Atlanta Magazine's 2008 Best Places to Work Announced

Buckhead Community Bank tops the list of companies where employees love their jobs.

ATLANTA- In the July 2008 issue, Atlanta magazine publishes its first ranking of the city’s best places to work. The list of forty exceptional companies includes a bank, several law firms, a radio station, a dog daycare and a lingerie manufacturer. “What is common across all these companies is attention to employee welfare and creating an environment where people feel invested in their jobs,” says Rebecca Burns, editor in chief. “Our survey put employees first-then looked at hard data on benefits, salaries, turnover, and other factors.”

To start the process of compiling the list, Atlanta magazine asked city residents “do you love your job?” and solicited nominations at atlantamagazine.com. Between August 2007 and January 2008, 725 employees nominated 176 workplaces. They were asked to rank the validity of twenty statements to determine their level of job satisfaction. The ranking process, as well as the employee survey and company profile form used later in the process, was created with input from management experts at Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, and local human resource firms.

The list was narrowed to 100 companies by averaging scores from the nomination forms. Thus, an employer’s likelihood of moving past the nomination stage was determined not by number advantage (though a minimum of fifty employees was required for eligibility). Those 100 companies completed a profile, which detailed benefits, perks, policies, growth, etc. These factors were assigned point values for tabulation purposes. Again, weighting was determined with the employees (whichever was less) completed a survey in which they ranked statements such as: “I am compensated fairly”; “I am given the opportunity to develop professionally”; and “I am proud to work for this company.” In total, 5,201 employees participated in this round of surveying. The results were averaged and combined with the points earned from the profile form to determine our top forty. To view the forms in their entirety, visit atlantamagazine.com.

“In today’s economy, as people are being asked to do more and resources are limited, putting employee welfare first isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart thing to do from a business perspective,” says Burns. “Our survey is unique because nominations came from employees, not management. That’s a testament to how successful these forty employers are at generating workplaces people love.”

The nomination forms for the 2009 Best Places to Work issue will be posted at atlantamagazine.com in August 2008.

The complete list of Best Places to Work 2008 follows.

1. The Buckhead Community Bank
2. Spanx
3. Smith & Howard, PC
4. InterContinental Hotels Group
5. THINK Interactive
6. Pineapple House Interior Design
7. Atlanta Medical Center
8. Ackerman Security Systems
9. Jackson Spalding
10. Kaiser Permanente
11. Shepherd Center
12. Kilpatrick Stockton LLP
13. DeKalb Medical
14. Gwinnett County Public Schools
15. Avenue A | Razorfish
16. Promove
17. Cypress Communications
18. Georgia Perimeter College
19. The Fox Theatre
20. Permier Surfaces
21. The Shopping Center Group
22. North Fulton Family Medicine
23. DeNyse Signs
24. Career Sports & Entertainment
25. Hall Booth Smith & Slover, PC
26. Chattahoochee Nature Center
27. Alliance Theatre
28. The Children’s School
29. Zoo Atlanta
30. Wag-A-Lot
31. Nalley Automotive Group
32. Printpack
33. Laurel Park at Henry Medical Center
34. Equifax
35. Smith Gambrell & Russell, LLP
36. MDI Group
37. Urban Enterprises
38. Coldwell Banker, The Condo Store
39. 790/The Zone
40. American Cancer Society

Since 1961, Atlanta magazine has served as the authority on Atlanta, providing its readers with a mix of long-form nonfiction, lively lifestyle coverage, in-depth service journalism, and literary essays, columns, and profiles.

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.

Back to News Archives