A Top Workplace is successful because its employees enjoy their work, embrace their mission and feel like valued teammates.
This year those qualities are more important than ever thanks to a strong job market.

Last year, we surveyed more than 65,000 employees and honored nearly 200 top workplaces.

To qualify for consideration as a Top Workplace, an organization must have at least 100 employees in the Chicago area.

Nominations are open to all employers, including nonprofits.

Now through June, nominated companies that agree to participate will distribute to employees an easy-to-complete, confidential survey developed by the Tribune’s research partner, Energage, which will calculate the list of top workplaces. Last year, Energage surveyed more than 2 million employees at more than 8,000 organizations on these topics.

There is no fee to participate. Top performers will be recognized in the report and in an online directory.

To nominate a company, go to www.chicagotribune.com/nominate or call 312-878-7356. The deadline for nominations is May 3.

Today, Dream Town Realty continues to embrace creative, out-of-the-box thinking to transform the home buying and selling experience. What began in 1998 with one small office has grown into a firm with nearly 450 brokers and six offices serving the entire Chicago area.

Dream Town, which earned the No. 1 ranking among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania, prides itself on being ahead of the curve in adopting and building proprietary technology.

“Our company was one of the first in the country to do an online real estate search,” said Dream Town founder and CEO Yuval Degani. “This was way before the days of Zillow, Redfin and so on.”

The website fueled Dream Town’s growth, and the company evolved as it built a marketing department that functions much like a full-service marketing agency.

“We treat our brokers as clients in an ad agency,” Degani said. “What our brokers really want is help to build their own business because they are the ones who are out there talking to their clients and being in front of their clients, and so they find a lot of value in our marketing agency model.”

Dream Town also employs life coaches who are accessible to brokers and employees. Coaching, Degani said, is different from training.

“Training is showing someone a skill and teaching them how to do it,” Degani said. “Coaching is more a personal question of why. What do I want? How do I do it? How do I approach what I need to do in my life?”

Coaching “makes everybody much happier and more efficient,” Degani said. “It’s a win-win for everyone. I got coached and I think that helped me tremendously in growing the company, and the management received coaching individually and as a group.”

The agency provides opportunities for brokers to conduct group coaching. “We call them Growth Groups,” Degani said. “That’s where 10 brokers will sit together with a coach and meet with the group once a month. And they will bring and share their genius. So there’s a big community feel to Dream Town.”

Dream Town asked its brokers to describe the firm in one word, and the word that came up more than any other was family.

“It’s pretty amazing for a company that has almost 500 people. The No. 2 word is collaborative. And think about it, we’re 500 people. We still use that word family,” Degani said.

Realtor Riz Gilani has been associated with Dream Town for 13 years. For him, it’s the culture that makes his work meaningful. “It’s such a collaborative culture,” he said. “Everybody is just willing to help. At other brokerages it was like others were guarding their information. I will get three or four people offering to help me now and sharing their opinions. It’s just nice to be with people that are so helpful.”

Gilani mentors and coaches his team, especially junior agents, to help them reach their full potential. “I remember that when I was a new agent, a lot of people helped me,” he said. “They were super helpful, super cohesive and super collaborative.”

He added that Dream Town offers corporate events for everyone to enjoy, including casual events like bowling nights and large company events such as annual parties.

Dream Town has also aligned itself with the nonprofit organization Cradles to Crayons, Gilani said.

“I’ve been involved with this charity work for years, previously with Coat Angels and now with Cradles to Crayons,” he said. “During the holiday season I would go to schools where we would outfit the kids with new and gently used winter coats.”

Kristen Vega started working at Dream Town in March 2021 and is approaching two and a half years with the marketing department as a senior graphic designer.

Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Vega said she had always hoped to one day move to Chicago. “Working for a real estate company in a new city has been a fantastic way to get to know the area, and everyone has been so kind and helpful when it comes to tips on everything from how to make it through the winter to going over tornado protocols,” Vega said.

Not only have people been helpful with general tips for the Midwest, but the collaborative spirit is something Vega said one can find in every aspect of Dream Town.

“If one of our brokers does something that is a success, they share their knowledge with everyone,” she said. “I’ve found the same goes for the marketing department — if one of us does something that proves to be helpful and or successful, we share it with everyone so we can all be successful.”

