The 100 best companies to work for in America.

This research analyzes narratives of employee job satisfaction offered by the 2012 CNN Money/ Fortune Magazine listing of “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.” A random sampling of 52 of the corporate websites was subject to content analysis. Among websites viewed, slightly more than half offered text-­‐ or video-­‐based narratives of employees discussing their satisfaction with work. Most present a personal, emotional assessment of the value of work. Most rewards were identified as intrinsic (responsibility, or challenge) rather than extrinsic (salary, or benefits). College undergraduates preparing to enter the job market analyzed the narratives and offered feedback about persuasiveness and contribution to corporate image. The research structure and method parallels that of a 2003 study by the author; an assessment is offered of how web-­‐based narratives of job satisfaction have evolved. The report ends with recommendations for successful use of web-­‐based narratives, particularly when seeking to target prospective employees from the Millennial Generation. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 3 Introduction This research focuses on how corporate business entities identified in 2012 as the “100 Best” in America used narratives of job satisfaction on their World Wide Web sites. This research is important because the Web is a critical tool for corporations to establish and maintain business image. Effective use of the Web is also indispensible for attracting, recruiting, and retaining the best employees in a competitive marketplace. Through a critical observation of presentations by the “100 Best” companies, we can witness what corporations wanted the public to know about their workers’ satisfaction. Since the narratives were offered as personal stories of employees, we can also see how workers in these organizations described their professional accomplishments. Because video and still photographs occasionally accompanied the narratives, we have an opportunity to visualize what work looks like and how employees reported balancing professional and personal lives. This research was structured to allow an additional, third person perspective on job satisfaction. A research team of senior-­‐level undergraduate communications students gathered and analyzed the data that contributed to this report. These technologically savvy Millennial Generation students, all within a year of their college graduation, were ideally suited to offer opinions about the structure, content, and persuasiveness of online communication of job satisfaction. There are about 80 million Millennials in the United States; they comprise about 25% of the population and represent a large segment of the labor market (Marino, 2006). They are clearly a key target population for employers. It’s important for us to know not only what the employers are presenting about job Narratives of Job Satisfaction 4 satisfaction, but also how employers’ messages resonate with Millennials who have strong, unique perceptions of work and its values and rewards (Meister & Willyerd, 2010; Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010). The current study also allows an observation of how new developments in online technology allow for enhanced presentation of job satisfaction narratives. In 2003, the author conducted a similar research effort (Swanson, 2004). That effort found far fewer of the 2003 “100 Best” companies offered web-­‐based narratives of job satisfaction. Many narratives were vague and filled with clichés. None allowed for the kind of sophisticated interaction with website users that is possible with today’s technology. The changes that have occurred between 2003 and 2012 are worthy of note. The population of the present study consisted of companies included in the 2012 list of “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” – a ranking for CNN Money and Fortune Magazine based on employee attitude surveys, culture audits, and other supporting information submitted by workers. Using these firms as a starting point, the research examined the use of narratives, their structure and focus, and the extent to which narratives appear to contribute to user perceptions of sites analyzed. This research cannot gauge the authenticity or accuracy of the narratives. It cannot reveal the decision-­‐making processes that resulted in the use of narratives on corporate websites. But it does allow us to develop a fuller understanding of how job satisfaction is defined and expressed in the online marketplace, and how Millennial Generation workers so coveted by the “100 Best” and other similar organizations might respond. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 5 Literature Review The World Wide Web is the graphically driven network dimension of the Internet. Its existence was made possible in the late 1980s through a series of software advances that allowed documents to share a common coded language (Rich, 1999). Today, the Web is a vivid and interactive environment that uses motion, color, and sound to catch and hold users’ attention (Marks & Dulaney, 1998). It is an environment where people do not just read information; they interact with it. Likewise, information does not just create value – information is value (Negroponte, 1995). The corporate or nonprofit organization website is extensively used in the business community (Esrock & Leichty, 2000; Ho, 1997) because it is an ideal means of communication between an organization and its affected publics (Quinn, 1997). The website allows communication