Receives sixth prestigious When Work Works Award
PHOENIX, AZ–AHCCCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, has been honored with a 2017 When Work Works Award for exemplary workplace practices. With more than 1000 employees, AHCCCS is the largest of the 10 organizations in Arizona – and the only state government agency – to receive the 2017 national recognition. This is AHCCCS’ sixth When Work Works award in the last seven years.
The prestigious When Work Works Award is part of the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) When Work Works project, a national initiative that helps employers become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces.
“The workplace is ever-changing; so are the needs of today’s workforce. We are proud to once again be recognized for creating a virtual and onsite workplace that is family-friendly, technology-rich, and employee-centered,” said Roxanne Robles, Assistant Director, Human Resources Division at AHCCCS. “With more than 1000 employees across Arizona, this is no small feat, and that’s what makes this award especially significant,” she added.
The award recognizes employers of all sizes across the country that are excelling at offering a variety of top-rated employee initiatives such as work-life fit policies, flexible scheduling and transition to parenthood programs. The AHCCCS “Infant at Work” program (where mothers and fathers may bring their newborns to work for their first six months) is one example of family-friendly focus.
Effective workplaces also include a culture of respect, trust, and job autonomy. With telecommuting and virtual office options, AHCCCS has reduced the need for office space and helped employees save more than 1.3 million miles in travel.
In applying for the award, AHCCCS was evaluated on factors associated with employee health, well-being and engagement: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work-life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement.
“Considering that 78 percent of employers report difficulty recruiting employees for highly skilled jobs and 38 percent report difficulty recruiting for entry-level hourly jobs, When Work Works Award winners have leveraged this recognition opportunity to distinguish themselves as exemplary employers that offer new or enhanced options that help them attract and retain top talent,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of the Families and Work Institute, the original creator of this award, and senior research advisor at SHRM.
“These winners have reinvented their workplaces in ways that benefit business and employees alike and are reaping the benefits in terms of employee job satisfaction and retention,” said Cassidy Solis, senior advisor, workplace flexibility, at SHRM.
The award is earned after a rigorous assessment that emphasizes the real-life experiences of employees and incorporates national benchmarks of employer practices from the National Study of Employers and the employee experiences from the National Study of the Changing Workforce. Two-thirds of an organization’s winning score is based on a survey of its employees.
Additional information about the When Work Works Award and the When Work Works initiative is available online.
Founded in 1982, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System serves 1.9 million children and adults in Arizona who meet qualifications for acute or long-term federal Medicaid healthcare coverage. Built on a system of competition and choice, AHCCCS is a $12 billion program that operates a mandatory managed care system. Contracted health plans coordinate medical services delivered by more than 66,000 healthcare providers.
When Work Works is a national initiative led by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) to help businesses of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious annual When Work Works Award, which recognizes exemplary employers for creating effective workplaces to increase business and employee success. Visit www.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @WhenWorkWorks.