Vega said that although her team has the option of going into the office, most work remotely.

“It’s refreshing to log in to work every morning and immediately start laughing with co-workers,” Vega said. “When we do get together for a working day in the office or to grab a staff lunch, it’s always a fun time.”

Investing in their people, whether that involves helping them step into strategically valuable new roles or simply ensuring that they have access to top-notch benefit packages and ongoing support, is something that many of this year’s Top Workplaces have in common. These are the best small, midsize and large Chicagoland workplaces, according to rankings released by Energage on behalf of the Chicago Tribune.

Explore the full list of Chicago-area winners

These are the best small, midsize and large Chicagoland workplaces, according to rankings released by Energage on behalf of the Chicago Tribune. Read the full list.

Companies looking to bolster their skills are increasingly looking internally through ‘quiet hiring’

As employers grapple with a talent shortage and uncertainty over where the economy is headed, a growing number are turning to quiet hiring. They’re also doubling down on the traditional tactic of grooming talent from within. Read the full story.

At Kraft Heinz, company culture is key

Kraft Heinz appears for the first time this year on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, ranking 21st among large employers. The company employs more than 3,300 employees in Illinois, including its headquarters in downtown Chicago, a research and development center in Glenview, and across manufacturing and operations. The company has three manufacturing facilities and three primary distribution campuses in Illinois. Read the full story.

NOW Health Group, maker of natural foods and products, cultivates servant leadership

Bloomingdale-based NOW Health is one of the largest family-owned companies in the natural products industry. The company, which makes everything from daily vitamins and aromatherapy oils to children’s toothpaste, is ranked No. 18 among large employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. Read the full story.

At Ozinga, the family-owned concrete business, there’s a focus on diversity, community and growth

The company has supplied concrete for some of the Chicago area’s biggest projects, including the construction of Comiskey Park and the renovation of Soldier Field. Today Ozinga, which was founded in 1928 as the Ozinga Coal & Coke Co., has more than 2,000 employees in five states. The family-owned Mokena business, which celebrated its 95th anniversary this year, ranks 37th among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces. Read the full story.

At Dream Town Realty, a real estate website grew into a full-service firm

Long before the era of real estate marketplaces like Zillow and Redfin, DreamTown.com was making it possible for Chicago homebuyers to search for properties online. Dream Town, which earned the No. 1 ranking among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces, prides itself on being ahead of the curve in adopting and building proprietary technology. Read the full story.

Nuestro Queso, Hispanic cheesemaker, cultivates a strong culture through investments in the environment, employees

The company, which produces Mexican, Caribbean and Central American-style cheese and creams at its manufacturing site in Kent, Illinois, is ranked No. 94 among small employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. Chicago-based Nuestro Queso LLC, which employs 183 people, is a private-brand, co-packaging and ingredients manufacturer. Its customers include national retailers, top brands, distributors and manufacturers. Read the full story.

How the winners were selected

Our annual Top Workplaces report spotlights what companies are doing to recruit and retain the best employees while also cultivating loyalty. Read the full story.

Quiet hiring allows companies to acquire new skills without bringing on new full-time employees. It’s often accomplished by moving employees to different roles or having them take on new projects outside their job descriptions that stretch their skills, according to Emily Rose McRae, senior director analyst in global research company Gartner’s HR practice. It’s meant to strategically address acute immediate business needs.

As employers grapple with a talent shortage and uncertainty over where the economy is headed, a growing number are turning to quiet hiring. They’re also doubling down on the traditional tactic of grooming talent from within.

Quiet hiring “is partially being driven by the socioeconomic environment in which we find ourselves, the lack of individuals in the workplace to do the work that needs to be done,” said Jim Link, chief human resources officer with SHRM, formerly the Society for Human Resource Management, which has more than 325,000 members.

“We’re seeing that employers are being conservative in the way they think about adding to full-time head count,” he said. “They don’t want to overhire and an actual recession comes along.”

This is reflected in job openings. Through August this year, U.S. companies announced plans to add 135,980 positions, plummeting from the 783,074 new positions announced through the same period in 2022, Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. reported.

