Last year, in the introduction to our “Top Companies” section, we acknowledged that because of the economy, 2009 was a tough time to run a business. And as we worked on the story, we all hoped that things would be better by this year. Well, the economy is starting to turn around, but the change is slow. And sure enough, a weak economy has led to corporate tightening of employee benefits, according to results from the 2009 benefits survey done by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), a trade association of more than 250,000 members. According to the report, 60 percent of the surveyed organizations said employee benefits have been affected by current financial challenges.
But stellar benefits are still out there. We’ve surveyed a broad spectrum of industries including Fortune 100 companies, mom-and-pop businesses, nonprofits, and academia to compile 2010’s winners. Consider the list a showcase of employers who are leading the way in corporate America with their generous family-building benefits even in a challenging economy.
New to our list and tied for the number-one spot this year is Robins & Morton, a family-owned and -operated construction company in Birmingham, Alabama. Business is not exactly booming in the building trade, but that hasn’t dampened management’s enthusiasm for creating a family-friendly corporate culture that emanates from the top. Robins & Morton offers its 398 employees a company-paid health plan that includes unlimited infertility coverage and unlimited prescription fertility drugs. The construction company also offers $10,000 in financial assistance
to any employee who adopts a child.
“We’re family-oriented with a company culture centered around supporting our people,” says CEO Bill Morton, who’s worked at the company for 22 years and been at the helm for four. “We strive to care for our people because it’s the right thing to do. We also believe genuine concern and support often results in quality work and satisfied clients. It just makes [business] sense to provide the very best benefits that we can for our employees and their families.”
