• Recruitment
• Workforce Trends

• Retention Strategies
• Workplace Law

• Benefits
• Best Employers Program

Centers for New Horizons

Winning Year: 2007
Industry: Constituency or Community Services and Programs
Location: Chicago, IL
URL: www.cnh.org

Highlights of 2007 Winning Strategies

Sixty-one percent of Centers for New Horizons (CNH) employees are age 50+, and the average tenure of employees age 50+ is 12 years.

Additional Policies and Practices:

• Recruiting: CNH uses senior placement agencies to target mature workers and retirees.
• Workplace Culture/Continued Opportunities: Full- and part-time employees working at least 20 hours per week are offered these learning and development programs: in-house classroom training, on-line training, and certification classes. In the past 12 months, 100% of CNH employees participated in at least one of these training opportunities with an average of 25 hours spent in training. Employees may develop new skills via temporary assignments in other departments and through team projects.
• Benefits/Health: Employees working at least 25 hours per week receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision and dental insurance, and short- and long-term disability. CNH offers an FSA plan to assist employees with out-of-pocket health care costs.
• Benefits/Financial: CNH offers a 403(b) plan and a defined-benefit plan to its full-time employees. Employees receive financial planning information from external financial planning experts not associated with their 403(b) plan. One financial planning program included training on first-time home buying, budgeting, and retirement options. The following wellness programs are offered to full- and part-time employees: flu shots, health screenings, health risk appraisals, smoking cessation programs, health club discounts, physical activity/exercise programs, weight loss programs, and stress management training. Thirty percent of CNH employees have utilized at least one of these wellness benefits in the past 12 months. On site childcare and referral services to assist with childcare are dependent care services offered to full- and part-time employees.
• Benefits/Alternative Work Arrangements: CNH's full- and part-time employees are offered alternative work arrangements such as flex-time and telecommuting. Full-time employees are eligible to move to part-time work on a permanent and temporary basis.
• Opportunities for Retirees: CNH currently has 15 retirees and has an individual directly responsible for retiree relations. CNH stays connected with its retirees by communicating regularly, inviting retirees to organization events/celebrations, providing retirees with retirement planning workshops/information, and formally acknowledging them when they retire. Retirees are offered temporary work assignments, consulting/contract work, telecommuting, full-time work, and part-time work.
• Age of Workforce: Sixty-one percent of CNH employees are 50+. The average tenure of employees age 50+ is 12 years.