Manufacturing and retail industries began pursuing quiet hiring during the pandemic, McRae said. Bloomingdale-based NOW Health Group Inc., which appears on the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania, was among them.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, customer demand for our immune-building products skyrocketed, so it was all hands on deck,” said Patti Paulson Otto, director of compliance and employee relations at the company, which makes natural products and dietary supplements.

Employees from manufacturing, human resources, accounting, sales, IT and leadership worked evenings and first and second shifts on Saturdays at its distribution facility to pack orders, she said. Material handlers at its distribution facility were cross-trained and helped in manufacturing to meet the need, she added.

In some cases, quiet hiring involves hiring temporary workers to address short-term needs. Scale Virtually, a staffing company that also appears on the Chicago Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, has seen that firsthand. Sean Connolly, CEO, said quiet hiring has driven increased demand for staffing services at the company, and he expects the trend to help drive future growth.

Companies that engage in quiet hiring are able to meet their immediate staffing needs without going through a lengthy and costly recruitment process, experts and employers say. It can be a strategy for riding out periods of volatility and managing costs as industries shift.

For employees, quiet hiring represents an opportunity to acquire new skills, get experience and exposure in a new department, and maybe even chart a new career course.

But there are pitfalls to avoid. Employers need to make sure their employees don’t become overloaded. And they need to provide adequate training and clearly communicate goals and expectations. Employees who are “quietly hired” should also be compensated for the additional work in the form of bonuses, personal time off or the opportunity for career advancement, experts say.

“This has the potential to be a game changer for employees,” Link said.

At Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., quiet hiring is part of the company’s philosophy of promoting employees from within, said Julie Fry, chief human resources officer.

“Because of volatility in the housing market, the interest rates and the lack of inventory, we’re going through a bit of a perfect storm,” Fry said. “With quiet hiring, we’re not having to hire externally. We have internal talent we’re putting to use in different areas to continue to operate and protect jobs.”

Loan processors and loan officer assistants are learning to wear many hats, Fry said. And during times of market volatility, employees on Fairway’s HR team have moved to work in the licensing department.

“They understand licensing, but more importantly, they are able to innately learn and grow their business acumen within Fairway by being in other departments,” Fry said.

Fairway appears on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces and is among the firms that ranked particularly well for providing formal training, which helps employees reach their full potential.

As part of its groom-from-within efforts, the company has an internal coaching platform for loan officers, operations staff and corporate leaders.

“They have the opportunity to come into this coaching platform and be coached personally and professionally,” Fry said. “It provides them knowledge and growth opportunities in their respective positions. They learn from inside experts on the different ways to operate within Fairway. They learn the culture and how to navigate our culture.”

Fairway employees Ron Kluk and Carrie Reznicek have been quiet hires. Kluk, who is now the principal data architect at the company, said he has held several positions at the company and was tasked with taking on responsibilities outside those roles. After a major IT software project went live, he was asked to join the executives’ team to provide more front line feedback. He eventually was also asked to manage the group responsible for that software program. He benefited from taking on the added duties.

“A lot of personal and professional growth has occurred,” Kluk said, and he’s been able to get outside his comfort zone.

While working as a mortgage adviser, Reznicek approached regional managers about taking on the additional responsibility of helping raise brand awareness in the Chicago region. In addition to her decadeslong experience as a mortgage adviser, Reznicek said she previously worked in marketing and sales in the hospitality industry, so she had the necessary skills. The company wanted to run with her suggestion but couldn’t make it a full-time position. So they asked Reznicek if she’d add it to her responsibilities.

“I wanted to find a leadership role, and this has allowed me that path,” she said. “There’s been a lot of learning, a lot of experience and it’s given me an opportunity to share some knowledge.”

Quiet hiring has helped Plante Moran, an accounting, tax and consulting firm on the Tribune’s list of top midsize employers, weather the national shortage of accountants, said Tom Kinder, managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office.

The company also has benefited from its focus on career development and training.

There are fellowships available for employees that allow them to work in different parts of the firm for a designated period, Kinder said.

A separate apprenticeship program exposes employees to a variety of segments of the business with the goal of helping them make informed decisions about the specialty they want to pursue.

Kevin Dailey, senior manager in Plante Moran’s assurance group, said he’s participated in several fellowship programs. He is currently in the firm’s professional standards group fellowship, which is for general managers and above, he said.

