The Boston Globe names Visiting Angels Newton/Canton one of the 2020 Top Places to Work

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, a prominent senior home care agency, has been named one of the Top Places to Work in Massachusetts in the 13th annual employee-based survey project from The Boston Globe. This is the fourth year in a row that Visiting Angels Newton/Canton has been voted a Top Place to Work by its employees, and the sixth time overall. The Top Places to Work 2020 issue publishes online at Globe.com/TopPlaces on the night of Nov 19 and in the Globe Magazine on Nov 22.
 
Top Places to Work recognizes the most admired workplaces in the state voted on by the people who know them best—their employees. The survey measures employee opinions about their company’s direction, execution, connection, management, work, pay and benefits, and engagement. The employers are placed into one of four groups: small, with 50 to 99 employees; medium, with 100 to 249 workers; large, with 250 to 999; and largest, with 1,000 or more. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton was ranked 17^th in the medium-size category and was one of only three home care agencies to make the list.
 
“We are honored to have once again been voted one of the Top Places to Work by all our employees, especially this year. The pandemic has hit the senior community very hard, presenting new challenges for our home care agency, which relies on face to face contact with our clients. I am very proud of how our team responded. As essential workers, our caregivers and staff adapted to the new conditions and showed up each and every day to care for our clients who depend on our services. Our team’s expertise and deeply caring attitudes allowed us to continue our valuable work of keeping our clients safe and cared for during this difficult time,” said Larry Michel, President and Co-Owner, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton.

During the pandemic, Visiting Angel Newton/Canton has offered additional training, protective equipment, and financial support to caregivers.  Employees received weekly email videos on topics such as enhanced training on preventing the spread of infectious diseases and how to implement self-care.  The company continued to celebrate caregivers’ successes by moving the “Angel of the Month” celebration online. Office staff remained connected through virtual events like weekly Town Hall Meetings and “Lunchtime Fridays.”  
 
“Our shared commitment to caring for area seniors and adults with disabilities has helped us to be successful. Over 50% of our caregivers have been with us for over three years, more than one-third have been with us for over five years, and some for more than fifteen years. These are impressive statistics in the home care industry, given the challenges of the job and the high turnover rate in this field. We are proud that our office has fostered a work climate that makes our employees want to continue with us,” said Karen Woodrow, Director and Co-Owner, Visiting Angels Newton/Canton.
 
The rankings in The Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work are based on confidential survey information collected by Energage (formerly WorkplaceDynamics), an independent company specializing in employee engagement and retention, from more than 80,000 individuals at 285 Massachusetts organizations. The winners share a few key traits, including offering progressive benefits, giving their employees a voice, and encouraging them to have some fun while they’re at it.
 
“This was a particularly challenging year to be a great place to work, and the companies that made our list went above and beyond to keep their employees safe, engaged, and cared for,” said Katie Johnston, the Globe’s Top Places to Work editor. “From offering help with childcare to making the workplace more equitable to holding virtual talent shows, these employers showed that the best get better in crisis.”
 
Top Places to Work online extras include sortable rankings and features such as showcasing companies going the extra mile to make their workplaces more equitable and help employees connect with one another and their communities during the pandemic. All can be found at Globe.com/TopPlaces. Readers can follow the news on Twitter at #workboston.