SHEFFIELD – Bank Independent, one of North Alabama’s fastest growing banks, is ranked No. 36 on Newsweek’s annual Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces list for 2022.
Newsweek collaborated with the Best Practice Institute, a leadership development and research company, to survey more than 1.4 million employees from businesses with workforces varying in size from 50 to more than 10,000 employees.
“Making the Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces list is another validation of the wonderful culture our team continues to build for each other,” said Bank Independent CEO Rick Wardlaw. “The leadership at Bank Independent has a sincere desire that every team member is connected in a way to feel an important part of the bank’s mission to make a positive difference in people’s lives.”
The ranking recognizes Bank Independent for employee sentiment and satisfaction. The company said its business model is to respect, appreciate and care for the employees.
“The investment the bank makes in our team members is reflected in our customers trusting us with their business,” Wardlaw said. “It is also reflected in the growth our team members experience in making a positive difference to each other, their families, and their communities.”
The surveys were based on five critical areas measured to gauge employee sentiment including how positive workers feel about their future at the company; career achievement; how much employer values align with employee values; respect at all levels; and the level of collaboration at the firm.
Other areas such as inclusion, diversity, equity and belonging, and company response and adaptability to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as return-to-office rules, were also identified and analyzed in relation to the five critical areas measured.
“As a result of ‘The Great Resignation,’ more companies recognize the importance of focusing on employee satisfaction to not only attract but retain top talent,” said Nancy Cooper, global editor in chief at Newsweek. “The businesses on this year’s list clearly demonstrated that commitment.”
Thirty-five percent of the initial score was based on employee survey responses; 25 percent was derived from analysis of external public ratings from sites such as Comparably, Careerbliss, Glassdoor, Indeed and Google. Forty percent came from direct interviews with, and written responses from company officials.
Louis Carter, CEO of the Best Practice Institute said the companies on this year’s list represent the best at placing love at the center of their employee’s experience.
“The number of applications this year and analysis of survey data reinforces our original findings that love is the strongest predictor of the strength of a company’s culture, employee engagement, and satisfaction,” Carter said.
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