special publication. See the Timeline for more information.

What information is included in the Employee Feedback Report and when will we receive it?

The Employee Feedback Report comes in a folder and will contain large spreadsheets detailing and summarizing your employees' responses to the 72 survey questions (in percentage form). It will also include detailed instructions on how to interpret the results. The reports will be mailed to each company shortly after the companies are notified whether or not they made the list. Companies will also receive the responses from the two open-ended questions on the survey. These comments will be transcribed exactly as submitted by employees. State benchmarking is also included so companies can compare themselves to the "Best Places to Work in PA" list-making companies as well as against the overall participation. This portion will be sent after the awards event. If you would like to see samples of the report content, please see the Employee Feedback Report page.

A portion of our employees do not speak English. Do you offer employee surveys in alternate languages?

We do offer employee surveys in a variety of additional languages! There will be an additional $195 fee to cover the cost of translation (flat rate) per language. If your company needs an additional language please select the "Languages" button on the registration form.

Can the job role and department demographics on the employee survey be customized to more closely align with our organization?

Yes, for a fee, the job role and department demographic categories can be customized. Please call Best Companies Group for more information or select the "Customization" option on the registration form and someone will contact you with more information. What's this?

I am concerned about the confidentiality of the survey responses.

We will make every effort to maintain the anonymity of the employees completing the survey as well as protect the summarized data of all participating companies. Please see our Statement of Confidentiality for more information.

How will my company be notified throughout the survey process? Will I receive regular updates?

Yes, you will receive periodic updates regarding the survey timeline. However, we do recommend that your company place the program dates that we send to you in your calendars. Best Companies Group primarily works through email. It is important that you read all instructions and details sent to you from Best Companies Group.

Who can I call with additional questions?

Please call Best Companies Group toll free at (877) 455-2159 and ask for Megan Burns.

What will the Best Places to Work in PA look like?

The 100 "Best Places to Work in PA" will be made of two groups of companies: 50 medium-sized companies (25-249 employees in PA), and 50 large companies (over 250 employees in PA). Each company will be for profit or nonprofit, publicly or privately held, have a facility in Pennsylvania, and be in good standing with all Commonwealth agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction.

How can my company be considered for this year's list?

Simply submit a nomination form for your company. Any company or nonprofit organization with over 25 employees who work in Pennsylvania and is in good standing with all Commonwealth agencies under the Governor's jurisdiction is eligible for nomination. Information provided on the registration form may appear on this Web site if your company is named to the 100 "Best Places to Work in PA" list.

Where can I find career/job listings for Pennsylvania companies?

Visit PA CareerLink or NewPA.com for one-stop delivery of career services to job seekers, employers, and others.