“It’s not meant to be accretive to the overall workload,” he said of the fellowship. “It’s meant to give me the opportunity to see more complex and more challenging concepts within the firm outside of my own client base.

“It forces me to delegate some of the work that I would normally do to some of the younger team members so they can get that experience, and it helps to push them and stretch them, to give them exposure to areas that they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to see.”

Compass, another company that appears on the Tribune’s Top Workplaces list, also provides training opportunities that allow workers to have upwardly mobile career paths.

There’s transparency and visibility on all the opportunities that emerge at the company, and “that’s not just when we need to hire somebody, but as work initiatives and projects are happening, everybody has full visibility to them,” said Fran Broude, regional vice president of Midstates for the technology and real estate company.

Among the training programs rolled out at Compass is All Hands on Tech, an eight-week program that tech and nontech staff members participated in to gain a baseline knowledge of the company’s tech products, said Angela Smith, senior director of marketing and operations.

Colin McCasland, agent experience manager at the company, said his job description is to help onboard new agents and teach them about the company’s technology. His responsibilities have expanded to include supporting other departments and being a liaison teaching agents how to submit commission and compliance work.

He’s welcomed the additional responsibilities.

“I feel like I’m more valuable to my team,” he said.

At insurance company American Income Life — Lloyd Agencies, another Tribune Top Workplace, anyone looking to advance is promoted through a hierarchy that all managers have gone through and that includes agent up to regional general agent, said Sabrina Lloyd, CEO of the insurance company. The system has created a culture of trust, where opportunities for advancement are clearly visible, Lloyd said.

“In many places you can’t advance until somebody retires or leaves,” said Zachary Otto, who has helped train agents at the company. “That doesn’t exist in a place like this. Your results speak for themselves.”

Stephen Baird, CEO of Chicago-based real estate services Baird & Warner Inc., said grooming from within “is a major tenet of how we run the organization.

“We’ve always felt the best way to develop people is internally. We know those people. When you go outside, you never quite know what you’re going to get. We have three different business segments, so we have lots of opportunities.”

People are encouraged to apply for different positions, and the company has detailed training programs for new agents, leadership development training and targeted training for individuals seeking to perfect certain skill sets, said Wendy Dahm, chief people officer. Managers also meet regularly with their employees, so they always understand their interests and career goals and can look for opportunities to help them realize those goals, Dahm said.

Employee LaToya Spann-Martin has benefited from that approach. She has been with the company’s Key Mortgage Services operation since 2018 and recently was tapped to be area sales manager of Community Impact, a new division dedicated to increasing homeownership in underserved low- and moderate-income communities. It’s something for which Spann-Martin said she has always had a passion.

In her personal life, she has enjoyed leading homebuyer workshops at church groups, schools and local businesses. While serving in her last role, she said she was asked to take on the additional responsibility of being a homebuyer education instructor for Baird and led workshops as part of a company partnership with Habitat for Humanity Chicago.

“They spent a lot of time investing in nurturing me, in helping groom me to be a strong presenter” and leveraging her community volunteer activities, she said.

So, when the division was launched, the company didn’t need to look externally to find someone to lead it. She stood at the ready and has the internal support she needs to be successful, she said.

“In today’s competitive hiring environment, it’s even more important for Baird to look at its own people and give them as many opportunities as possible,” Dahm said. “It’s a win-win.”

Francine Knowles is a freelance writer.

Quiet hiring allows employers to acquire new skills without hiring permanent, full-time workers. Instead, companies address strategic business needs by assigning existing employees to new roles that stretch their skills. It’s a trend that’s taken hold as firms grapple with a competitive hiring market and a possible recession.

Whether you agree or disagree with the strategy behind quiet hiring, one thing is clear. The companies on this year’s Top Workplaces report are investing in their people, whether that involves helping them step into strategically valuable new roles or simply ensuring that they have access to top-notch benefit packages and ongoing support.

So, what does it take to be named a top workplace?

On behalf of the Tribune, Energage of Exton, Pennsylvania, a workplace survey and improvement specialist, conducted a survey of nominated Chicago-area employers with at least 100 employees. Most of the surveys were conducted between April and July.

