DCVB Recognized For Exemplary Workplace Practices

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) has been honored for the sixth time with the 2014 When Work Works Award for its use of effective workplace strategies to increase business and employee success.

This award is part of the national When Work Works project administered by the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which recognize employers of all sizes and types in North Carolina and across the country.

DCVB's environment is a carefully crafted balance of work and life. "DCVB has always valued the work and the worker," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO. "Our team is held to - and reaches - very high standards. That level of performance is achieved by allowing staff to be people first and employees second. The flexibility we maintain within the organization is our nod to that need," she added referencing the efforts the organization makes to allow maximum adaptability employment demands to life outside the office.

The award is the result of a rigorous assessment. Worksites must first qualify in the top 20% of the country based on a nationally representative sample of employers. Two-thirds of the evaluation of applicants comes from an anonymous employee survey. Applicants are evaluated on six research-based ingredients of an effective workplace: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work-life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement — all factors associated with employee health, well-being, and engagement. “These employers are making work work in innovative and inspiring ways and set an example for employers both nationally and internationally,” said Ellen Galinsky, president of Families and Work Institute.

“The When Work Works Award recognizes organizations that foster a culture of workplace flexibility and effectiveness, which gives them a competitive advantage. Their practices set them apart from other organizations,” said Lisa Horn, director of SHRM’s Workplace Flexibility Initiative. A list of winners is here and includes winning organizations by state: 

When Work Works is a national project that shares research results on what makes an effective and flexible workplace with the business community. For more information about the When Work Works initiative and the When Work Works Award (formerly known as the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility) visit online.

About DCVB

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) is Durham’s marketing agency. It is chartered as a Tourism Development Authority by the N.C. General Assembly and local governments to spearhead the proactive, strategic, visitor-centered economic and cultural development of Durham by reinvesting a portion of the visitor-paid “room occupancy and tourism development tax” in destination promotion and marketing. Employment opportunities with the organization are listed on the Durham Hospitality Jobs website. The organization is currently filling two positions.

Durham CVB Receives Fifth Sloan Award

Last night at a ceremony in Winston-Salem, the Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) was presented with its fifth Sloan Award for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility. Only 13 organizations in the state were honored this year.  DCVB was also one of only two convention and visitors bureaus nationally to receive recognition, the second one being Dallas, Texas.

"We're honored to be recognized once again with this award - an important one for us as we believe our employees are one of our biggest assets," said Shelly Green, DCVB's President and CEO. "Because they must perform at a high level all of the time, we view our flexible work environment policies as both an operational necessity and an employee benefit," she added.

For more information about the award, read the full announcement.

DCVB Wins Sloan Award for Fifth Time

While there are many aspects that make a workplace a great place to work, workplace flexibility is definitely a big factor. The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) focuses considerable energy on this aspect of employment. 

As a result, DCVB is again being celebrated by The Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) with the national Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Excellence in Workplace Effectiveness and Flexibility.  This award recognizes exemplary employers that have created effective workplace environments supportive of employees’ need for flexibility. This is the fourth consecutive win for DCVB and the fifth since the award's inception in 2005.

This prestigious award is only given to about 300 employers from across the United States, ranging in size from as few as 10 employees to as many as 240,000 employees, and they are found in more than 250 communities nationwide. The winners’ practices include traditional offerings such as telecommuting and more innovative approaches such as unlimited time off and allowing employees to control their hours.

“DCVB prides itself on recognizing the value of its employees," said Shelly Green, President and CEO of the organization. "People who have the flexibility at work are able to contribute fully to their jobs as part of the lives they lead.  In return for our flexibility, we get outstanding output from exceptional people," she added.

To be named a Sloan award winner, employers complete a rigorous process that includes a survey of employees and a comprehensive assessment of whether the employer maintains an effective and flexible workplace. Regardless of the size of the employer; innovative and generous work policies are a mainstay among the honorees. 

The winners will be featured in the 2014 Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work published by FWI and SHRM. DCVB will be honored on September 30 at the NC SHRM conference in Winston-Salem hosted by When Work Works community partners. For a full list of winners, click here.

The Sloan awards are part of the When Work Works program, a research-based initiative to highlight how effective and flexible workplaces can yield positive business results and help employees succeed at work and at home. When Work Works is a joint partnership between FWI and SHRM.

About DCVB

The Durham Convention & Visitors Bureau (DCVB) is Durham’s marketing agency. It is chartered as a Tourism Development Authority by the N.C. General Assembly and local governments to spearhead the proactive, strategic, visitor-centered economic and cultural development of Durham by reinvesting a portion of the visitor-paid “room occupancy and tourism development tax” in destination promotion and marketing.