of messages without external gatekeeper interference. The site is a key promotional tool in any business plan (Helmstetter, 1997), particularly if the site makes full use of its visual, informational, and operational enhancements (Swanson, 1999). It follows, then, that if corporate and nonprofit entities want to explain issues in depth, a website would be a place to open and continue public dialogue (Hearit, 1999). Employee narratives of job satisfaction can help establish the image of a business or nonprofit and support its claims of having a positive, productive work climate. Narratives can, indirectly, show how the organization supports quality of life issues that are important to its employees and to the general public. Although online narratives exist in a virtual world, they have the potential to create strong emotional attachments between a business or nonprofit and users of its website. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 6 Over the past few years, there has been a radical shift in the communication of job opportunities in the marketplace. Craigslist and other technological developments between 2005 and 2009 brought about a “collapse” of the traditional newspaper classified advertising business (Sandoval, 2009, para. 2). By 2010, the job search engines CareerBuilder.com, Indeed.com and Monster.com reported more than 35 million unique monthly visitors (Schonfeld, 2010). These leading job search engines and other online job placement services and bulletin boards are used by unemployed people to find jobs as well as by currently employed professionals who post their resumes in hope of finding more suitable employment. Of course, unemployed people are not the only online users trolling for information about companies and nonprofits. Current employees also seek information about career prospects, both inside and outside their organizations. All of these users have the potential to initiate a variety of different real world attachments with a company or nonprofit based on information obtained from its website. Thus, effective use of narratives of job satisfaction would support an organization’s personnel recruitment and retention efforts. Job Satisfaction As a concept, job satisfaction is difficult to nail down. Everyone seems to know what it is, and most can offer examples of how it exists or does not exist in a given employment situation. The difficulty comes when trying to define job satisfaction in terms that are relevant and applicable across different occupational categories. Some basic definitions of job satisfaction would include “the degree to which individuals feel positively or negatively about their jobs” (Shermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2000, p. 144), “the feelings the worker has Narratives of Job Satisfaction 7 about his (or her) job,” (Hulin, 1969, p.90), and the pleasurable emotional state that comes from the matching of one’s job with personal values (Locke, 1969). Job satisfaction literature tends to hold one of two perspectives. One body of work takes the perspective that job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction are separate concepts. In other words, depending on the presence and interaction of different workplace variables, employees could be not satisfied but not dissatisfied. The things that satisfy people at work and the things that dissatisfy them are disparate issues (Herzberg, Mausner, & Snyderman, 1959; Herzberg, 1966). Another body of work takes the perspective that job satisfaction is a stand-­‐alone concept that does or does not exist in a given situation (Ritchie & Martin, 1999). Most of the disagreement seems to center on whether job satisfaction is related most strongly to intrinsic rewards such as authority, autonomy and control (Pollard, 1995) or extrinsic rewards such as salary, benefits, and peer recognition (White & Singletary, 1993). Here again, there is disagreement. Some researchers contend salary has no bearing on job satisfaction (American Journalist Survey, 2003), while others contend it has a direct relationship (Card, Mas, Moretti & Saez, 2012). Even though there is so much disagreement over exactly how job satisfaction manifests itself, common sense would dictate that at some level both logical and emotional variables are involved. Workers see satisfaction as a natural, reasonable consequence of work; they also feel satisfied in an emotional, personal way. Surely both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards also contribute to job satisfaction at some level. Workers can perceive themselves as satisfied when they accrue intrinsic rewards by making an emotional Narratives of Job Satisfaction 8 connection with the work and the workplace. Workers can also perceive themselves as satisfied through accruing extrinsic rewards by receiving salary and benefits that appropriately compensate the worker. The Millennial Generation As we consider the importance of organizations communicating that they offer satisfying work environments, it is also important to consider what kinds of people these organizations wish to communicate with. Many of the most sought-­‐after potential employees are identified as Millennials. This classification represents people who came of age around the year 2000. This generational group makes up a large proportion of today’s college graduates and soon-­‐to-­‐ be graduates (Evans, Schmalz, Gainer, & Snider, 2010). Millennial workers differ in noteworthy ways from those in other generational groups. Millennials tend to have moderate expectations at the outset of their careers, but seek rapid