ACUITY, a Mutual Insurance Company

Winning Years: 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006
Industry: Insurance
Location: Sheboygan, Wisc.
Website: www.acuity.com

ACUITY has been recognized by the Great Place To Work Institute as one of the 'Best Companies to Work for in America' for the past seven years, notably being ranked No. 1 in 2010. Employee turnover rate remains very low, less than 1.1 percent, and employees are appreciative of the many health and financial benefits offered. Specifically, health insurance premiums are employer covered at 85 percent, and 401(k) contributions are remarkably higher than the industry average.

See also: How the 2011 Best Employers winners were selected.

Additional Policies and Practices:

Workplace Culture / Continued Opportunities: Employees working 16 or more hours a week are offered the following learning and development programs: tuition reimbursement, in-house classroom training, online training and certification classes. Senior level employees are offered a Leadership and Management Training Program. This program is led by professional instructors who conduct training modules on team building, problem solving, customer service, coaching others for success and linking performance to strategic goals.

Long-service anniversaries are celebrated with announcements, parties, awards and gifts. In addition, parties are given for employees upon retirement and monetary gifts based upon years of service are offered.

Because of feedback from a recent employee opinion survey, ACUITY granted an additional profit sharing contribution to their employees' 401(k) plan, and committed to subsidizing 85 percent of the cost of each employee's health care plan (regardless of overall employer increase).

Employees have opportunities to gain new experiences by working on temporary assignments in other departments, on team projects and by participating in a formal job rotation program. Senior level employees are asked to work on ad hoc task forces to bring strategic initiatives to fruition.

Some accommodations that are made for employees include providing proper workstations and adjustable chairs, providing sign language interpreters during special events and meetings.

They also offer compressed work weeks, flexible work hours and work from home options to employees in need of these transitional work schedules.  
 
Benefits/Health: Full-time employees working 40 or more hours per week receive individual and family medical coverage, individual and family prescription drug coverage, individual and family vision and dental insurance, as well as short- and long-term disability. Part-time employees working 20 or more hours per week are eligible for individual and family vision insurance. Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are available to assist in covering out-of-pocket health care costs.

Next: Financial benefits, including a free 401(k) consultation. >>