Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

For the second year in a row, Sedgebrook is recognized as one of the best places to work in Illinois.

The statewide competition is sponsored by The Business Ledger, the Illinois chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, and the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce. Sedgebrook was ranked sixth this year, up from the number eight spot last year.

A happy workplace makes a happy home
For Sedgebrook residents, a great place to work translates directly into a great place to live. Residents and visitors routinely comment on the friendliness and politeness of Sedgebrook staff. Whether it is Executive Director Ian Brown or one of the high school students who wait tables in the community’s restaurant, employees always take the time to get to know everyone and go out of their way to help them settle into their new homes.

“People here are always so friendly. They say ‘good morning,’” says Doris Harkaway, who moved to Sedgebrook from Diamond Lake. “The staff is just outstanding.”

Rising to the top
“I couldn’t be prouder of this award,” says Sedgebrook Executive Director Ian Brown. “Thanks to the people who live and work here, Sedgebrook is a community in the truest sense of the word: A place where people genuinely care about one another.”

Among the factors that make Sedgebrook a great workplace are its on-site  employee health clinic that gives its nearly 200 employees access to convenient, affordable, quality health care; scholarships for student employees; opportunities for career advancement as the company grows; and a strong  focus on values such as teamwork, leadership, and exceptional customer service.

Sedgebrook is recognized along with its development and management company, Erickson Retirement Communities, and its sister Illinois campus, Monarch Landing in Naperville. Erickson was also recognized this year by FORTUNE Magazine as being one of the United States’ “100 Best Companies to Work For” in 2008.