Aflac makes Fortune 500 ‘Best Workplaces’ list, Georgia Trend names Synovus among best places to work

June 29--If you're a business publication, odds are in this online-driven world today, you've come up with a list or two to attract readers to your site or magazine.

One of the most popular categories is the best place or workplace or company to work for. That said, Columbus' own Aflac has made the compilation of "Best Workplaces in the Fortune 500," coming in at No. 5. It is determined by an employee survey conducted by the organization, Great Place to Work Institute.

The survey results noted that Aflac offers on-site child care service for $520 a month, 30 days of paid paternity leave, a work and family resource center, and flexible work schedules.

"This ranking is a tribute to our founding principle that says if you treat employees right, they will take care of the business," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said in a statement. "It validates the notion that being a company that exercises ethical and employee-friendly practices will have a strong impact on the bottom line. In today's environment, how you do business is as important to consumers and investors as the products you produce."

By the way, Aflac, a supplemental health and life insurer headquartered on Wynnton Road, also is No. 50 on Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list, with it having appeared on that one 18 straight times.

Another recent list, Georgia Trend's "Best Places to Work in Georgia," includes Synovus Financial Corp., with it ranked No. 16. An evaluation done by Pennsylvania-based Best Companies Group focused on several areas, including leadership, planning, corporate culture, communication, work environment, relationship with supervisor, pay and benefits, and training and development.

Synovus was praised for its family education leave in which employees can attend special family activities during work hours, its contributions to local charities and scholarship funds, recycling efforts to support environmentally friendly initiatives, and assessments and programs to help workers stay healthy.

Also on that list was the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, which has an office at Columbus State University's Cunningham Center. It is one of 17 such centers across the state.

"We have a unique environment where we are free to be creative, developing ideas, initiatives and skill sets that contribute to a positive impact in the communities in which we live," Mark Lupo, director of the Columbus SBDC, said in a statement. "And we do all of this with the friendship and collaboration of a great team of colleagues across the state."

Tony Adams: 706-571-8574, @ledgerbizz

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