CARIBOU, Maine — Cary Medical Center was recently named as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in Maine. The awards program was created in 2006 and is a project of the Society for Human Resource Management – Maine State Council and Best Companies Group. Partners endorsing the program include: Mainebiz, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Maine HR Convention.
Kris Doody, RN, CEO of Cary Medical Center said that the award is particularly impressive given the impact of the COVID Pandemic. “This has been one of the most difficult periods in the near 100-year history of Cary Medical Center,” said Doody who is also CEO for Pines Health Services. “All of our employees in every department have demonstrated their commitment to quality and putting our patients at the center of all that we do. We could not be prouder of our staff and this award, which is based, for the most part, on what our employees said about their experience working at Cary Medical Center. We are looking forward to celebrating this award throughout the year.”
This statewide survey and award program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment in Maine, benefiting the state’s economy, its workforce, and businesses. The 2021 Best Places to Work in Maine list is made up of 100 companies in three size categories: small (15-49 U.S. employees), medium (50-249 U.S. employees), and large (250+ U.S. employees).
Companies from across the state entered the two-part process to determine the Best Places to Work in Maine. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25 percent of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75 percent of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Maine and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.
Penny Wickstrom, SHRM-CP, human resources manager at Cary and Pines Health Services said that the results of the survey from employees will help identify additional opportunities for improvement.
“We will be reviewing the surveys and responding to any ideas that will raise the bar even higher to enhance the culture of the Cary work experience,” said Wickstrom. “We plan to use this designation in our recruitment efforts and what better way to promote your facility than to have your employees acknowledge the quality of our work environment.”
To be considered for participation, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements:
– Have at least 15 employees working in Maine;
– Be a for-profit or not-for-profit business or government entity;
– Be a publicly or privately held business;
– Have a facility in the state of Maine; and
– Must be in business a minimum of 1 year.
Cary was recognized in the Oct. 18 edition of Mainebiz where the rankings were revealed for the first time, following a planned awards event.
For more information on the Best Places to Work in Maine program, visit www.BestPlacestoWorkME.com or contact Jackie Miller at 717-323-5237.
