Photography by Mark Gilliland
St. Louis Magazine decided to find out. We began with a list of St. Louis-based companies reputed to be great employers, compiled from research and suggestions from readers, friends, acquaintances and contacts. Each company was sent a questionnaire designed to provide information on the nuts and bolts of benefits and perks and insight on the philosophies behind the policies in the employee handbook.
We discovered that what makes a workplace great isn’t what you probably think. It’s not the paycheck, though decent pay is usually a minimum requirement. And these days, two weeks vacation, a 401(k) and health insurance are standard, so it’s not really about the benefits, either, though they certainly can sweeten the pot.
And it’s not about lip service to employees. Any company worth its salt will tell you it’s the people who make the place great. While that’s a great starting point, such phrases have become as old hat as “thinking outside the box.”
Of the companies that responded, the ones that stood out have a certain “it” factor that can be hard to define. Whether through amazing physical environments, leadership that is both hands-off and accessible, an understanding of the work-play balance, perks that go beyond the standard holidays off and a birthday cake in the lunch room, or all of the above, these employers foster an atmosphere of respect and appreciation. Those lucky enough to land a job at one of these companies often stay for the long haul, as much for the sense of camaraderie and allegiance as for the extras.
It’s important to note that this list is not scientific, nor is it comprehensive. But even if your company doesn’t appear on it, we think you’ll enjoy reading about some of the city’s greatest workplaces.
Zipatoni
555 Washington, 314-231-2400, www.zipatoni.com
Industry: Advertising
Number of employees: 152
Standout benefits/perks: Fully stocked kitchen and open bar on site; free covered and heated parking; reimbursement for gym memberships
Few offices can compete with the environment at Zipatoni, either physically or philosophically. Housed in an überhip industrial space dotted with beanbag chairs and foosball tables, the marketing agency’s motto is “Play hard and work hard.”
“Bring your dog, ride your scooter, wear your oversized cowboy hat—if it helps deliver bigger ideas and smarter activation, it’s welcome at Zipatoni,” says Sharon Ayres, corporate headquarters manager. Employees, nicknamed “Zippers,” are given the freedom necessary for the creative mind to flourish and are encouraged to “be who you are at home at work.”
But for all the toys, video games and, well, alcohol, Zippers don’t abuse the considerable privileges afforded them, likely in return for the respect, trust and value given them by management. “The positive environment at Zipatoni nurtures the basic need for people to find satisfaction in a job done well,” Ayres says. And, as if that weren’t enough, the agency motivates Zippers with perks including on-site manicures and massages and summer Fridays, when employees may leave at 1 p.m. if their work is done.
All of which combines to create a successful and motivated staff with a strong team spirit. “No one who goes over and above feels they warrant special attention,” Ayres says, although rewards for great performance are given, usually as salary increases and promotions. “Zippers are committed to the success of our clients and the company, and that takes precedence over the success of an individual.”
Maryville University
13550 Conway, 800-627-9855, www.maryville.edu
Industry: Academia
Number of employees: 291 full time
Standout benefits/perks: Employees are eligible for benefits on first day of employment, holiday break doesn’t count against vacation
A friendly atmosphere and genuinely caring coworkers can make all the difference. Jenny Lane has worked in the Maryville University payroll department for 30 years and raised five children while managing her full-time job. “It’s just the atmosphere,” she says. “It is not like coming to a job, it is a part of my life. The people I work with are like family. We all come together for a common purpose.” Lane says her friends in the corporate world are jealous. “Everyone is interested in everyone’s well-being, it’s incredible. There was a time when my daughter was very sick, in intensive care. A group of people would come to bring me lunch or check on me. It is sincerely a family support system.” Other perks include the holiday benefits of an academic lifestyle—two weeks off at the end of the year, spring break and extended holidays.
Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
1000 Airport Way, 314-232-0232, www.boeing.com
Industry: Aerospace
Number of employees: 16,000 local
Standout benefits/perks: Fully paid tuition, including for non-work-related degrees
The largest aerospace company in the world keeps above the competition by educating employees on the job and off. Christina Brumsfield started at Boeing in 1986 and now is a lead engineer on F-18 programs with a specialty in aircraft integration. “Boeing has opportunities for lifelong learning,” she says. Brumsfield took advantage of the opportunity and earned a master’s in telecommunications and finance from Webster University and is working on her doctorate in leadership and management. As part of her training, she worked on an Air Force base doing field assignments. “When you are an engineer for that $60 million aircraft, that is an incredible feeling,” she says.