advancement and a strong career/ life balance (Ng, Schweitzer, & Lyons, 2010). Millennials tend to be strong team players, but often work best if information is “cut into bits of what they need to know” and delivered on a schedule of when they need to know it (Abaffy, 2011, para. 17). Millennials want work that integrates with their life (Meister & Willyerd, 2010). Most importantly – especially in the context of this research – is that Millennials have lived their entire lives with computer technology. They are comfortable with computers, and never needed to be trained to use social media to communicate with others. It came to them as naturally, because they have never known any other reality than the one supported by and mediated through computers and portable electronic devices Narratives of Job Satisfaction 9 (Myers & Sadaghiani, 2010). Millennials are highly desirable employees, especially for high-­‐ tech firms, financial organizations, companies in the hospitality industry many other types of organizations that are represented in the annual “100 Best” list. Research Design and Methods This research uses the written narrative as its frame of reference in recognition of the narrative’s tremendous power to shape and define experience. A writer or speaker uses a narrative with the specific intent of getting an audience to identity with people and situations (Hybels & Weaver, 1989). The narrative is an important tool for establishing claims because it can provide “succinct, irrefutable evidence for an issue” (Rottenberg, 1997, p. 342) The study of narratives is a valid and reasonable method for reaching conclusions about communication (Rybacki & Rybacki, 1991). Studying narratives “leads to critique, to a determination of whether or not a given instance of discourse provides a reliable, trustworthy, and desirable guide to thought and action in the world” (Fisher, 1987, p. 90). This is because narratives are not just aesthetic elements. Narratives have social function. They are “the way we organize experience and resist disorder” (Gould, 1989, p. 83). Online narratives of job satisfaction have a social function for workers and for those who want to gather information about work. Workers can use these narratives to organize their work experience, explain the personal satisfaction with work, assess the value of their work, and identify the rewards that result from it. Those who want to gather information about work can learn from these narratives, and in turn make a variety of different Narratives of Job Satisfaction 10 evaluations of the company, the employee, and the work based on the user’s perceived trustworthiness of the online content. The “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” ranking offers an ideal population for study. The list has been prepared annually for many years. Employees nominate corporations for inclusion in the list. Nominations are reviewed on the basis of an employee survey and review of corporate policies. Two-­‐thirds of each company’s final score is based on employee comments. Without question, there is a great deal of competition to be considered for the “100 Best” list, and to show up in the final listing is a prestigious honor. As a result, other scholars have already researched communicative relationships within the “100 Best” (See Dickmeyer, 2003). This research project was a component in a senior-­‐level undergraduate public relations writing course at a large state university. The research was conducted between September and December 2012. The primary researcher supervised the 18 undergraduate communications students enrolled in the course in their role as research assistants. Working individually and in teams, students completed a review of relevant literature, developed research strategy, and collected data. For data collection purposes, a direct quotation presented in text and attributed to an employee constituted a text-­‐based narrative of job satisfaction. A video clip or link to video clip showing an employee speaking about his/ her employment constituted a video-­‐ based narrative of job satisfaction. A still photograph or video clip not accompanied by employee comments did not constitute a narrative of job satisfaction. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 11 The primary researcher prepared students for data collection, by introducing them to the CNN Money/ Fortune Magazine 2012 “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” website http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/best-­‐companies/2012/full_list/. Content analysis procedures were explained. Students were introduced to a Survey Monkey coding instrument and shown how to use it. Fifty-­‐two of the “100 Best” companies were selected at random by the primary researcher and assigned randomly to the student research assistants. Students worked individually to complete content analysis of all selected websites during the first week of November. During data collection, procedures called for each qualifying website to be viewed for 10 minutes to determine presence or absence of employee narratives of job satisfaction. The item of measurement was the first narrative observed on each website. When a narrative was observed, it was coded for elements such as format, context, and contents. Although only the first narrative from each site was coded, student research assistants were encouraged to make notes about the totality of site content. After all content analysis was completed, students later worked in teams to share those notes and write summary reports of their visits to the websites. Four research