The Workforce Optimas Awards are a celebration of the power of human resources management. Annually, Workforce recognizes HR programs that have made their businesses better. The winners are selected in 10 categories: General Excellence, Competitive Advantage, Financial Impact, Global Outlook, Innovation, Managing Change, Partnership, Quality of Life, Service, and Vision. The winning programs are profiled in the March issue of Workforce magazine with additional information provided at Workforce online.
It is with great pleasure that Workforce celebrates the winners of Optimas Awards 1998:
 | General Excellence: HR issues are often among the company's three business priorities each year. |
 | Competitive Advantage: HR retains the best employees better and cheaper than the industry average -- and they have fun doing it. |
 | Financial Impact: Trident Precision Manufacturing Inc. By focusing on employees first, Trident improved quality, quadrupled the annual revenue, and reduced turnover. |
 | Global Outlook: A host of new programs have been created to address expat family needs. |
 | Innovation: InTouch allows anyone to telephone anytime to talk about anything. |
 | Managing Change: U.S. Office of Personnel Management The US OPM has created a humane model for downsizing, provided outplacement, and pioneered privatization with the government's first employee stock ownership plan. |
 | Partnership: New York Metropolitan Transit Authority The Future Managers Program has helped the MTA develop a deep talent pool while helping to integrate operations of the MTA's five agencies. |
 | Quality of Life: One of the biggest HR challenges has been to help employees balance their work/life priorities. |
 | Service: The company created a variable compensation and flexible benefits program that's tied to performance. |
 | Vision: HR lent a hand to victims of domestic violence as one step in the fight against workplace violence. |