Brumsfield likes the design and development aspect of her job. “We get a new product and we have an idea of how it can make things safer,” Brumsfield says. “We work as a team to find out how it is going to work on the aircraft.”
And Boeing employees tend to stay around. The average tenure is 18.3 years, no doubt for reasons such as flex time, cash bonuses based on company performance and six to eight weeks of paid maternity leave. Another perk: “hoteling centers,” or part-time desks at the St. Louis site to accommodate employees who work from home but may need to come in from time to time.
Edward Jones
Multiple locations, www.edwardjones.com
Industry: Stock Brokerage
Number of employees: 3,666 local
Standout benefits/perks: Eight weeks paid maternity leave, bonuses, 24 percent of net income is put toward employees’ retirement plans
One of the most recognized employers in the St. Louis area, Edward Jones continues to be a company people want to work for. Why? There is room to advance. “To move up all you have to do is raise your hand,” says Vicki Dear in new accounts. “If you have initiative, drive and a willingness to learn, the firm will train you and provide the resources you need to succeed.”
Others like the flexibility to accommodate growing families. Sue Perks works 24 hours per week and started doing so five years ago, when her oldest child was born. “I work 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.,” she says. “I’m there when my children leave for school, and I’m there when they get back.” She works three eight-hour days in the summer to save on day care.
Even the recent legal trouble—late last year the company agreed to pay $75 million and make amends to avoid criminal charges for taking payments from mutual fund companies to recommend those funds over others—doesn’t steer employees away from recommending working here.
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Industry: Building
Number of employees: 2,000
Standout benefits/perks: Job advancement opportunities, employee-owned
Kris Anderson started here 27 years ago and worked his way up to vice president. “They offer people at a very young age exceptional responsibility and opportunities,” Anderson says. He started when he was just 28, and is happy he has stayed with the company. “The people are fun and highly energetic,” he says. “Also, once you finish a project, there is a tangible result and you feel pride in being a part of it.”
Being a privately held company, employees feel they have a vested interest. Shares of company stock are free to all employees as part of the company’s retirement savings plan.
That the family-founded business has been around since 1864 speaks for its success. It takes care of its employees, paying 85 percent of healthcare premiums and making special efforts to stay up on safety in the dangerous profession.
Other perks include flex-time consideration, annual bonuses and access to company condominium properties in the Ozarks and near ski slopes in Colorado and Utah.
Milhouse & Neal, LLP
40 Weldon Parkway, 314-995-6900, www.mn-cpa.com
Industry: Accounting
Number of employees: 16
Standout benefits/perks: Flex time, tuition reimbursement
Most of us don’t think of accountants as being a barrel of laughs (you wouldn’t be either if you had to prepare that many tax returns) but accounting and consulting firm Milhouse & Neal strives to provide a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for its employees. “We are not by any means a traditional accounting firm,” says marketing director Shirley Ann Rizi. “We want to provide an environment where employees can achieve their professional goals, but at the same time have fun.” With a year-round business-casual dress code and an office recently redecorated with comfort in mind, the firm aims to create a place where employees will stay for the long term. It has paid off: employee loyalty to the firm is high, with the average tenure at 10 years.
That sense of fun also helps the firm survive the toughest time of the year for accountants—tax season. “The only way to get through it is to have fun,” says Rizi, who credits thoughtful management and the supportive office culture for employees’ high spirits during the extremely busy season. Visits from the “Tax Fairy,” who leaves treat bags for each employee, don’t hurt either.
Family-friendly policies likely also contribute to the happy work force. “We do everything we can to accommodate our employees’ needs, both professionally and personally,” Rizi explains. “We understand the importance of balance.” Employees can take advantage of flexible scheduling or work from home, with office equipment provided and related expenses reimbursed. The firm went so far as to send a note to employees’ spouses thanking them for enduring the long hours required of their mate during tax season. Included was a gift certificate to take the family out to dinner.
“We are not afraid to make an investment in our employees,” Rizi says. “The more ‘whole’ a person is, the more self-confidence they possess.” And these accountants will tell you that adds up to a successful company.
Standing Partnership
540 Maryville Centre, Suite 100, 314-469-3500, www.standingpr.com
Industry: Public Relations
Number of employees: 21
Standout benefits/perks: Mentors assigned to new staffers, two-month sabbatical after seven years, 75 percent health care match
One female-dominated profession is public relations. Because of this, at any one time someone at Standing Partnership might be out on maternity leave, and employees say they like that a work and life balance is emphasized. “These are incredibly intelligent and capable women. There is a culture that is team-oriented,” says account manager Christi Dixon, who had a baby in the last year. “You always have someone backing you up.” She says she also likes the variety of the work and feeling like all employees have a say in the small company.