questions guided data collection for this research project. These questions are shown below. RQ1 -­‐ To what extent did corporate websites of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” in 2012 utilize employee narratives of job satisfaction to complement other Web-­‐based information? Narratives of Job Satisfaction 12 RQ2 -­‐ How did employee narratives of job satisfaction offered by the 2012 “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” express workers’ personal satisfaction with work, assess the value of the work, and identify the rewards that result from work? RQ 3 -­‐ How did young adults from the Millennial Generation who would soon be entering the job market interpret employee narratives of job satisfaction offered by the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” in 2012? Results This section will present a summary of findings of the research. Research Questions 1 and 2 are addressed through simple quantitative measures. Research Question 3 is addressed qualitatively and focuses on the students’ understanding of the research task and opinions of the information gathered. RQ1 -­‐ To what extent did corporate websites of the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” in 2012 utilize employee narratives of job satisfaction to complement other Web-­‐based information? Thirty-­‐four of the 52 websites (65%) were found to contain at least one narrative of job satisfaction. Twenty-­‐seven of the sites (79%) were found to include text-­‐based narratives and 26 of the sites (76%) were found to include video-­‐based narratives. Evaluators were unable to locate narratives of job satisfaction on 18 of the 52 websites (35%). Narratives of Job Satisfaction 13 All observed narratives identified the employee by first name (34, or 100%). Employees were identified by first and last name in about two-­‐thirds of narratives (20, or 59%). Employees were identified by job title in 23 narratives (68%). A still photograph of the employee accompanied about two-­‐thirds of the narratives (24, or 71%). Of these photographs, most were portrait photos (18, or 75%); the remainder portrayed the employee in a workplace setting (6, or 25%). Of the 18 observed video-­‐based narratives, less than half showed the employee in a workplace setting (8, or 44%). The others showed employees in a studio setting or outdoors. RQ2 -­‐ How did employee narratives of job satisfaction offered by the 2012 “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” express workers’ personal satisfaction with work, assess the value of the work, and identify the rewards that result from work? Of the 34 narratives observed, most used the first person singular form to describe the employee’s satisfaction with work (27, or 79%). The remainder described satisfaction in first person plural, second person, or third person (7, or 21%). Employee narratives of job satisfaction often assessed the value of work – and whether that value was personal or professional in nature. Most often, the observed narratives associated work with personal values such as feeling good rather than with professional values such as learning new skills and advancing one’s career (See Figure 1). Narratives of Job Satisfaction 14 Narratives often identified the rewards that come from work. Most often, the observed narratives identified intrinsic rewards such as feeling good and being recognized, rather than extrinsic rewards such as salary and benefits (See Figure 2). RQ 3 -­‐ How did young adults from the Millennial Generation who would soon be entering the job market interpret employee narratives of job satisfaction offered by the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America” in 2012? The Millennial Generation students who collected data for this research reported frustration when presented with what they perceived as a daunting task. They were asked to work without the instructor’s direct oversight to comb through a variety of differently structured Web sites looking for information that would be presented in different ways. They were asked to complete this work within a specific time frame, following the specific methodology already detailed in this report. The students were given an hour of detailed instruction in class, supported by electronic illustrations and a printed handout. Even after this preview of what was to take place, about one-­‐third of the students were unable to begin the work without individual follow up from the instructor. One student reacted in shock when she realized, half way through the training, that “all the websites look different!” Even basic tasks were difficult for some students, who were unable to find and access the clearly marked hyperlink to the “100 Best” summary Web page from the class Web page. Other students managed to log on to the “100 Best” summary page but got lost navigating between its links. One student, exasperated, complained that, “I am wasting time trying to decipher what’s important.” Narratives of Job Satisfaction 15 The overall concept of the project (why it was relevant to learn about corporate web sites and how this knowledge has relevance for future PR planners and writers) seemed to elude other students who were more focused interested in swift task completion than on understanding why they were engaged in the task in the first place. In a final summary report, one student wrote, “It took much time to review the sites and the information was confusing.” All of this is consistent with findings of Abaffy (2010) and Epstein & Howes (2006) that Millennials sometimes struggle with detail, need lots of hands-­‐on