PeoplesBank Again Named a “Top Place To Work”

HOLYOKE — Recently, The Boston Globe recognized PeoplesBank as a Top Place To Work for the third year in a row. Massachusetts-based companies that are eligible for Top Place To Work consideration undergo a rigorous evaluation by survey firm WorkplaceDynamics. More than 76,000 individuals’ responses were submitted by the companies evaluated regarding six key factors related to employee happiness, company direction, execution, employee connection, work load and responsibility, management, and pay and benefits.
“While there is definite value in these indicators, many signs of recovery cannot be boiled down to pure economics,” said Boston Globe Business Editor Mark Pothier. “The companies on our Top Places To Work list foster productivity and innovation by investing in the happiness of their employees, which cannot solely be measured in dollars and cents.” Said Douglas A. Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, “our intent was to establish the values and culture necessary to support a great organization. Over time, we learned that those values and that culture would improve our bottom line and make PeoplesBank a top place to work.”

Employee engagement is critical to a high-performance culture according to Janice Mazzallo, executive vice president and chief human resource officer at PeoplesBank. “Associates become engaged when they know we care about them,” she said. “We want to know their ideas, so we have associate think tanks. We want them to grow, so we have innovative development programs, mentoring, and learning centers. And we want to encourage life-work balance because our values are more than just about work. We need to have fun, too.” As part of the Top Place To Work award to PeoplesBank, The Boston Globe highlighted two efforts by bank associates. The first, called the Smoothie Patrol, started at an associates’ organized wellness fair and was so well received that associates decided to take it on the road and make surprise visits to each of the bank’s 17 offices. Xiaolei Hua, an assistant vice president and credit officer at PeoplesBank and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, was interviewed by the Boston Globe regarding the bank’s support of volunteerism. “I know that the bank cares about more than just getting the work done. They care about me, my family, and the community, Hua told the paper.