Hiring is one of the most challenging aspects of any business, and implementing policies and programs that demonstrate to employees how much they are valued is essential to keeping great people on the team. While company culture can feel intangible, building an environment where people want to work comes from offering real benefits, such as competitive wages and paid time off, but there are other motivating factors.
What makes a great place to work, and how can you tell if employees are happy? Cannabis Business Times, in partnership with Best Companies Group, an independent research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work, sought to discover the answers through CBT’s second-annual Best Cannabis Companies to Work For - Cultivation program, which includes questionnaires about benefits, pay and more, and interviews with companies that make the list.
CBT is pleased to introduce the 2021 Best Cannabis Companies to Work For, which are profiled in the February 2021 issue:
No.1: Napa Valley Fumé, Lake County, California
No. 2: The Grove, Las Vegas, Nev.
No. 3: Dragonfly Wellness, Salt Lake City, Utah
No. 4: ARL Healthcare, New Bedford, Mass.
No. 5: Stability Cannabis, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Eligible cannabis companies that applied to the Best Cannabis Companies program completed two surveys—one sent to executives and another sent to employees. The employee questionnaire, weighted more heavily at 75%, included statements such as, “I feel I am valued in this organization,” that employees then rated from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” On average, 86% of employees at companies that ranked on the list responded positively to survey questions, compared with 76% of those at companies that did not make the list. Feedback is published in aggregate; employee responses and individual company performances are confidential.
Ranking companies performed well in several categories that are commonly recognized as key to creating a positive work environment and culture, including “Leadership and Planning,” and “Training, Development and Resources.” Key results from the research, including how Best Companies scored overall versus those that did not rank, are featured within the profiles. While the survey results provided interesting insights, that only tells part of the story. We had conversations with leaders at the top-ranking companies to find out more about what they do to create great work environments for their teams.