In addition to vacation time, the company offers a unique incentive: a two-month sabbatical after seven years of service. Employees have used the time to spend with their families, travel and volunteer. “It really is an incentive,” says Dixon.
Other things that stand out about Standing Partnership: part-time employees are eligible for benefits at 20 hours per week, flexible scheduling and paid maternity leave.
The Vandiver Group
10411 Clayton, 314-991-4641, www.vandivergroup.com
Industry: Public Relations
Number of employees: 19
Standout benefits/perks: Monthly chair massages, one employee per quarter recognized for outstanding contribution and givena cash bonus
When new employees join The Vandiver Group, they’re welcomed with an official company ritual—the Koosh Ball Ceremony. “They are given a koosh ball, which symbolizes our commitment to creativity, and are encouraged to bring it to future brainstorming sessions,” explains president and CEO Donna Vandiver.
It’s evidence not only of the strategic communications firm’s innovation, but also its dedication to viewing its employees as individuals, each with his or her own unique contributions. “We also host a public reading of the book by Norman Rockwell, Willie Was Different, which celebrates diversity and how each person has talents and experiences that should be respected and nurtured,” Vandiver explains. Such philosophies have led to a corporate culture that celebrates fun, builds effective teams and encourages employees to take calculated risks. Continued personal and professional growth is also heavily supported, with each employee assigned a mentor, on-site lectures and workshops chosen and directed by staff and a tuition reimbursement program.
The focus on individuals also means the firm’s senior staff recognizes that employees can’t always leave personal stressors and responsibilities at the office door. From toys and crayons kept on hand for children’s visits to flex-time and work-from-home arrangements, The Vandiver Group has earned a well-deserved reputation as a family-friendly workplace, largely based on Donna Vandiver’s personal experience as a working mom. Employees are immediately eligible for full medical benefits, and new parents can take advantage of paid maternity and paternity leaves. The payoff is evident: Members of the award-winning staff at the 12-year-old company have an average tenure of more than five years.
A.G. Edwards
1 N. Jefferson, 314-955-3000, www.agedwards.com
Industry: Stock Brokerage
Number of employees: 4,500
Standout benefits/perks: 401(k) contributions even if employees don’t contribute, yearly training for employees
Even without prompting the other company contenders, we heard “Put A.G. Edwards on the list” over and over. What’s its secret?
“It’s not because of any gimmicks, we don’t have free lunch or Bring Your Pet to Work Day. We just all seem to live by the same values, by the Golden Rule,” says Michael Zuccarello, assistant director of training and development. He recalls a recent occurrence when his 9-year-old was sick. “You never have to play politics or have to worry about taking time off for family,” says Zuccarello, who sees firsthand the investment the company puts in for employee learning. He figures it spends about $2,000 per employee annually. “My favorite part is bringing in new people. You can see people take off in their careers,” he says.
Other perks include a 5 percent company contribution to employees’ 401(k) plans, even if they themselves don’t contribute. Employees can also take advantage of a one-third mile walking track and yoga classes. The personal touch we like best—handwritten notes from CEO Bob Bagby.
Saint Louis University
221 N. Grand, 314-977-2500, www.slu.edu
Industry: Academia
Number of employees: 3,740 full time
Standout benefits/perks: On-site day care, 13 holidays and up to 22 paid vacation days per year, immediate vesting for matching 403(b) employer contributions once they begin
Universities have an edge in a list of great workplaces because of their youth-oriented, dynamic and bustling nature. Saint Louis University is no exception.
Not only do employees have access to the full range of lectures, sporting activities, concerts and cultural activities offered on campus, the university also offers several employee-centered programs designed to aid life off campus, including an adoption assistance program to help cover the costs of adopting a child and a housing program that features a $5,000 forgivable loan, housing education and mortgage loan sponsors. Flexible work schedules can be arranged around each department’s needs, and all employees have the option to work 10 months of the year or four days a week and still be considered full time for benefits purposes. And, of course, SLU offers the benefit that really gives universities the edge: tuition remission. Employees are eligible immediately; spouses and children are eligible after three years of employment.
