New research has found that being a Dream Company – one that shows it cares about employees, provides them with learning and growth opportunities, and promotes work/life balance – drives retention, engagement, and talent attraction. This slide series illustrates 5 qualities of being a Dream Company, the benefits with actionable tips to help get there, and how working for a Dream Company has a more positive impact on employees than being in a Dream Job. The data is derived from a Horizons Workforce Consulting survey of 4,000 working adults.

1. How to Build a
Dream Company

2. A Dream Company is one in which employees are able to be
successful in all areas of life, leading to much more
powerful outcomes for employees and employers than any job
alone can offer. Being a Dream Company is about more than just
having a positive image. It generates solid and dependable job
satisfaction, productivity, and retention returns, too.
2
Introduction

3. We launched our Dream Company research to explore how people see
their work and their organization. We wanted to tap into the passion
people have in their day-to-day work and determine what drives it.
To do so, we measured drivers of Dream Jobs and Dream Companies. As it
turns out, working for a Dream Company has a larger positive
impact on employees than working in their Dream Job.
3
Dream Company

4. BENEFITS OF BEING A
DREAM COMPANY
AND TIPS TO HELP
GET THERE

5. Dream Companies Care About
Employee Well-Being

6. Did You Know?
People in Dream Companies are
14% more likely to have
high health satisfaction.
6

7. Make the right choice the easy choice. Support employees
in finding time to exercise during the day, and if
your company offers snacks and beverages, stock lots of
healthy options.
7
Quick Tip

8. Did You Know?
Working in a Dream Company
means lower stress. People at
Dream Companies are
less than half as likely to
burn out.
8

9. Understand where your employees are in terms of work and life,
and the challenges they face. Just assessing this sends a message
to employees that you care and want to help. Once you
understand where your employees are, create an informed
response that will help you change the outcomes.
9
Quick Tip

10. Did You Know?
Those in Dream Companies feel
free to do their job the way it can
best be done (82% vs. 50%)
and have opportunities for input on
matters that affect their work
(82% vs. 46%).
10

11. Quick Tip
Where possible, provide employees with autonomy
over their work. Having control over work is a key component
of well-being. High work demands paired with low work
control has been shown to double an employee’s risk of
cardiovascular mortality.1
11
1 Kivimaki, et al., Work stress and risk of cardiovascular mortality: prospective cohort study of industrial employees.

12. Dream Companies Provide Opportunities
to Learn and Grow — and Impact Business
Results at the Same Time

13. Did You Know?
Dream Companies have better
talent retention. Only 13%of
people in Dream Companies
considered looking for a job “often”
or “very often” during the previous
month, compared to 52% of
people not in Dream Companies.
13

14. Help employees understand and play to their
strengths as often as possible, and match them with a
manager who truly cares about the effects that work demands
have on their personal lives.
14
Quick Tip

15. Did You Know?
More employees in a Dream
Company report that their work
was of the highest
quality as compared with those
not in a Dream Company (73%
vs. 44%).
15

16. When employees feel successful in all areas of life, they’re
able to bring their best to workevery day. This can
mean better focus and higher productivity, which leads to an
improvement in the quality of their work.
16
Quick Tip

17. Did You Know?
36% more employees
working in a Dream Company
enjoy work and feel
inspired compared to those not
working in a Dream Company.
17

18. Inspired employees give their all and are motivated by the
knowledge that their efforts make a difference. Make sure your
employees know the impact of their workon the
organization and its purpose.
18
Quick Tip

19. Did You Know?
In a Dream Company,
43% more people feel
their organization provides them
with opportunities to learn and
grow in their careers.
19

20. Coach managers to have transparent
discussions with their direct reports regarding career
aspirations and the competencies needed to achieve their goals.
20
Quick Tip

21. Dream Companies Promote Work/Life Balance
— and Use Smart Benefits Strategies to Do So

22. Did You Know?
Dream Company employees report
having nine non-core
benefits on average, including
flexible work, child care, elder care,
paid parental leave, educational
advising, and wellness.
22

23. A rich portfolio of non-core benefits support
employees with responsibilities outside of work
and demonstrate that you value your employees as whole
people.
23
Quick Tip

24. Did You Know?
88% of employees have
experienced a major life event in
the last six months. Members of
this group average experiencing
three major life events in the
last six months.
24

25. Survey your employees to determine and understand
the challenges they face in their lives both
in and outside of work. When adding new benefits
or changing existing ones, always map back to these
challenges to communicate that the changes are in response to
employee requests.
25
Quick Tip

26. Did You Know?
Employees in Dream Companies
are more than 3 times as
likely to say that they
“enjoy work so much
that it feels like play”
as opposed to those not in
Dream Companies.
26

27. Data show increased usage of non-core
benefits, indicating a virtuous circle between their impact and
the culture that provides and encourages their use.
27
Quick Tip

28. Learn more about understanding where your company
is on its path to becoming a Dream Company.
Visit brighthorizons.com/solutionsatwork or
email clientservices@brighthorizons.com.