To determine the winners, Energage conducted a scientific survey. The Tribune did not pay Energage. The Tribune used news coverage as well as advertising to seek nominations. In total, 6,028 companies were invited to participate. Of those, 300 companies completed the survey, allowing Energage to identify the top organizations divided into three categories: small (fewer than 250 employees), midsize (250 to 999) and large (1,000 or more), the same divisions as previous surveys.

Surveys were sent to 107,997 workers in the Chicago area, of which 65,162 responded.

Energage delivered the top results to the Tribune. The list of companies not designated a Top Workplace was kept confidential by Energage. The firm questioned employees using paper and online surveys.

Employees responded to a set of statements about their feelings toward their workplace, using a seven-point scale. The statements focused on issues such as leadership of the company, execution and connection. A numerical value was attached to each statement, allowing Energage to create an overall score for each company.

Afterward, Energage ran a series of statistical tests to look for any questionable results. The firm said it sometimes disqualifies a small number of employers based on those tests. The list is categorized by size because smaller employers tend to score higher than midsize employers, and midsize employers tend to score higher than large employers.

— Kim Quillen, senior editor

Braun’s company has made a number of environmental investments, including the creation of a $4.5 million reserve that reuses manufacturing wastewater to irrigate agricultural crops. The company also invests in its employees, providing training so that they can advance in their careers and, over the summer, began work on a new break room for the staff.

“They all tie together, it’s the values and standards and how you conduct yourself,” Braun said. “We’re just going to do the right thing. Oftentimes, it’s not the least expensive, but it’s the right thing. People recognize that.”

The company, which produces Mexican, Caribbean and Central American-style cheese and creams at its manufacturing site in Kent, Illinois, is ranked No. 94 among small employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Chicago-based Nuestro Queso LLC, which employs 183 people, is a private-brand, co-packaging and ingredients manufacturer. Its customers include national retailers, top brands, distributors and manufacturers.

All the company’s cheeses are free of growth hormones and use milk sourced from farmers who are committed to animal welfare, Braun said.

“It makes you feel proud to work here,” head cheesemaker Jesus Vazquez said of the company’s commitment to sustainability, the environment and animal welfare, speaking through a translator.

In addition to creating the reserve, Nuestro Queso also replaced a water softening system that used chlorides with a system that makes purified water and that uses less chemicals. Braun also said all of the factory’s lighting has been converted to LED, and new energy-efficient HVAC systems have been installed.

Francisco Nicolat, who works in accounts payable and receivables, said he feels “definite satisfaction” in working for a company that cares about the community and the environment.

Employees said opportunities for advancement also help make Nuestro Queso a top workplace. Nicolat has worked there for 14 years. He started off working part-time in the warehouse helping fill customer orders before moving into an office administration job and advancing to his present position.

Vazquez has worked at the plant for 12 years. He started out as an operator, before moving up to team leader, pasteurizer and now to head cheesemaker.

“The company does a good job in giving people the opportunity to grow,” Vazquez said of his personal experience. “I didn’t want to be stuck in one position.”

Staff have the freedom to propose things, such as ways to improve efficiency, he added.

Rosa Dominguez, quality assurance assistant manager at the plant, also has been able to advance. She previously worked as a lab technician at the plant and as quality supervisor before rising to her current position.

The relationship between management and the nonmanagement staff is positive, she said, noting that “employees are able to speak to management easily. I feel they have a good connection with our team. There’s always ups and downs, but all in all, there’s good communication.”

Nuestro Queso has worked hard to create a positive culture and take care of its employees, Human Resources Manager Jane West said.

“It’s like a family company,” she said. “Probably everybody on our production floor knows who Mark is. They know who our CFO is. They know everybody in our corporate office because they come here. It shows employees it doesn’t matter your title, they care.”

West said the company offers training so that employees can move up, achieve goals, and “find meaning in their job and feel like they are not just a number on the floor. We care about making sure they can operate successfully.”

Last year the company implemented a new monthly training program called Alchemy that covered food safety, quality, inclusion, bullying, mental wellness and a wide range of other topics, she said.

The company also broke ground this summer on an expansion that, besides the new breakroom, includes new bathroom facilities and lockers for employees.

