We rely on a lot of business products in our industry: papers, inks, presses, computers, and lots of material elements! But one component supersedes technologies—great employees. The best companies in the industry recognize their importance with devoted Human Relations Managers investing in their employees, hiring and retaining skilled professionals who, according to countless studies, perform better and stay longer with their company. Every day hard-working people are adding greater value to their organizations. They are the faces and personalities behind the products, contributing their skills and passion for their work. These are the companies who enter the Best Workplaces in the Americas competition from Printing Industries of America. Here are some winning examples of sound HR practices: “Communication meetings are held on a monthly basis by the Senior Management Team. The plant is normally in full operation 24 hours a day, 5 days a week. However, during these hour-long Communication Meetings, the presses and other work stop so that all employees can hear the same message from the owners. One is held for each shift. The meeting consists of sharing the monthly sales goal and comparing to the actual sales, company announcements, employee recognition, and usually a topic employees can be training on. At least once a quarter, we also work in a team-building exercise for the employees to complete.” Best Work Environment practice: MOSAIC, Cheverly, MD.—BWA Winner, 2011 “In addition to the benefits of our wellness program, TLP implemented an on-site dietician available to all employees—temporary employees included. Once a month, our designated dietician comes on site to meet with employees for 30 minutes each. We’ve had a huge response to this initiative with almost a 50% participation rate.” Best Health and Wellness practice: Tailored Label Products, Menomonee Falls, WI.—BWA Winner, 2011 (For more winning practices, see the Best Practices of the Best Workplaces in the Americas volumes.) Sound like your workplace? These are samples of the high-caliber HR practices that are entered in the BWA competition. We recognize the companies truly committed to their workforce. It is a win-win situation because employees benefit from excellent HR policies, and companies can showcase their admirable practices. Here is what a few past winners had to say: “At Fusion, we use the Best Workplace win to promote our company in a few different ways, especially for recruiting and to promote the company as a whole. We use the logo on a  table banner at career fairs and technical school presentations;  display the plaques in our lobby. This gets lots of attention and is a great conversation starter about the company to any visitors, whether they’re potential job candidates, vendors, customers, or suppliers.” —Sheila Greco, Fusion Paperboard 2012 “Best of the...

The facts are clear: employees are happier and more financially secure when their company is truly invested in them. Is your workplace invested in its employees? It’s time to find out! If you have a great workplace, now is the time to showcase what you have done for your employees by entering the 2012 Best Workplace in the Americas Program. Please send your entry through a traceable means. Visit www.printing.org/bwa to download the entry form. You will need: A brief summary statement—highlighting why your company is a Best Workplace Employee Handbook (required) Supporting Materials (optional)—anything that you think would help the judges understand your HR policies and practices. Items may include, but are not limited to: company newsletters, employee testimonials, program descriptions, outlines and results, goal statements, etc. Payment of the entry fee (for more information, download the brochure for the Fee Schedule) For past winners, the benefits of the Best Workplace in the Americas Program have been immeasurable: “Our employees are very important to us! Being able to provide them with a safe work environment, great benefits, and many company perks helps us show them how much we care about them. Communicorp has won Best of the Best eight out of the last ten years, and we are proud to share this success with our employees!” Robin Scrivner, HRCommunicorm, Inc. “The Best Workplace in the Americas competition helps Vox to keep our focus on our company’s most valuable asset—our people. We believe if our coworkers are trained, encouraged, and motivated, we can continue to grow our customer and vendor relationships that provide the foundation for the success we have been able to achieve so far. We look forward to challenging ourselves to become an even better place to work each year. “ David Reid, PresidentVox Printing, Inc. What’s more—all entrants, winners and non-winners, receive the Best Practices of the Best Workplaces book. This publication highlights the judges’ favorite programs and policies, a benefit to everyone who has entered. See what caught the eye of the judges, and maybe even “borrow” an idea or two! The deadline for entries is October 26, 2012. Enter...

We created a few Premier Print Awards videos to better showcase the effect that the competition can have on business. In the video below, we have past winners from Jostens and Hoechstetter discussing what winning a Benny Award means to them and how it has impacted their business.  Enjoy the video and if you have any questions about the Premier Print Awards ask them in the comments and we’ll be more than happy to answer...