"I firmly believe that the best companies to work for are also the best companies to work with," said Hyland President and CEO Bill Priemer. "We've built something pretty special at Hyland, and this recognition is the result of our tireless support for our customers, partners, and most importantly, each other."
WESTLAKE, Ohio -- Employees at Hyland, creator of OnBase, celebrated the software company's third straight appearance on Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by swatting volleyballs to each other, working up a sweat on the treadmills, chilling out with the on-site masseuse, and cracking open celebratory bottles of cold beer.
In other words -- except for the beer -- they did pretty much what they get to do every day at Hyland, which ranks No. 48 on Fortune's just-released 2016 list.
Hyland, one of the world's largest independent information management software companies, doesn't quite offer the kinds of perks and amenities as Google/Alphabet, ACUITY Insurance, or the Boston Consulting Group, which occupy the top three spots on this year's list.
But it's the only Northeast Ohio company that appears in this year's rankings, and has climbed 28 spots from last year's No. 76 ranking.
Bill Priemer, president and CEO of Hyland, creator of OnBase "There isn't an honor that our company could receive that I would be more proud of than this one," said Bill Priemer, president and chief executive of Hyland, in a statement.
"I firmly believe that the best companies to work for are also the best companies to work with, a concept our customers acknowledge in their feedback," he said. "We've built something pretty special at Hyland, and this recognition is the result of our tireless support for our customers, partners, and most importantly, each other."
The privately-held Hyland, founded in 1991 and still headquartered in Westlake, reported revenues of $367.01 million last year.
Hyland employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, including 1,900 in Northeast Ohio, has 15,900 customers and more than 400 job openings listed at onbase.com/careers. That includes 33 technical consultants, the job category with the most openings, as well as software developers, software consultants, account managers, software testers, project managers, sales engineers, technical support analysts, database analysts, and software trainers.
"Who needs Silicon Valley's sky-high rents and traffic?" the Fortune article asks. "This Ohio-based business software firm, which counts clients like the Mayo Clinic and Sherwin-Williams, offers employees perks like flex days, paid sabbaticals, on-site fitness classes, and a clinic with a nurse, chiropractor, physical therapist, dietician and health coach."
"Hyland pays up to $10k in tuition reimbursement for employees and provides between 50-77 hours of training each year," the article said. "Most work in its headquarters located near Cleveland. CEO Bill Priemer holds roundtable lunches with groups of workers throughout the year, and sometimes spontaneously invites employees to fun workday breaks like cornhole tournaments, paper airplane contests, and games of dodgeball."
Hyland is well-known for its Silicon Valley-esque perks such as flex days, paid sabbaticals, on-site workout rooms and fitness classes, and a wellness clinic with a nurse practitioner, chiropractor, physical therapist, dietician, and health coach.
"After 25 years in business, Hyland has built a special culture, and we're so proud to be named on the list," Megan Klingshirn, a public relations specialist at Hyland and a five-year employee, told fellow employees via email before the carts of cold beer were wheeled out into the common areas.
The other Ohio-based companies that made Fortune's list are: Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth (No. 29); OhioHealth in Columbus (No. 68); and Nationwide Mutual Insurance in Columbus (No. 71).
Kathleen Vegh, Hyland's manager of employee engagement and a 10-year employee, attributes this year's better scores from Hyland's workers, who are anonymously but extensively surveyed as part of the ranking. Two-thirds of a company's score comes straight from those surveys, which ask for employees' attitudes about management's credibility, overall job satisfaction, and camaraderie.
"The other third is based on responses to the Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts," she said. "We have moved up 45 spots since we landed on the list in 2014."
But what makes Hyland really distinct from other Northeast Ohio employers?
"If I said because it is real and authentic here, would you believe me?" Vegh asked via email. "Because that is my honest answer. But taking that one step further, our culture is shaped around the voice of the employee. They are at the core of all decisions. Hylanders talk and we listen to help them achieve a fulfilling #HylandLife.
"And for us, the connection between happy Hylanders and happy customers is clear - when you enjoy coming to work every day, you're willing to go the extra mile," she said.
This is the video Hyland submitted as part of its application to Fortune.