Nuestro Queso offers a comprehensive benefits package that it touts as one of the best in the industry and that includes medical, dental and vision, a 401(k) plan and attendance bonuses. Benefits also include short-term and long-term disability coverage that is paid for entirely by the company for employees who sign up for medical insurance.

The cheesemaker has benefited from its positive workplace culture as evidenced through low employee turnover and its ability to attract workers, Braun said.

“We have stacks of applications for employees,” Braun said. “We’re talking about in an environment where it’s tough to find labor. Employees talk to employees from other places and say, ‘You should come work here.’ That feeds on itself.”

He credits the company’s culture with contributing greatly to its growth and success.

“The company has tripled the business in the last four years,” he said. “That’s huge for a food company. That’s in terms of revenues, production, by any metric that we use. Our business grew over 40% last year, and it’s up over that again this year. We’ve tripled the size of our workforce in just the last two years.”

So what’s key to maintaining a top workplace amid continuing rapid growth?

“It’s just sticking to our core values. If we do that, we will remain there. We don’t want to drift away from that, and we really haven’t,” Braun said.

Francine Knowles is a freelance writer.

“My daughter works here. My sister works here, my cousin,” said Pineda, who encouraged them all to seek employment at NOW Health Group. “I was the first. I told them I work for the best company.”

She’s not alone in her assessment of Bloomingdale-based NOW Health, one of the largest family-owned companies in the natural products industry. Company executives and employees say a culture of servant leadership has helped create a strong workplace environment. So have great benefits, spin-the-wheel perks, open communication and a familylike environment.

The company, which makes everything from daily vitamins and aromatherapy oils to children’s toothpaste, is ranked No. 18 among large employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.

NOW Health Group is driven by “how much we value our people and the people who are on our team,” CEO Jim Emme said. It’s about following the golden rule, he said, “being respectful, treating each other as you want to be treated, culture, values and talent, being true to ourselves and making sure everybody understands that they are valued.”

At NOW Health Group, which produces more than 1,400 dietary supplements, foods, sports nutrition and personal care products, managers go through servant leadership training, said Patti Paulson Otto, director of compliance and employee relations. They talk about communication styles, recognizing differences in style, and how to talk about issues and come to an agreement with those who have a different style, she explained.

NOW Health Group has a culture of empathy and focuses on serving employees by addressing their needs, and keeping them engaged and informed, said Otto, who has worked for the company for 27 years.

“Our benefits are second to none,” said Peggy Tomassoni, a sales representative who is based out of the company’s Bloomingdale corporate offices and has been with the business for more than eight years.

The company’s benefits package includes free generic drugs, a 401(k) plan with an annual match of up to $6,500 per employee, a 46% discount on medical insurance premiums, $5,000 in adoption assistance, 100% company-funded profit-sharing, quarterly bonuses and medical, dental and vision coverage.

On Jan. 1, the company will implement a change in its wellness program, which had provided $250 annually to employees for use on massages, to make it a lifestyle program that provides $300 annually for full-time employees and $150 for part-time staffers that can be used for groceries and gas.

“It’s great to have a massage, but right now I think our employees may need more help paying for gas,” said Michelle Canada, vice president of Human Resources, adding that the company is constantly evaluating and looking at how to make the workplace environment better and keep employees engaged.

Employees say they are recognized and celebrated. For his birthday, Victor Ruiz, production lead at the company’s manufacturing plant, said he was able to spin the company’s birthday wheel, which includes prizes such as eight hours of paid time off and cash awards.

“I won $1,000,” he said.

“There’s a family kind of feeling here,” he said of the workplace environment. “The communication is amazing.”

Tomassoni echoed that sentiment.

“I never feel afraid to go to anybody if I have any questions or concerns,” she said. “They make it very easy to communicate.”

That’s because transparency and open communication are priorities, Canada said. There’s an open-door policy between the staff, managers and executives, and there are daily huddles with employees in production and warehouse operations to discuss the business, what’s working, what’s not, she said.

Updates are provided through company newsletters, and Emme holds town hall meetings to provide company information, discuss short-term and long-term plans and get feedback from the staff. There are also regular random employee chats, which the human resources staff conducts with veteran employees as well as new hires, to check in on how they’re doing and see if they have the resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Employees are recognized for making suggestions about improvements and safety enhancements.

