Sundance Vacations Selected as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in PA for 2007

Sundance Vacations was recently named as one of the Best Places to Work in PA for 2007.  The awards program, created in 2000, is one of the first of its kind offered by a state in the country.  The program is a public/private partnership of Team Pennsylvania Foundation, the Chamber of Business and Industry and the Central Penn Business Journal.                                                                           

This statewide survey and awards program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Pennsylvania, benefiting the state’s economy, its workforce and businesses.  The Best Places to Work in PA list is made up of 100 companies split into two groups: 50 medium-sized companies (25-250 employees) and 50 large-sized companies (251 or more employees).  Sundance Vacations was named one of the Best Places to Work in the large category.                                                                                                                                           

To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:

-Have at least 25 employees in Pennsylvania;

-Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business;

-Be a publicly or privately held business;

-Have a facility in Pennsylvania; and

-Be in good standing with Commonwealth agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction.                                                                                                                                              

Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the 100 Best Places to Work in PA.  The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics.  This part of the process was worth approximately 24% of the total evaluation.  The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.  “We can’t wait to dive into those surveys.  Everyone appreciates positive feedback but I’ll save those for when I’m having a bad day.  I want to read the neutral and negative comments because that is where we can drive change and make improvements,” explains CEO, Tina Dowd.  Nearly 20,000 Pennsylvania employees filled out the survey.  The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        John Dowd, Owner and President, made the decision to participate in the 100 Best Places to Work awards program, while I coordinated the application and survey process for all 350 Pennsylvania employees.                                                                                                                                                

Sundance Vacations will be recognized and honored at the Best Places to Work in PA evening awards ceremony on Tuesday, November 27, 2007, at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center.  Our final rankings will be revealed at the ceremony.                                                                                                                                                                                    

For the Sundance employees who read this post, what benefits do you like?  What benefits would you like to have?  What changes would you make?  We appreciate your thoughts and ideas.  Send them to me at komara@vacmail.com or blog@vacmail.com.  If you wish your comment to be confidential, just mention it in your comment; I will remove your name and maintain your anonymity.                                                                                                                                                                                              

~ Kathy O’Mara