A recent report from Gallup found that employee engagement globally dropped in 2024—only the second time in the past 12 years. Engagement among managers also took a big hit as they face new daunting challenges. (See Editor’s Notes for more details). And when your managers aren’t happy, your workforce isn’t too far behind.
Finding ways to engage employees and develop cultures that meet these new challenges is imperative. Who better to turn to for answers than companies achieving high engagement? This month’s issue celebrates and delves into the practices of the Best Companies to Work For in NH.
This year, 27 companies earned a spot on the list of 2025 Best Companies to Work For in NH competition, as well as seven companies achieving Hall of Fame status. (Companies that are named as Best Companies four out of five years are inducted into our Hall of Fame, where they remain for two years and assist with judging.)
So how do companies make the list? Applicants complete an employer application detailing benefits, policies, and programs. An employee engagement survey, administered by The Employee Engagement Group in Woburn, Massachusetts, must be completed by at least 50% of a company’s NH workforce. The results of the employee engagement survey account for 60% of a company’s score. A group of HR professionals evaluate the employer responses to culture questions, which account of 25% of the score. Business NH Magazine analyzes and scores benefits, which accounts for 15% of the final score.
The Leddy Group, a staffing firm based in Dover, organized site visits of the 12 highest scoring companies, with NH executives and HR professionals serving as judges. They interviewed CEOs, held employee focus groups, and toured facilities. Scores from those visits helped our main judges refine the ranking of the top 12.
