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How do you judge the quality of a workplace? Ask the experts: The employees.

For the sixth year, employee survey firm Energage has partnered with the Orlando Sentinel to determine the best places to work in Central Florida. It’s not a popularity contest, and not everyone gets a blue ribbon. A select few are honored based on a scientific survey process.

Energage administers an employee survey that covers 24 factors and takes just a few minutes to complete. The survey asks employees to offer feedback about such things as pay and benefits, direction, leadership, meaningfulness, and appreciation. Energage crunches the feedback data and scores companies based on the responses.

There is no cost to participate in Top Workplaces and no obligation to purchase any product or service. For 2024, 3,193 organizations were invited to survey their employees, and 164 agreed to do so. Based on the survey feedback, a record 129 have earned recognition as Top Workplaces in Central Florida.

“Being honored with a Top Workplaces award is a distinctive mark of excellence, setting companies apart in a recognizable way,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “Top Workplaces embody the highest standards, and this award, rooted in authentic employee feedback, is a point of immense pride for company leaders.” read more

The following Orlando Sentinel Top Workplaces 2024 special award recipients were chosen based on standout scores for employee responses to specific survey statements. Employees rate these statements on a seven-point Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

Leadership

With the highest ratings for the statement, “I have confidence in the leader of this company”

• Large: Joe Nunziata, FBC Mortgage, LLC
• Midsize: Sheryl Palmer, Taylor Morrison
• Small: Jason Eddy, Assured Information Technology (AIT) Engineering

Direction

With the highest ratings for the statement, “I believe this company is going in the right direction”

• Kalos Services, Inc

Managers

With the highest ratings for the statement, “My manager helps me learn and grow” and “My manager cares about my concerns”

• Orlando Magic

New Ideas

With the highest ratings for the statement, “New ideas are encouraged at this company”

• Sonobi

Doers

With the highest ratings for the statement, “At this company, we do things efficiently and well”

• Hyatt Hotels of Orlando

Meaningfulness

With the highest ratings for the statement, “My job makes me feel like I am part of something meaningful:

• Charter Research

Values

With the highest ratings for the statement, “This company operates by strong values.”

• Greystar

Clued in Senior Management

With the highest ratings for the statement, “Senior managers understand what is really happening at this company” read more

Assured Information Technology Engineering President Jason Eddy said his company was founded on a “people-driven” growth model that provides value to the burgeoning information technology industry through its engineering talent.

Eddy’s foundational principles have paid off as AIT Engineering is the Orlando Sentinel’s 2024 Top Workplaces in Central Florida winner in small company category for the second consecutive year.

AIT Engineering, founded in 2010 by Eddy, works to create database and software development solutions for clients like the federal government — primarily the Department of Defense.

Eddy said placing the company’s focus on the quality of engineering talent coming in and work being done helped boost the morale of employees seeking a “well-respected team.”

“We’ve been able to grow as fast as we can recruit and retain top engineering talent,” he said. “Having our engineers know that they’re working with some of the best in their field has been the thing, at least in my perspective, that kind of keeps everybody happy.” read more

While the players on the court are often the stars of the show, all 310 employees who make up the Orlando Magic organization are vital to the team’s success on and off the hardwood.

For creating a winning workplace organization, the Orlando Magic are the Orlando Sentinel’s 2024 Top Workplaces in Central Florida winner in midsize company category.

Magic CEO Alex Martins described the work environment as “collaborative” and stressed the organization strives to maintain a healthy balance between hard work and a welcoming, entertaining atmosphere.

“It’s really a work-hard-play-hard type of environment, and we try to create a culture where everybody is inspired to come to work every day, knows that their contributions matter and are important to the success of the organization,” he said. “And at the same time, we’re trying to create that environment where everybody really enjoys coming to work.”

Martins knows the work environment of the Magic well, working his way up the organization from the team’s public relations director in 1989 to CEO in 2006. read more

Hyatt Hotels aims to offer top-notch services to guests at its Central Florida locations and to make sure its more than 1,400 employees feel cared for, too.

The effort to keep employees happy and thriving in their workplace earned Hyatt Hotels the distinction of being the Orlando Sentinel’s 2024 Top Workplaces in Central Florida in the large business category for the second year in a row.

“Hyatt’s purpose is to care for people so that they can be their best,” said Lauren Vogel, an assistant director of human resources. “Our purpose is always going to be at the forefront of our mind, with every conversation we have. Whether it’s with a colleague or a guest, any decision that we make and any time we encounter a colleague, we want to make sure that we have that purpose in our minds.”

To keep employees happy and engaged, Vogel said Hyatt provides numerous opportunities for colleagues to connect, such as bringing in food trucks on Fridays.

There are also several opportunities for employees to be recognized by the company, with each area Hyatt holding its own annual awards banquet. read more