Fifteen companies were recently recognized as the Best Places to Work in southeast Minnesota at an event April 25 at the Rochester International Event Center.

Three businesses in the mid-size employer category were Albert Lea businesses. The mid-size category includes businesses with 101 to 400 employees.

The Albert Lea businesses recognized were Alamco Wood Products Inc., Alliance Benefit Group and Innovance.

The Best Places to Work awards program was a commissioned study by Workforce Development Inc. The purpose of the program was to recognize some of the best employers in the 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. Each company that participated received a 19-page report detailing the information on their company and the results of the survey.

The data was measured on parameters such 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.

Employers also had an opportunity to highlight the programs they were most proud of or best practices that they believe have a positive impact on their workforce.