Sourcewell Receives Star Tribune 2018 Top Workplace Award
Sourcewell staff at the organization's annual all-staff retreat in September 2017
One thing that really surprised me as a new employee is how much Sourcewell invests in its staff. From the volunteer hours to the professional development opportunities and expectations; I feel supported and challenged to learn and grow both personally and professionally.
For the third-consecutive year, Sourcewell (formerly NJPA) has been recognized as one of the Top Workplaces in Minnesota by the Star Tribune.
The award recognizes the most progressive Minnesota companies or organizations with a staff of 50 or more people and is based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health, and satisfaction. Over 2,400 companies were invited to participate and the analysis included responses from more than 71,000 employees. Rankings were composite scores calculated based on responses.
Sourcewell Executive Director/CEO Dr. Chad Coauette says he and the board of directors were very pleased to learn the organization had again earned the distinction.
“This recognition is given based on feedback from our organization's greatest asset - our service-minded staff,” Coauette said. “The board and I are proud of this accomplishment and we don't take recognitions like this for granted. We are very intentional about creating and sustaining our desired workplace culture and we continuously strive to get better at what we do. Receiving this recognition as we progress through our journey is very rewarding.”
Sourcewell conducts quarterly all-staff training on topics ranging from communication styles, time management, safety, and customer service. The organization also uses GiANT Worldwide's leadership framework. Staff engage in monthly small-group leadership development meetings to foster connectivity, communication, and a common, objective language.
“One thing that really surprised me as a new employee is how much Sourcewell invests in its staff,” said Michelle Spychalla, contract administrator on staff since December 2017. “From the volunteer hours to the professional development opportunities and expectations; I feel supported and challenged to learn and grow both personally and professionally.”
Sourcewell encourages all full-time employees to participate in 50 hours of professional development and provides them with eight hours of paid volunteer time annually. Just in the last year, the organization increased its coverage of family health and dental insurance, easing the burden on employees and helping position Sourcewell as an employer of choice.
Since July 1, 2017, Sourcewell has hired 45 new employees bringing its total to 146. The organization continues to experience growth across all departments and anticipates hiring more than 30 employees in the fiscal year 2018-19. Visit sourcewell-mn.gov to see a list of current openings.
A complete list of the 2018 Top Workplaces will be available at StarTribune.com/topworkplaces2018 the evening of June 20. The list will also be published in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces special section on Sunday, June 24.
Sourcewell (formerly National Joint Powers Alliance) is a self-supporting government organization, partnering with education, government, and nonprofits to boost student and community success. Created in 1978 as one of Minnesota's nine service cooperatives, we offer training and shared services to our central-Minnesota members. Throughout North America, we offer a cooperative purchasing program with over 200 awarded vendors on contract. Sourcewell is driven by service and the ability to strategically reinvest in member communities.