Reading between the lines: Austin American-Statesman extends deadline for Top Workplaces nominations

[TexasTowelie]

The Top Workplaces of Greater Austin project recognizes Central Texas employers that stand for the best in leadership, vision, an employee-centered culture and other qualities.

Any employer is eligible — private company, nonprofit, government or school — as long as it has 50 or more employees in Central Texas.

Anyone can submit a nomination — including employees, customers, vendors and the company itself.

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This year, WorkplaceDynamics has invited more than 525 companies in the Austin metro area to participate in the program. To date, 124 companies have signed up to participate across the region, which includes Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet and Caldwell counties.

The complete article is at http://www.statesman.com/news/business/deadline-extended-for-top-workplaces-nominations/nYKBX/ .

[font color=green]So 24% of the companies already agreed to let WorkplaceDynamics conduct the survey--which means that 76% of the companies apparently don't care to know what their employees think or are unwilling to lose a few hours of productivity to let their employees complete the evaluation survey! Alternatively, are these companies frightened to learn from the employees that things aren't as rosy as they would like to portray or believe!

In addition, the companies get to nominate themselves so they can boast about how great they are and use it as a recruitment tool despite the menial wages that they pay in an area where the cost of living has significantly escalated.

Plus the customers and vendors of these companies are also allowed to submit nominations, so how do they know if the company they are nominating is a good place for the employees? Is it based upon the saccharin smiles that are pasted on the employees face as they try to drum up a few extra dollars of revenue for their employer? Can we also wonder if board members of one employer nominate another employer in a quid quo pro relationship so they can attempt to justify the exorbitant salaries of the financial officers in charge?

The Austin American-Statesman is trying to paste a smiley face on the employment situation in Central Texas. For that matter, how does anyone know whether they or their corporate buddies nominated the AAS as a top workplace? They certainly will benefit from the additional revenue generated from advertisements highlighting Austin or Central Texas as the place to relocate or expand a company.

I mention a few possible scenarios in these paragraphs that I conceived in a short period of time so I don't doubt that others exist. If you respond to this post, please let us know what you think about your employer, how long you've been working there and whether you are located in the Austin metro area.

Thanks and I can't wait to read the real responses from all DUers. If you are employed at one of these wonderful employers in the Austin metro area please send me a DU mail so that I know where to submit a job application.
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