The Insider Scoop: Behind the Scenes of Winning 20th Place on Crain’s Chicago Business – “Best Places to Work” List.
When Crain’s Chicago Business created a list of the “Best Places to Work” in Chicago, three years ago, it joined a whole group of other prestigious Crain’s lists, famous throughout the Midwest for compiling data on businesses that spanned from the largest privately held corporations, to the fifty that boasted fastest growth. In the first two years, Crain’s vetted and then published a list of the top 20 “Best Places to Work” in the Chicago metropolitan area. The requirements for consideration were constructed to allow only companies above a certain size to qualify. In this, the third year of competition, realizing that the backbone of both the American and Midwestern economies were in the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises category, the requirements for qualification were adjusted.
TRIUNE Health Group was now eligible to compete for the recognition of being one of the top 20 “Best Places to Work” in Chicagoland, so we notified Crain’s and their independent third party out of New York, Buck Consultants, of our intent. Buck Consultants employed rigorous controls to ensure that all information was kept in the strictest of confidence and reported in a way which protected the confidentiality of each participating organization.
Round 1: On October 19, 2009, the Employer Survey was released to all the participating companies in the Chicagoland area. Numerous corporations and businesses began the application process, of which, one hundred and fifty leading Chicagoland companies survived this round. According to one of the organizers, the 2010 Crain’s Chicago Business – “Best Places to Work” contest would prove to be the most intensely fought battle that Crain’s has ever seen. The Employer Survey focused on pay and promotion practices, health care and other benefits, hiring practices, and corporate culture. Approximately one month later, the employer portion of the survey was closed.
Round 2: Three days later, the Employee Engagement Survey went out covering employee engagement, career development, total rewards, and work environment. Over 30,000 individual employees spread throughout the Chicagoland area were surveyed in this round. Buck Consultants was given a comprehensive list of email addresses, accounting for each member of the TRIUNE Health Group team. Individual employees were randomly selected, with complete anonymity, and all answers and feedback were confidential. Employees were queried on their experiences as well as satisfaction levels with the care provided by TRIUNE Health Group.
Round 3: In early January 2010, TRIUNE Health Group was notified that it had scored high enough in both rounds of surveys to qualify as one of the Top 20 “Best Places to Work” and would proceed to the next level of competition. The interview process consisted of one round of interviews with the management team and a second round of interviews with a random selection of employees. The interviews took place with an independent journalist for Crain’s.
Winners Announced: On March 27, 2010, the list was released online, and on March 29, 2010, it was released in print. TRIUNE Health Group ended up as one of the top twenty “Best Places to Work” in Chicago, claiming 20th place, having beaten several more prominent contenders. This came as no surprise to TRIUNE Health Group; it merely reflected what we already knew. One of the reporters from Crain’s who spoke to the husband and wife owners of TRIUNE Health Group, Christopher J. and Mary Anne Yep, said that it was unusual to see medium sized companies make the list because they have fewer resources to allocate toward caring for their employees. Crain’s Chicago Business was pleasantly surprised to see that companies such as TRIUNE Health Group, do, in fact, place such high priority on treating their people with the dignity and respect they deserve as human beings, and caring for them accordingly. Each company who achieved a place on this prestigious list received a compiled data report on the best composite practices and where they ranked over all in each category. This will be an effective means of gauging how well the company is doing in helping its own people, as well as an effective benchmark for improvement.
Award Reception: On April 22, 2010, an award reception sponsored by Crain’s Chicago Business, was held at a popular restaurant in downtown Chicago. Representatives from all top 20 winning companies of the 2010 “Best Places to Work” in Chicagoland were present. Attendees had the chance to meet the other winners, build relationships, and network for future business opportunities. It was interesting to find out that many of the corporations on the list of “Best Places to Work” in 2010 had also held a prestigious place in the previous years, but TRIUNE Health Group, in its first year of competing, was new to this list. A plaque commemorating this award has been placed in the front lobby of both TRIUNE Health Group offices.
Owners Note: It is a competitive market, but we think it is safe to say that we will continue to value our employees and learn from other companies, other ways to improve caring for our people, who are our greatest asset. Happy, fully engaged, TRIUNE Health Group employees make a difference in the world of business today, because we are more apt to share our joy and enthusiasm with customers and everyone else we come in contact with on a daily basis. We thank each and every employee, and Crain’s Chicago Business for their help in winning this award. We especially want to thank our Finance and Business Development Director, Thomas G. Yep, for his vision, diligence, and perseverance through this entire process.
Triune Health Group Named One of Chicago's Best Places to Work
For Immediate Release 21 April 2010
Contact: Thomas Yep 630.522.8904
TRIUNE Health Group was named one of the Best Places to Work in the greater Chicagoland area by Crain’s Chicago Business, the city’s premier Business publication. With over 30,000 business professionals from over 250 different companies surveyed, being named to this prestigious list is exactly that. “First and foremost we would like to thank our customers” Chris Yep, founder, president and CEO said, “without them, we would not have an award to talk about.”
Happy employees mean happy customers. Once a month, Triune employees attend a staff meeting. It's an expensive proposition, given that its employees in the field bill by the hour and work as far away as Washington, D.C. "We feel it's essential that people hear directly from us what we're trying to accomplish and that we hear back from them what are the barriers to success, what's on their wish list," says Chris Yep, founder, president and CEO of the family-run business that provides rehabilitation services and wellness programs for insurance companies and small and large employers.
