65 Health Care Service Corp. ITturnover:7% ITpromotions:6%
High-performing IT employees at this
Chicago-based health insurer can win
STARS awards each year. In 2010, IT awarded
more than $600,000 to individuals and teams
that went above and beyond their regular job
duties. The company continually creates campaigns and programs centered on health and
wellness. This year, the company has a goal to
lose 30 tons of personal weight, or 4 pounds
per person. Employees voluntarily take part and
track their weight via an online tool.
Publix Super
Markets Inc.
IT staffers are given project ownership, and relish
the sense of pride that follows. By Mary K. Pratt
66 BNSF Railway Co. Women in IT: 26% Minorities in IT: 22%
IT employees at this Texas-based railway
are given opportunities to broaden and
deepen their skills through challenging assignments and training, tuition reimbursement and mentoring programs. The company
also offers competitive pay, merit increases, rewards and recognition programs, a benefits and
retirement package, and an annual bonus based
on company and individual performance. Most
IT employees work at the Fort Worth corporate
headquarters, a campus with a cafeteria, a fitness center, a two-mile walking path and a large
corporate art collection.
67 Temple University ITturnover:6% ITpromotions:6%
The IT group at this Philadelphia university
has its very own internal training department, in addition to the professional and
personal development training offered through
the university’s HR department. As part of a
university environment, employees have special
access to music, dance and arts performances
and to sporting events. Technology investments
are ongoing: The Temple 2020 plan calls for
more than $500 million in new facilities by 2020,
including a state-of-the-art library that incorporates the latest technology.
STEVE FRANKENBERGER
IT staffers Todd Sturdivant, Renee Kelly and Stephanie Jobe.
Todd Sturdivant had worked at Publix Super Markets for a year when the CIO greeted
him by name and asked about his work. He was impressed that the top IT leader would take
an interest in what he was doing, considering he’s just one of hundreds of IT employees.
He says it’s that kind of friendly atmosphere that has kept him there for 10 years.
Sturdivant, who moved from a software quality assurance analyst position to his current systems analyst/programmer job, also appreciates the opportunities to advance.
“That’s probably my favorite thing about Publix in general and the I T department — this phi-
losophy to promote from within,” he says. “I love the ability to come in and have that sense of ‘I
own it’ and ‘I can drive that.’ ”
Stephanie Jobe, manager of store systems engineering, says the support she gets from col-
leagues, along with the on-the-job training offered by Publix, has kept her with the company for
18 years. She started as a store clerk and is now manager of store systems engineering.
She says she also likes the fact that Lakeland, Fla.-based company is investing in technology.
“It’s never dull. every day I come in here and it’s something different. We get to stay with the
latest trends,” she says.
Renee Kelly, director of business application delivery, says the whole package — from the benefits to the technology training — is what makes people want to work in Publix’s I T department.
“It’s the entire atmosphere,” she says. “We’re all in it together.”
69 Partners HealthCare System Inc. Trainingdays for IT: 7
This Boston-based healthcare company
makes it a habit to listen to its employees.
Employee feedback spurred the creation of an-
nual “career conversations” between employees
and their managers to ensure that career goals
are discussed and specific actions are taken to
assist employees with their goals. Those conver-
sations are distinct from the performance man-
agement process, when managers can request
that employees develop additional skills that are
needed in their current jobs or for new roles.
Employees who participate in this program can
use up to 40 hours annually to pursue the ac-
tions specified in their plans.
