The Workforce Optimas Awardsare a celebration of the power of human resources management. Annually, Workforcerecognizes HR programs that have made their businesses better. The winners areselected in 10 categories: General Excellence, Competitive Advantage, FinancialImpact, Global Outlook, Innovation, Managing Change, Partnership, Quality ofLife, Service, and Vision. The winning programs are profiled in the March issueof Workforce magazine with additional information provided at Workforceonline.
It is with great pleasure that Workforce celebrates the winners of Optimas Awards 1995:
 | GeneralExcellence: A decade-long reengineering effort has helped the City of Hampton offer better service to residents, cut tax rates, and revitalize its downtown. HR has been at the center of the effort; it created self-directed work teams, revamped compensation, focused on incentives, and more. |
 | CompetitiveAdvantage: Selective staffing and a commitment to training have helped the hotel and gaming chain slash turnover and maintain an enviable occupancy rate. |
 | FinancialImpact: Springfield Remanufacturing Corporation Extensive financial training for employees has helped workers understand how to contribute to the bottom line. Cost savings, increased revenue and even employee-run start-up operations are the results. |
 | GlobalOutlook: Following an initiative to refocus the company into five key business areas, Colgate-Palmolive formed a global HR strategy team to better align HR with the business needs. The year-long development process that followed yielded a set of international values, a new emphasis on teamwork, and a continuous improvement plan. |
 | Innovation: To help employees who were working at the San Diego hotel but living in Mexico, the HR function established the first HMO in Mexico. |
 | ManagingChange: A comprehensive diversity initiative and content audits have helped the Seattle newspaper change to meet the needs of the changing community it serves. |
 | Partnership: Intel managers taught quality management to administrators of an Arizona school in exchange for involvement in shaping the curriculum to help develop the workforce of the future. |
 | Qualityof Life: This mutual funds investment firm pioneered socially responsible investment. Its commitment to employees also reflects the belief that business can be socially responsible and still earn profits. |
 | Service: A stock-option program for all full-time employees supports the company’s entrepreneurial culture. |
 | Vision: A long-term strategy has helped 3M limit downsizing while still recruiting new talent. |
