Select the Most Talented People and Keep Them Happy The 50 Best Small Medium Companies to Work For Reveal a Simple Maxim for



Today Great Place to Work Institute revealed the winners of the 2008 "50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work For" competition with Dixon Schwabl, a marketing and advertising firm from Victor, NY and Ultimate Software, a workforce management software solution from Weston, FL, taking home the coveted #1 spots on the small and medium lists, respectively. Both of the winners demonstrate a simple strategy for success as a quality workplace and a productive business: Select the most talented people and keep them happy.

Scott Sherr, President and CEO of Ultimate Software, has built a company and a culture where everyone feels valued, has access to training and growth opportunities, and recognizes his or her role in helping Ultimate Software achieve its business goals. Scherr maintains that recruiting and retaining top talent is his highest priority and key to the business' success. Employees at Ultimate Software openly admit, "I find the management here treats employees as real people, not just a slot on the org chart. This makes working here a pleasure and has the biggest impact on job satisfaction. Being happy... is the reason I stay."

Rigorous recruiting and screening practices ensure that Dixon Schwabl finds the right people to join the agency. All candidates are interviewed by several employees and by CEO, Lauren Dixon. The eclectic backgrounds of the team there, from former professors and bank executives, to shoe salesmen and DJs, contribute to the creativity and ingenuity for which this marketing firm is known. Unique programs and benefits enhance Dixon Schwabl's already strong culture, leading one employee to comment "every week something happens here that reminds me how lucky I am to work in such an amazing environment."

Great Place to Work Institute, a research and consulting firm that has spent the last three decades identifying and studying the Best Companies to Work for, list after list sees the top workplaces exhibiting the same qualities: camaraderie, respect, pride, fairness and credibility - the dimensions of the Great Place to Work Model. "At Best Companies, over 90% of employees say 'I feel I can make a difference here, I look forward to coming to work here'," says Hal Adler, President of the Institute. "The Best Companies hire people who want to make a difference and create opportunities and an environment where those people can have an impact. The perks and benefits are just accessories to the pervasive, strong, and unique cultures at these companies."

The 50 Companies featured on this year's "50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work For" list represent a wide array of industries and locations but all sport a strong foundation that enables employees to flourish and experience unparalleled satisfaction at work. A full list of winners can be found at www.greatplacetowork.com along with feature stories on the two #1 companies to work for : "The Made it Happen: Dixon Schwabl is #1" and "Ultimate Software - It's all in the teamwork!"

About the Great Place to Work Institute

Dedicated for 26 years to "building a better society by helping companies transform their workplaces," the Great Place to Work Institute is a global research and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco, with 30 affiliates in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania. The Institute uses its Trust Index employee survey and Culture Audit to produce the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For and the "Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America" lists in addition to best companies lists around the world. The Institute recognizes the world's best workplaces and provides conferences, workshops and advisory and consulting services to those who seek to create great workplaces of their own. For more information, visit www.greatplacetowork.com.

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www.HRmarketer.com) on behalf of the company

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Select the Most Talented People and Keep Them Happy The 50 Best Small Medium Companies to Work For Reveal a Simple Maxim for