mentoring, can get lost or distracted when working alone on unstructured tasks, and often are more focused on task completion than on underlying concepts. None of these issues threatened the progress of the project or the reliability of its findings. The instructor closely monitored all student work and verified its findings. Even though many students struggled with the hands-­‐on components of the task, there was widespread appreciation of the importance of job satisfaction narratives on the “100 Best” websites. Student comments were collected in written form at the end of the project. Most student comments were informed and enlightening. Positive comments included these: “The videos that were featured on this particular company’s website offered a excellent, believable portrayal of the employees’ satisfaction with their jobs.” “[Narratives] were extremely positive and persuasive, made me want to work for this company and jealous of the level of satisfaction that everyone had.” “When an employee is going through personal struggle, the company is ready to help you in your time of need.” Narratives of Job Satisfaction 16 “[Narratives] make this company out to be a prestigious place to work that sincerely cares about their customers, which you don't normally see from bankers.” Negative comments included these: “The genuine happiness of the individual at the company was only seen in several cases in which the company personally fulfilled and aided the individual in a hard time in their life. A potential employee wants to see more than that; they want to see what this company can do for them in the long run and how they can picture this company being the perfect fit for them in their daily life.” “When the president of the company was talking it did sound kind of positive but definitely not persuasive. He was very dull and boring because he was so monotone during the entire video.” “One of our websites included detailed information about the company itself, however the employees’ testimonials were nothing more than a one-­‐sentence description of why they were proud of their jobs. There were no actual testimonials of why they were satisfied with their company or jobs.” “Using a video is not necessary in communicating to others how satisfied an employee is with their job, however it is extremely helpful in effectively portraying a real employee who is truly satisfied with their position within a company. We found that simply using a statement or paragraph testimonial does not give a real-­‐life connection to the audience.” Narratives of Job Satisfaction 17 Discussion This study involved an assessment of 52 websites, or slightly more than half of the corporate Web sites of organizations listed in 2012 as the “100 Best Companies to Work for in America.” Every organization selected for study had an operational Web site, and the majority of those sites contained at least one narrative of job satisfaction. Web sites were almost as likely to contain a video-­‐based narrative as a text-­‐based narrative. By comparison, the author’s 2003 study found that among all 100 organizations, only 29 had operating websites. Many organizations were not using the Internet to communicate with the public. For organizations that were on the Internet, technology had not developed to the point where online video was commonly used; YouTube would not be launched for another two years. The 2003 study specifically excluded photographs and audio or video clips from its analysis framework. In 2003, two companies were disqualified because it could not be determined whether their narratives “represented the words of employees or corporate hyperbole” (Swanson, 2003, p. 13). While it is still impossible to know whether employee narratives on the Web are created without corporate coaching, the 2012 findings reflect more observer perception that the words offered are ‘the real thing.’ This perception of authenticity can be attributed to the accompaniment of still photographs and live-­‐action video. Most of the 2012 narratives were found to use first person singular, e.g., “I am happy with my job.” Most touched on the value of work, e.g., “I am comfortable in this work environment” rather than addressing the acquisition of skills and knowledge. This is consistent with the 2003 study findings. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 18 Intrinsic rewards of feeling good and being recognized for one’s good work were more commonly mentioned in the narratives than extrinsic rewards such as salary and benefits. This is another commonality of the 2012 and 2003 research. The 2003 project involved 42 students; the 2012 project involved 18 students. The 2003 report observed that, “Despite the size and complexity of many of the corporate Web sites subject to study in this research, evaluators found most of the web-­‐based narratives of employee job satisfaction easy to locate” (Swanson, 2004, p. 20). This was not the case in 2012. Student evaluators were observed to have difficulty understanding the instructions, following basic data collection steps, and grasping key strategic and communication concepts of the project. While not a statistically verifiable finding, it is worthy of note that the instructor sensed much more student confusion, frustration, and misunderstanding of basic concepts in 2012 than with the group of students who assisted with the earlier research. Recommendations The section offers a set of recommendations for effective use of Web-­‐based narratives of job satisfaction. Recommendations are based on the student reaction to this project, student written reflections of the project, data collected, and existing knowledge about needs and desires of Millennial Generation workers as already identified in the Literature Review. • Employee narratives of job satisfaction should be easy to find on the corporate website. Large website are difficult for any user to navigate; complex sites can be challenging for a user who is easily overwhelmed by detail. