INSIDE THE N.J. COMPANIES where employees thrive

Employees in the Garden State are feeling more positive about certain aspects of their careers than their counterparts in other areas of the country.

- BY LIZ ALTERMAN

When it comes to compensation, growth opportunities, and employers caring about their well-being, New Jersey staffers are generally more satisfied than workers in other parts of the nation, according to findings from Energage's Top Workplaces survey.

An employee-research and consulting company, Energage invited 8,727 companies across the Garden State (with 50 or more employees) to participate in its annual survey. A record high 145 responded.

With more than 53,000 New Jersey employees surveyed, the overall response rate came in at 50.1%. Based on Energage’s analysis of those surveys, 98 companies across large- (499 employees or more), mid- (150-499 employees), and small-sized (149 or fewer employees) categories were identified as Top Workplaces, tying last year’s number.

When compared with the rest of the nation, New Jersey employees felt more positive about their compensation by nearly 2%. They also had slightly more confidence in their leadership teams than workers in other parts of the country. Another positive for Garden State staffers, many expressed that they have "frequent opportunities to learn and grow at this company." Employees also felt positive that their company is doing a good job prioritizing their well-being.

Bob Helbig, media partnerships director at Energage, noted that this is encouraging as the New Jersey market is often full of “tough critics” as “the cost of living is probably more challenging in New Jersey” than in other parts of the country.