OREGONIAN NAMES ACHS A 2016 TOP WORKPLACE

Oregon Top Workplaces Award, Portland, OR—September 29, 2016American College of Healthcare Sciences (ACHS) has been awarded a 2016 Top Workplaces honor in the small business category by The Oregonian and OregonLive. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

“The Top Workplaces award is not a popularity contest. And oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics. “But to be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.” Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

“I was delighted to accept this award on behalf of our team,” says ACHS CSO Erika Yigzaw. “For a small company, we offer a lot of generous benefits for our employees because they all work so hard to help our students and alumni be successful and meet our mission of providing excellence in holistic health education. We work hard to offer great benefits but to also help employees live better lives through volunteering, wellness programs, education and training, and helping everyone find the joy in their role. We all spend a lot of time at work, and employees are the lifeblood of any company. Our fantastic team love their jobs and our students, and that’s why we have student satisfaction rates averaging 98% in our top 10 programs this year, which is so unusual in higher education.”

One of the most significant indicators of a Top Workplace is employee belief in the mission of the organization. “Our mission is what drives us,” says Dorene Petersen, ACHS Founder and President. “We are honored to have a team that has kept our college at the cutting edge of both distance education and sustainable practices. Our triple bottom line goals of serving people and the planet have created a strong community among our employees, students, and alumni. We are dedicated to employee success and are thrilled to be named a Top Workplace for 2016.”

A summary of the Top Workplaces program is available on Oregonlive.com (http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2016/09/congratulations_to_all_of_our.html). A full list of ranked winners in the large, mid-sized, and small company categories honored at the banquet in downtown Portland, Thursday, September 22, 2016 can be viewed online  (http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2016/09/full_list_of_winners_top_workp.html) and in a special section printed in the Sunday, September 25 edition of The Oregonian.

For more information about this press release, to schedule an interview with Dorene Petersen, or for questions about and ACHS’s employee assistance programs, sustainability initiatives, or social mission, email publicrelations@achs.edu. For more information about ACHS’s accredited integrative medicine programs, call 800.487.8839 or visit www.achs.edu.

About ACHS

Founded in 1978, ACHS.edu is an accredited global educator in online integrative health education. With undergraduate and graduate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and CEUs in integrative medicine, ACHS makes holistic health and wellness education accessible to a diverse community of learners, including healthcare professionals, military students, stay-at-home parents, and lifelong learners. Specializations include aromatherapy, herbal medicine, holistic nutrition, and wellness. ACHS is a Certified B Corporation® and was named one of the 2016 Best Green Workplaces by Oregon Business magazine. ACHS is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Visit www.achs.edu.

About WorkplaceDynamics, LLC

Headquartered in Exton, PA, WorkplaceDynamics specializes in employee feedback surveys and workplace improvement. This year alone, more than two million employees in over 6,000 organizations will participate in the Top Workplaces™ campaign—a program it conducts in partnership with more than 40 prestigious media partners across the United States. Workplace Dynamics also provides consulting services to improve employee engagement and organizational health. WorkplaceDynamics is a founding B Corporation member, a coalition of organizations that are leading a global movement to redefine success in business by offering a positive vision of a better way to do business.

PRESS CONTACT: Lauren Shapiro, Communications Manager, publicrelations@achs.edu