Roberts Wesleyan and VisionMakers
team to 'Magnet-ize' local companies

A project being conducted jointly by the Roberts Wesleyan College and VisionMakers Leadership Practices, Inc., will help companies with at least 50 employees accomplish both.

Roberts Wesleyan students in Professor Ervin Starr's Organizational Theory class will learn insights through helping companies become 'Magnet Workplaces,' where talented people want to work - and stay. The survey is based on best-practices research.

"A 'Magnet Workplace' attracts and retains the right talent, unleashes creativity and innovation in its employees, and satisfies its customers through excellent projects and services," explained Dennis Raup, president of VisionMakers, a Rochester-based organizational development firm that is recruiting area companies to participate in the survey.

"The Magnet Workplace Assessment is a highly effective diagnostic tool that will help leaders gain insight into the unique strengths and potential improvement areas of their organization," said Raup, who aims to recruit about 30 participants, particularly growing firms, or those recovering from a major change like a lay-off or restructuring. "Firms that need productivity increases or additional staff are the best qualified prospects," Raup said.

Roberts Wesleyan business students will help analyze the results. Both the companies and the students will benefit, according to Steven Bovee, chair of Roberts Wesleyan's Division of Business and Management. "The premise of the research - helping create great places to work - complements our division's recent emphasis on servant leadership and Roberts' mission of building character through education," Bovee said. "This is a unique opportunity for the students to translate their learning from the classroom into the real world of work." Eligible participating companies need to have at least 50 employees.

There is a sliding fee for participation based on number of employees. The senior leader assessment is free to companies that register by February 21. Interested companies can learn more by visiting www.vlpinc.com/home_magnet_workplace.asp or by calling VisionMakers at (585) 582-3274 or via e-mail at DSRaup@vlpinc.com.