Understanding employees and customizing programs to meet their needs at different life and career stages may be the key characteristic of all the Best Places to Work. Hearing what employees need is part of Triune's emphasis on respect and a good work-life balance. In order to provide the best service, TRIUNE Health Group also provides employees in the field with a BlackBerry, air card, laptop and printer. "We're given a lot of encouragement and support," says Nancy Galloway, a nurse case manager who knows employees at rival companies who catch up on e-mail at home at night because they don't have similar technical support.
Obviously, having the resources to offer employees generous benefits (and salaries) can set a company apart as a desirable place to work, especially at a time when other employers have been cutting back due to the recession. The companies on this year's Best Places to Work list also share qualities that aren't determined by budgets, particularly an emphasis on career development and the availability of flexible work arrangements. Offering employees the opportunity to rotate to other areas within a company, providing mentoring by senior colleagues, letting people work from home or giving them flexible hours cost little or nothing but can have a big impact on morale.
It also doesn't take a big investment to foster a culture that suits a company's unique workforce. Culture it is more than just the mood of the office. It's the way you do business, the way communication is handled. It should translate into everything you're doing and be reflected in the programs you're using.
Details on the Best Places to Work Award:
Who was eligible? Any business with more than 50 employees as of Sept. 30 in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. More than 250 applied. In past years, a firm needed 100 employees to apply. Dropping the threshold allowed wider participation. "Larger companies tended to score better on the employer survey because they have more resources and are able to offer more employee programs," says Don Strickland, leader of Buck Consultants LLC's employee listening practice. "Smaller companies tended to score better on the employee survey because they provide a more inviting everyday work environment. By using both surveys, each size has a relatively equal opportunity to compete."
What criteria were used? Buck Consultants, a New York-based employee and human resources consulting firm, developed two surveys, one for the company and another for its employees. In total, 150 companies completed both rounds. More than 30,000 employees took the survey. The employer portion focused on quantitative issues about pay, promotions, health care and other benefits, hiring practices and more. The 41-question employee engagement portion dealt with fairness of pay, vacation time, relationships with management and co-workers, career development and other day-to-day workplace issues.
What is engagement? Employee engagement is an indicator of the degree to which employees feel involved and committed to their work. As the survey results show, key factors in engagement include open and transparent management, clear communication of company goals and obvious paths to promotion.
How was it scored? The two surveys had a possible combined score of 1,000 points, with 600 derived from the employee survey.
Information supplied by Crain’s Chicago Business: www.crainschicago.com
Disability Management Network is Now Triune Health Group
Disability Management Network has been renamed Triune Health Group as of October 7, 2007 in order to encompass the companies complete range of services and capabilities.
Rockford, Illinois (PRWEB) November 5, 2007 -- Triune Health Group, developed by Disability Management Network (DMN), has made its' official debut on October 7, 2007. The company owners, Christopher and Mary Anne Yep are proud to announce this significant event in the history of the company.
Seventeen years ago, on October 7, 1990, the Disability Management Group was formed. From small beginnings, the organization has grown with its customers help into an organization that now serves over ten thousand individuals each year.
DMN began as a Vocational Rehabilitation and Medical Case Management company. Built on a foundation of excellence, and based on a balanced commitment to 'Service, Quality, and Results', it has grown steadily over the years. The DMN logo, with its three interlocking circles has always been a symbol of this balanced commitment. It has also included at its very core a respect for the dignity of life of each individual; an understanding that has led to great results and exciting growth in serving the DMN customer base.
Ten years ago, in response to DMN customer needs, the company experienced a significant expansion when it added Occupational Health products to the DMN primary business of Case Management. Several years later the company expanded into Injury Prevention and Employee Wellness and most recently, Telephonic Case Management.
In addition, DMN has introduced a comprehensive Employee Assistance Program, which offers customers another tool for success. All of these services help build stronger companies by building healthier individuals.
With all of the aforementioned service enhancements, it only made sense to give a new name to the company reflecting its total health network services. As such, the company is now Triune Health Group (Triune).
The new identity reflects what clients have asked for. The companies' primary business will remain Medical Case Management and Vocational Rehabilitation services, which will continue to focus on the rebuilding of lives and individuals getting back to work. In addition to this, Triune Health Group will meet its customer's needs for injury and disease prevention through employee wellness.
The new logo incorporates the same three circles within its foundation, assuring that Triune is the same company that individuals have come to trust. The addition of the triangle reflects the expanded services which support the dignity, wellness and balance of the total person.
Triune Health Group is building stronger companies by building healthier individuals.
As the company continues to move forward, it would like to thank all of its customers for their years of trust and support. Triune and its employees are very grateful and our clients can be assured of our continued commitment to their success.
About Christopher Yep
Chris has over 30 years in the field of Rehabilitation Management. He completed a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at the Illinois Institute of Technology and is currently a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. His experience includes managing multi state operations for a National Case Management company as well as overseeing product development, quality of service and marketing. Working in private rehabilitation for 20 years, Chris has also had experience as a Rehabilitation Consultant and as a Vocational Expert. He is certified as an expert both by the Social Security Administration. He is the owner and President of the Triune Health Group, LTD.
About Triune Health Group
Triune Health Group continues to lead the industry with innovative solutions relating to employee health and wellness.
From day one, Triunes charter has been to serve clients with the highest level of quality and integrity. The formula for success has always been the same: Hire and retain the best professionals, then empower them to do the right thing for each client without compromise.
Triune is proud of the caliber of people that our on staff and part of the Triune Team. It is what makes the company unique and successful.