Three businesses selected for Employer of Choice awards

| April 13, 2022 1:00 AM

As businesses large and small grapple with retention challenges, three local businesses are setting an example for the business community.

Sliters Lumber and Building Supply, Lowe’s, and Glacier Restaurant Group have been selected as The Flathead Job Service Employer Council’s 2022 Employer of Choice Award Winners.

The winners were chosen from a record 90-plus nominations representing over 35 businesses in Flathead County.

Sliters Lumber and Building Supply won the small business category for the second consecutive year. The small business category includes businesses with up to 50 employees. Lowe’s (medium business category) and Glacier Restaurant Group (large business category) each claimed their first Employer of Choice Awards. The medium business category recognizes companies with 50 to 100 employees, and the large business category is awarded to businesses with 151 employees or more.

Each year Flathead JSEC receives nominations from employees who are proud of their employers for creating an excellent work environment. The nominations are scored according to four criteria: Employee Benefits/Initiatives; Leadership and Workplace Culture; Employee Training/Development and Community Orientation.

The winning employers will now be nominated for the Montana State Employer of Choice award.

The Flathead Job Service Employer Council is a not-for-profit volunteer advisory committee, consisting of a diverse group of local area employers who serve as ambassadors and mentors for Job Service Kalispell and the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

It is a public-private partnership challenged with meeting the workforce needs of the Flathead business community. Members represent both large and small private employers as well as public sector and nonprofit entities. “The Flathead Job Service Employer Council has been integral in creating partnerships to improve the quality of the workforce, sustain economic growth and support business opportunities,” a press release states.