Benchmark Selected As A 2018 Best Workplace For Aging Services By Great Place To Work And Fortune
October 2, 2018
WALTHAM, MA–In recognition of its commitment to elevating human connection, Benchmark, a leading provider of senior living and aging-well services in the Northeast, has been selected by FORTUNE magazine for its inaugural 2018 Best Workplaces for Aging Services list.
To determine rankings, FORTUNE research partner Great Place to Work analyzed survey results from more than 162,000 employees working in both aspects of the industry—senior housing and at-home care. Benchmark took the number 16 spot on the senior housing list and ranks third among senior housing companies with more than 40 communities.
Great Place to Work, a global people analytics and consulting firm, evaluated over 50 elements of team members’ experience on the job. These included the extent to which employees trust leaders, respect with which people are treated, fairness of workplace decisions and level of camaraderie. Rankings are based on employees’ feedback and recognize companies that best include all employees, no matter who they are or what role they play in the organization.
“We are proud to be on such an exclusive list based on the feedback of our associates,” says Benchmark chairman and CEO, Tom Grape. “We hear regularly how grateful our residents and families are for the high level of service and personal connections they experience through our staff. Being on this list is a sign that they feel our gratitude for all they do every day to delight and care for our cherished residents, families and their fellow associates.”
Benchmark was applauded for creating an inclusive, high-trust environment driven by mutual respect and empathy, fairness of workplace decisions and team camaraderie across all functions and departments. The company offers a range of programs designed to increase engagement and satisfaction for its more than 6,300 associates in 58 senior care communities. Among them, programs like the Benchmark One Company Fund, which distributes funds to associates in times of financial setback, and Benchmark University providing professional and personal development.
Despite health care having one of the highest turnover rates of any industry, Benchmark is experiencing a surge in associate retention, returning associates and overall number of applicants. “We’ve seen over a 10 percent reduction in turnover this year,” says Veronica Barber, Benchmark’s senior vice president of human capital, who credits the reduction to the company’s many efforts to redefine and instill its mission and core values.
“We have created a culture where everyone understands how their work contributes to our overall success,” says Barber, “and our associates come to work each day with a purpose. We are seeing it every day not only in our numbers but also in how our associates continue to amaze us with their creativity, gratitude, incredible empathy and generous giving to others.”
Throughout it’s more than 21-year history, Benchmark has earned a reputation as a top workplace. Earlier this year, the organization was designated as a Certified Age Friendly Employer by RetirementJobs.com. In addition to being one of only 10 companies named to The Boston Globe Top Places to Work list for all 10 years of the award, Benchmark has also been honored as a top workplace by the Boston Business Journal, Connecticut Post, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal.