Among the benefits the company offers is access to bilingual care partners, who are available on-site to provide support when employees face personal challenges. They help minister to staff’s personal needs.

Carrie Fitzgerald, an executive assistant at the company’s Bloomingdale plant, took advantage of that assistance.

“Seven years ago, when I came here, I was going through things,” she said. “There were people to help me, guide me. It made such a difference in my life.”

Professionally, she said she’s benefited personally from the company’s focus on servant leadership. She was shy and started out at the company as a senior administrative assistant before being promoted to her current position.

“My boss has taken personal time to sit with me, coach me, to make me a better person personally and to groom me (professionally),” Fitzgerald said. “She’s sent me to classes, seminars.”

As a result, Fitzgerald has improved her computer skills, learned how to establish boundaries and boosted her confidence, she said.

“She instilled in me that we are a team,” Fitzgerald said. “She is a servant leader.”

Diversity is also highly valued at the company. Sixty-one percent of the staff are from minority populations, and employees speak nine different languages.

Among its diverse staff are high-functioning young adults with special needs and disabilities. They work in its offices performing clerical tasks, in manufacturing helping on the lines and at its distribution facility. Company founder Elwood Richard felt it was important to provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities because he believed in helping people reach their potential at various levels, Otto said.

The company is committed to maintaining a top workplace culture. It’s critical, executives said.

“Culture trumps strategy in almost every situation,” Emme said. “It’s fundamental to the success of an organization.”

Francine Knowles is a freelance writer.

Today Ozinga, which was founded in 1928 as the Ozinga Coal & Coke company, has more than 2,000 employees in five states.

The family-owned Mokena business, which celebrated its 95th anniversary this year, ranks 37th among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces, as measured by the consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania.

Many know Ozinga for its red-and-white concrete mixer trucks. But employees know the company, which operates in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and south Florida, for its commitment to community and its family-like atmosphere.

“Our ownership is very growth-minded,” said Joya Calloway, organizational development supervisor. “They want to make sure that as the company grows and expands that our purpose and work culture remains the same. They are really careful not to lose the sense of family as the company grows.”

Ozinga’s Diversity, Unity, and Fellowship Initiative offers informational sessions, service-learning opportunities and other gatherings that celebrate heritage months like Black History Month and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In December, the company will acknowledge International Day of Persons With Disabilities.

“The initiative is pretty new,” Calloway said. “I started those diversity efforts last year. It’s about celebrating our differences and coming together with our purpose in mind. A purpose of making a positive impact.”

Ozinga also celebrates employee milestones, including work anniversaries and family developments.

“We celebrate new babies,” Calloway said. That type of information is often shared on communication screens in the Ozinga offices. The screens also broadcast co-worker spotlights, where employees have the opportunity to share fun facts about themselves.

“So no one is an employee, we are all co-workers. Whether you’re a senior executive or handling the finances, everyone is a co-worker,” Calloway said.

Ready-Mix billing specialist Becca Draper recently celebrated her seventh year with Ozinga. She started at the company as a receptionist.

The mother of a 16-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter appreciates the work-life balance her job offers.

She also enjoys engaging with her co-workers and their families at the picnics, holiday parties and sporting events the company hosts.

“From the co-workers to the customers it’s like another family,” Draper said. “It’s really just a positive experience building relationships with each other.”

Draper also appreciates the service projects Ozinga employees participate in. She said her billing team recently cleaned the cabins at Shady Oaks Camp in Homer Glen and helped get the camp organized for summertime campers.

Mary Kate Burns, Ozinga’s HR compliance supervisor, has been employed by Ozinga for more than two years. “I love the faith-based environment, starting meetings with prayers and ending with prayers,” said Burns, who occasionally joins co-workers for walks around the neighborhood to get fresh air and exercise. “Each role or position within the company plays a vital role in the company’s overall success.”

Joe Garcia started working in Indiana as an assistant safety/environmental coordinator for Ozinga. He flourished in the position and was given the opportunity for advancement on the corporate side of the company.

In August, Garcia became the learning and development manager, a position that involves overseeing all aspects of Ozinga’s training and development.

“It’s an amazing company to work with,” he said. “The owners are really down to earth and very approachable. And although we are a larger company, it still has the feel of a small family-owned business.”