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 19 • Employee narratives of job satisfaction should be offered through live-­‐action video, or through a written narrative supplemented with at least one still photograph. Text alone lacks visual context, making it difficult for users to personally identify with workplace realities. • Employees featured in narratives should represent diversity in culture, ethnicity, physical ability/ disability, age range, and sexual orientation. Showcasing a diverse workforce allows a prospective employee to visit the Web site and see someone who “looks like me.” • Employee narratives that strengthen the connection between work and personal life would be especially relevant. Employees could discuss their engagement in special projects that make their work more “fun” (high-­‐profile assignments, overseas travel, etc.). • In an effort to make a more personal connection with prospective employees, those workers featured in narratives could address what education/ training they needed to join the company and successfully perform their job. It might even be advisable to identify a recommended college degree and/ or internship preparation. • Narratives should identify whether a job or career field involves multitasking and/ or specific technical skills. Millennial Generation workers in particular embrace multitasking and value variety in work tasks. • Employees featured in narratives should discuss at least briefly how career progression occurs and how the organization evaluates its workers. Millennial Generation workers want to know what their career options are and they typically Narratives of Job Satisfaction 20 expect to advance quickly within the organization. • Any mentoring opportunities or experiences offered by the organization would be worthy of mention in narratives of job satisfaction. Millennial Generation workers are highly sociable and are likely to have had experience as mentors or mentees. • Details on the organizational mission, values, structure, products/ services and so forth are valuable – but should be summarized and limited so as to not overwhelm website visitors. Whether represented by the spoken words of employees or by text-­‐ based content, narratives should be succinct, accurate, and absolutely correct in terms of grammar and usage. Millennial Generation workers are likely to have less proficient writing skills as compared to employees from other generational groups; Millennials may not understand industry-­‐specific terminology or even general business terms. • Organizations should consider implementing social media that would allow website visitors to connect on a more personal level with selected employees. An interactive blog, Facebook site, or Instagram album might be a good starting point. Conclusion This research had immediate relevance to the students who participated in it, even before the findings were known. Most of the students involved in the project were seniors. At the time of their work, all were aware of the difficulty of finding a job in a challenging marketplace. The project proved to be a valuable learning experience because it allowed students to participate in research on a subject that has immediate consequence in their lives. Narratives of Job Satisfaction 21 In the public relations writing class, specifically, this project allowed students to evaluate different types of PR writing and, perhaps, appreciate the challenge of creating quality written copy in the “real world.” The instructor has taught writing at the college level for more than 20 years. In recent years, many undergraduates seem to be expending just enough energy ‘get by’ when creating written work for class assignments. Students frequently do not treat writing as a serious and time-­‐ consuming task. Many seem to have the false impression that writing proficiency will somehow magically germinate after commencement, on the first day of their entry-­‐level job. Through their work on this project, the student research assistants helped confirm that a corporate website is not a passive document displaying words and pictures in an electronic form. It is an interactive medium with visual, informational, and operational components. These components, working together, tell the “stories of living” (Fisher, 1987, p. 58) that belong – in this case – to companies and their satisfied employees. These stories have tremendous potential impact on a variety of internal and external publics in the marketplace. Current employees, prospective employees, employee family members, stockholders, retirees, politicians, government regulators, competitors, and the news media are just a few of the targeted publics that would form opinions of a company’s professionalism and credibility based in part on the narratives of job satisfaction contained within the company’s website. A company that doesn’t make maximum use of its narratives of job satisfaction is not Narratives of Job Satisfaction 22 doing everything it can to promote positive, pro-­‐active relationships with these publics. It is hoped the recommendations offered here will be of value to corporate entities seeking to launch or improve narratives of job satisfaction on the World