Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen was awarded one of the Best Places to Work by the Workforce Development. The awards program was a commissioned study by Workforce Development Inc. The purpose of the program was to recognize some of the best employers in our local area and provide vital information to companies about the practices they use to attract and retain employees. Each company participating was required to complete a 40-question survey that allowed their employment practices to be analyzed by the consulting firm of Personnel Dynamics Consulting of Florida. Every company participating in the survey will receive a detailed 19-page report detailing the information on their company and the results of the survey. Those companies recognized received a special award at the Best Places To Work awards banquet on Jan. 20.

The data was measured on such parameters as: turnover, rate of growth, promotion rates, employee evaluations and feedback, percentage of employees injured, diversity of management, benefits offered, training expenditures, paid days off and increase in pay.

Eight companies representing the counties of Winona, Freeborn, Mower, Rice, Steele, Goodhue, Olmsted, Houston, Dodge, Fillmore and Wabasha counties were recognized as the Best Places to Work in Southeast Minnesota. Companies with fewer than 100 employees recognized were: Commercial Water Distributers LLC., IBI Data, Larson Allan LLP and Poet Biorefining – Preston. Companies with more than 100 employees were: The Bergquist Company, Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Olmsted Medical Center and Pearson.

For more information on the Best Places to Work program, contact Jakki Trihey, Special Projects Coordinator at Workforce Development Inc.