In today’s fast-moving, globally competitive economy, having the top employees can be the difference between getting ahead and falling behind. So, the billion-dollar question is, “How do you attract the best workers to your business?”

There are a lot of opinions out there. For starters, you have to pay them well. You also have to offer good benefits. But those are just compensation factors–the relatively easy part of the equation.

You also have to make your business a place where people want to work. Moreover, people outside your company should already know how much your employees like working there.

There is no easy recipe for becoming a place where people want to work and building that reputation. Thatís where this issue of Missouri Business comes in.

Earlier this year, we sought to find the very best places to work in Missouri. We thought that if we could compile a list of the stateís top workplaces, perhaps we could all take lessons from these companies and help make our entire business community more attractive.

So, we created a contest and opened a call for submissions, inviting businesses from across the state to tell us why they are great places to work. Every entrant had to provide community references and growth data.

We received responses from every corner of the state. We then tasked a selection team with selecting the best of the best. Although every entry we received was worthy of commendation, our team was able to choose just six winners.

And now, we are ready to reveal those winners–the 2014 Best Places to Work in Missouri. Click here to meet the winners. I hope you enjoy learning about these innovative companies. I’m sure you will find inspiration and ideas that you can bring to your own workplace.

To our winners, I’d like to congratulate you on your success in building Missouriís best places to work.
Finally, this is the last issue of Missouri Business magazine for the year. As we close 2014, I’d like to thank the members of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry for their continued support, collaboration, and encouragement. This was a strong year of success in the legislature. Also, several exciting economic development projects across our state were announced.

Looking forward, we have very big plans in store for 2015–a year that promises to be one of the most exciting in the history of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Stay tuned.