For the past 14 years, Energage, formerly Workplace Dynamics, has been ranking workplaces in the Chicago area and the nation through employee surveys, assessing everything from work-life balance to confidence in company leadership.

Top Workplaces 2023 rankings

Large (companies with 1,000 or more employees locally)

Midsize (companies with 250-999 employees locally)

Small (companies with 249 or fewer employees locally)

“We believe our company culture is the main differentiator that will lead us to greatness,” said Monica Novomisle, chief people officer for Kraft Heinz North America. “The growth of our people is a critical metric of business success.

Over the past four years, the food manufacturer has been transforming its operations and its corporate culture, Novomisle said. Kraft Heinz has doubled down on diversifying its ranks, and it’s committed to championing employees and helping them develop. The company has also created engagement councils comprised of employees at every level who gather real-time feedback and tackle issues head-on.

“Every person at Kraft Heinz owns creating and bettering our community, and it’s working,” Novomisle said.

Kraft Heinz appears for the first time this year on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, as measured by consultancy Energage in Exton, Pennsylvania. Kraft Heinz ranks 21st among large employers. The company employs more than 3,300 employees in Illinois, including its headquarters in downtown Chicago, a research and development center in Glenview, and across manufacturing and operations. The company has three manufacturing facilities and three primary distribution campuses in Illinois.

This year, Kraft Heinz has hired approximately 550 people across Chicagoland, Novomisle said. The company has been investing in areas that will fuel its continued growth, including R&D and the innovation and digital teams.

At the same time, the company strives to maintain a sense of community.

“We’ve been vocal about making our big company feel smaller,” Novomisle said. “Volunteering together and working in our communities together helps give us that ‘small feel’ while making a difference.”

The company holds an annual Packathon for Rise Against Hunger that brings together employees at two dozen sites across the globe to pack meals. In 2022, employees packed 700,000 meals. This year, the company set a goal to pack 1 million meals for children and families in need.

The company also offers an athletic charity program where 25 employees from across the globe competed in the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, raising money for the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

“As a company, we’ve stepped in to sponsor our runners, covering all the costs, race fees, fundraising minimum and travel expenses,” Novomisle said.

Abby Kalsto, senior marketing analyst for Lunchables, has been employed at Kraft Heinz since graduating from college in 2020.

“It’s been a dream of mine to go back to school and get my MBA,” Kalsto said. “Kraft Heinz has given me the financial freedom and balance to focus on my part-time MBA program at Northwestern Kellogg School of Management. It means so much to me to have an employer who supports my personal and professional growth.”

But for Kalsto, the best part of working at Kraft Heinz is the autonomy. “Every day I come to work and I’m able to make decisions that create a positive impact in consumers’ lives,” she said.

During Patty LaValle-Jones’ three-plus years with Kraft Heinz, the director of procurement and transformation has noticed the company’s endless pursuit to be better.

“The company urges us to bring our diverse knowledge and experiences to work each day,” she said. “We are encouraged to find our voice and to speak up, challenge the status quo and drive solutions.”

LaValle-Jones said Kraft Heinz has invested in her development by providing executive coaching and various types of training. The company also offers tools and resources that employees can leverage for mental and physical well-being, she said.

The company offers LiveWell, a program that helps employees manage their physical, financial, social and emotional health. This year Kraft Heinz added two apps as part of the LiveWell program: “Daylight,” which treats anxiety, and “Sleepio,” which treats insomnia, Novomisle said.

Kraft Heinz also has a “work from anywhere” program, which gives employees the ability to work outside the company’s offices for up to six weeks each year.

“We all play many roles as individuals personally and professionally, and finding that balance has been easier by leveraging Kraft Heinz’s culture of flexibility and our more recent six weeks ‘work from anywhere’ benefit,” LaValle-Jones said.

Adis Sulejmanovic, head of demand planning, has been with Kraft Heinz for a little over five years. He finds that the most exciting part about the organization is its “We” culture.

“Our principles inspire collaboration, aim for excellence and guide our journey of continuous improvement,” he said. “We play to win, and we do it by investing in our people, being dependable to our partners, serving our customers and giving back to our communities. It is also energizing to be part of the history of an organization that has been feeding the world with world-class iconic brands for well over 100 years.”