Our Success Series books and blog entries continually stress the theme that people are a company's most important asset, and it is the efforts and output of that asset which determines the level of success any organization can achieve.  From that standpoint, and to commemorate my 100th blog entry, let's take a look at the factors Fortune magazine believes makes the top 100 companies "The Best Companies to Work For" (Feb. 4, 2008). 

Those factors, not in any order or associated with any company, include:

• Stock options for 99% of employees,
• Ethically driven as defined by its employees,
• 6.5% average raises,
• Doggie day care,
• On-site farmers' market,
• 401K matches 100% of first 5% of contributions,
• 401K contribution of 15% of pay for past 20 years,
• 100% health insurance covered by employer,
• Onsite daycare facilities,
• 3 months paid maternity leave,
• Bonus of 15% added to retirement accounts,
• 40 hours per year paid time to volunteer within the community,
• Execs are easy to approach as defined by its employees,
• Rewards everything based on customer satisfaction,
• 7.5% of salary in profit sharing,
• Top entry pay 50 to 100% better than industry standards,
• Retirement benefits up to 100% of income,
• Ability to purchase additional time off,
• "I would follow our CEO off a bridge" as defined by employees,
• Onsite concierge services,
• Bimonthly open book meetings on company performance,
• Assistance to learn another language,
• Challenge grants of up to $300 to tackle an outdoors goal,
• 63% of executives are female,
• Paid paternity leave,
• Graduate tuition reimbursement,
• Child care reimbursement when employees travel,
• Diversity of employees,
• New hires interviewed by 8 to 10 current employees to determine cultural fit,
• 20% rent break if living in company-owned property,
• $20 per night if vacationing in comapny-owened property,
• Employee training of 107 hours per person,
• Free lunches Monday through Thursday,
• Adoption aid,
• Subsidized health insurance premiums for low-paid employees,
• Goal of "Hiring for Life,"
• 8-week paid sabatical for every 10 years worked,
• Corporate jet available for employee medical emergencies,
• Company paid golf lessons and bike repairs,
• Onsite dentist,
• 5 weeks vacation after 1 year of employment,
• Everyone is paid overtime-even salaried employees,
• Rewarded for identiying unsafe work situations,
• Onsite walking and biking trails, bikes available for daily use,
• Onsite basketball and tennis courts,
• Employee of the year gets 41,000, trip for 2, and extra 2 weeks vacation,
• $75 a month covered for cell phone or blackberry costs,
• Health insurance paid for retirees.

Quite a list!  But the points all have one thing in common--they tell the employees that the company understands their importance to the organization's success, and is willing to invest in their working well being to support that success.  How well does your organization support that message to its employees?