LANSING – Public Policy Associates, Inc. (PPA) has been recognized for exceptional workplace flexibility for the fourth year in a row.
PPA is one of just 23 Michigan firms to win the 2012 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility and one of only 11 that have been honored the past four years. The companies were honored at an awards ceremony in Novi.
“The world has evolved and we have tried to adjust accordingly. We understand that our staff members have personal lives that don’t neatly fit into a static work schedule, and we are committed to creating a culture that supports a strong quality of life both in the office and at home. This is good for our employees and good for PPA,” said PPA President Jeffrey D. Padden. “It is truly an honor to receive this award, which affirms that we are on the right path.”
PPA is also committed to creating a workplace that embraces diversity and recognizes that staff members’ differing backgrounds and experiences enrich the quality of PPA’s work. Every staff member undertook 36 hours of diversity training in 2011-12, and the work continues. “This is the single largest investment we have ever made in professional development. It is paying off for us in terms of making PPA a better place to work and a more competitive firm in the changing marketplace,” said Padden.
Sloan Awards are determined by a rigorous evaluation of employers’ flexibility programs and practices, as well as a confidential employee survey. The awards are part of When Work Works, a national project to educate the business community on the value of workplace effectiveness and flexibility. It is an initiative of the Families and Work Institute (FWI) first funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
“Our research consistently finds that employees in effective and flexible workplaces have greater engagement on the job and greater desire to stay with their organization. In addition, they report lower stress levels and better overall health,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of FWI, which administers the awards with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
In 2011, SHRM and FWI formed a ground-breaking, multiyear partnership to grow When Work Works and help businesses become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. For more information about the When Work Works project and the Sloan Awards, visit www.whenworkworks.org.
Public Policy Associates, Inc. is a national research and evaluation firm specializing in education and workforce development, criminal and juvenile justice, human services, and economic revitalization. For more information, visit www.publicpolicy.com.