Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties Honored as Best Place to Work in Southwest Florida

Photo courtesy of: Gulfshore Business/Photo Credit: Brian Tietz 

Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties was recently named one of the 2023 Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida! This regional survey and awards program is a Gulfshore Business and Best Companies Group project designed to identify, recognize, and honor the 20 best places of employment in Southwest Florida, benefiting the region’s economy, workforce, and businesses.

Our staff and Board of Directors are honored to achieve this outstanding accomplishment! At Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, our mission is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. It’s a mission that our employees live every day.

“From the perspective of a long-term Habitat volunteer, I have witnessed a team driven by the vision to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live,” says Habitat Board Member Vicki Cooper. “When an organization thrives on open and ongoing two-way communication, challenges its team to create new and innovative practices, embraces the concept of upward mobility and acts upon it, and offers opportunities for staff development and education, then when issues arise, this team collaboratively will find the best solution.”

The foundation of Habitat’s culture also sets the organization apart, which rests on our core values of Integrity, Teamwork and Mission Focus. Employees are consistently reminded of these values in the weekly newsletter by CEO Becky Lucas, and employees who exemplify these values are recognized throughout the year. Employees participate in monthly peer-to-peer recognition and honor each other through written submissions for annual core value awards.

“No matter the role an employee plays at Habitat, a clear line is drawn from a job function to organizational impact,” says CEO Becky Lucas. “Habitat employees do what they love, with people they love, while finding their personal purpose within the mission. This mission-driven culture fosters employees who authentically work for a greater purpose and care for each other.”

Companies across the region entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida. The first part evaluated each nominated company’s policies, practices, benefits and demographics, measuring 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience with an in-depth set of 77 statements that employees responded to, along with two open-ended and eight demographic questions. This survey makes up the other 75% of the overall score. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the registration and survey process in Southwest Florida, analyzed the data, and used their expertise to determine the final rankings.

We will be recognized in the June edition of Gulfshore Business, where the rankings will be revealed for the first time, along with profiles of each winning company.