But for all the perks, it’s a sense of contributing to a worthy mission that truly motivates the university’s work force, says Kathy Hagedorn, vice president for human resources. “We are all working toward a higher mission that focuses on excellence and learning,” she says. “We are energized when we come to work because we educate and serve some of the nation’s best and brightest students.”
Mackey Mitchell Associates
800 St. Louis Union Station, Suite 200, 314-421-1815, www.mackeymitchell.com
Industry: Architecture
Number of employees: 37
Standout benefits/perks: Three weeks of paid vacation in first two years, four weeks in the sixth year; paid maternity leave; flexible scheduling
At Mackey Mitchell Associates, the energy is high, the pace quick and the environment supportive. The architectural and design firm’s leadership is characterized by an open-door policy, where higher-ups are always available for guidance—Gene Mackey is known to share his war stories with less seasoned members of the team—and even company finances are available for employee review. The staff welcomes the professional freedom that allows them to fully take a stake in projects, and younger employees appreciate the considerable opportunities for advancement and real professional responsibility.
But what truly distinguishes Mackey Mitchell is a pervasive sense of love the employees have for their craft, their way of viewing the firm as not only a workplace but also a forum for furthering, enriching and discussing their passion with others who feel the same. Guests from the architectural and civic communities are brought in for lunchtime lectures, and information on lectures, visits to construction sites and design seminars are regularly provided. Partial tuition reimbursement for work-related courses encourages continued education. But the crown jewel is the annual company-sponsored, out-of-town field trip that shuttles the entire firm, each with a spouse or friend, to an architecturally interesting destination for a weekend. The trip is designed to ensure staff “experience good architecture, share good meals and stimulate thought-provoking discussion in a casual setting,” says Kathy Ulkus. It also helps coworkers form good relationships that translate to a happier office. “We talk about architectural design for 40 percent of the trip, and the other 60 percent is just fellowship,” says Dan Mitchell. “It’s a great opportunity for the whole firm to think about things beyond the office.”
Missouri Baptist Medical Center
3015 N. Ballas, 314-996-5000, www.missouribaptistmedicalcenter.org
Industry: Healthcare
Number of employees: More than 2,800
Standout benefits/perks: Reimbursement for day care; on-site exercise and smoking-cessation classes; free flu shots
It really shouldn’t be surprising that a facility dedicated to caring for others is marked by a friendly atmosphere. In large companies, however, it can be easy to feel like an anonymous face in the crowd. But employees at Missouri Baptist Medical Center routinely cite the family-like spirit among the staff as one of the best things about working at the hospital. It’s the result, says media relations manager Jeff Waldman, of a culture that emphasizes open communication and treating others with respect. “At Missouri Baptist Medical Center,” he says, “it’s rare to find the employee who feels that something is ‘not my job.’”
That may be because employees feel they have an impact on hospital policy. The hospital has a variety of programs that encourage communication between administration and staff, and executives make themselves accessible by regularly walking the hospital and periodically lunching with employees in the cafeteria. The hospital is particularly proud of its Tomorrow’s Workforce Team, a cross section of employees that serves as a sort of employee senate, voicing staff concerns and suggestions to management. The group also acts as a focus group for new employee-centered programs and concepts. With such an atmosphere, few employees want to leave; the average tenure is roughly 10 years. “It’s impossible to miss the compassion and caring that flow through these hallways,” says Ann Thomas, manager of organization development and an employee for seven years.
XG-AD
2119 Olive, 314-436-0092, www.xg-ad.com
Industry: Advertising
Number of employees: 17
Standout benefits/perks: Fully-stocked bar for after hours, support of employee individualism
For many creative jobs, it is ideal for a variety of people to get together to bring differing ideas to find a solution. Such is the case with XG-AD, where employees are screened so that the right fit is made to complement existing team members. Employees are often recruited for their talents and expertise. “It is a family atmosphere and we are a melting pot of different people with different backgrounds,” says employee Jenny Viviano. “The atmosphere is upbeat and open-minded. Everyone gets involved with projects and bounces ideas off everyone else.” However, individuality is welcomed here. “Each employee has their own needs relative to personal recreation, family space, social space and responsibility level,” says president Jim Young.
The family atmosphere is reflected in lunch being catered once a week at no expense to employees, plus a carry-in and eating of lunch together for birthdays, when employees get to choose the meal. Appetizers and snacks are available at all times, and there is a library of CDs and DVDs for employee use.
Another sign of success: quarterly bonuses along with a review by a manager to chart an employee’s progress.
By Traci Angel and Katie O'Connor
