MDI Group Recognized with Alfred P. Sloan Award for Workplace Flexibility and Effectiveness

MDI Group Awarded Prestigious Award at Event Hosted by Chandler Chamber of Commerce

PHOENIX, July 8, 2008 – MDI Group has been named a winner of the 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, distinguishing MDI as a leading practitioner of workplace flexibility in Phoenix and across the nation. MDI was recognized at the recent Chandler 100 Awards breakfast at The Castle at Ashley Manor.

The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are awarded as part of the When Work Works project, an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Twiga Foundation. Through When Work Works, these partner organizations provide research, resources and recognition to employers nationwide, and share the results of research on creating effective and flexible workplaces that meet the needs of the 21st century.

The Sloan Awards recognize organizations that are dedicated to making work “work” for both the employer and the employees. Representing employers of all sizes and all types, winners of this prestigious award not only offer excellent workplace flexibility practices, but they also use flexibility as a strategic business tool to enhance organizational effectiveness while also benefiting employees.

“MDI Group offers outstanding benefits and unusual levels of flexibility to respond to the needs of its employees, with options that include job sharing and telecommuting. All staff have control over the amount of overtime they work, and when they do log longer hours, they can take extra time off as compensation. MDI Group staff members also have a great deal of control over the number of hours they work and the scheduling of those hours, and when long hours are required, staff generally are forewarned so they can plan accordingly. Time off for personal reasons is permitted with no cut in pay and staff can do volunteer work during regular work hours. Everyone who’s been with MDI for at least five years receives 20 days of vacation, and if someone wants to take an extended leave, he or she can look forward to returning to the same or comparable job.” said Brian Knapp, managing director, MDI IT Workforce Solutions, Phoenix.

“Employers must develop new recruitment and retention policies. Unprecedented conditions -- a multi-generational workforce, a shrinking labor pool and an increasing demand for skilled workers -- dictate that they do so,” said Greg Roth, Senior Manager of Workforce Education Programs for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for a Competitive Workforce.

Each of the 2008 Sloan Award winners will also be recognized nationally, including a full-page congratulatory ad in USA Today, and will be featured in the next issue of the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, published by Families and Work Institute.

About When Work Works
When Work Works is a nationwide initiative to highlight the importance of workforce effectiveness and workplace flexibility as strategies to enhance businesses’ competitive advantage in the global economy and yield positive business results. When Work Works is a project of Families and Work Institute in partnership with the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Twiga Foundation, with funding provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. For more information, visit www.whenworkworks.org.

About Families and Work Institute
Families and Work Institute (FWI) is a nonprofit center for research that conducts extensive research on the changing workforce, changing family and changing community. Founded in 1989, FWI’s research typically takes on emerging issues before they crest. The Institute offers some of the most comprehensive research on the U.S. workforce available. For more information, visit www.familiesandwork.org.

About The Institute for a Competitive Workforce
The Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) is a 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. ICW promotes high educational standards and effective workforce training systems, so that they are aligned with each other and with today’s rigorous business demands. Through policy initiatives, business outreach, and a strong grassroots network, ICW is finding solutions that will preserve the American workforce as this country’s greatest business asset and its strongest future resource. For more information, visit www.icw.uschamber.com.

About The Twiga Foundation
The Twiga Foundation is dedicated to inspiring, promoting and maintaining a family consciousness at home, in the workplace and in the community. The Twiga Foundation acts as a liaison to key stakeholders in the When Work Works communities to address the issue of flexibility in the workplace. The Foundation helps build a broader leadership constituency for workplace flexibility within each community. For more information, visit www.twigafoundation.org.

About MDI Group
MDI Group is a premier IT Workforce Solutions provider with more than 20 years expertise in finding 'best-fit' IT talent for mid-sized to Fortune 500 clients nationwide. Offering IT Staffing Solutions and Contingent Workforce Management, MDI Group has recorded profitable growth every year since it was established in 1988. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, MDI Group has also been named one of Atlanta's 40 best places to work. To learn more about MDI Group, please visit www.mdigroup.com.

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