Valassis, one of the nation's leading media and marketing services companies, announced today its inclusion on Working Mother magazine's esteemed list of the Best Companies for Hourly Workers for the second consecutive year. The award recognizes employers with the best policies and programs for promoting women and a dynamic work/life culture. Valassis is one of 12 companies that made the list in 2012, and the only company based in Michigan.

Working Mother considered the following areas when compiling their Best Companies list:

• Culture;
• Workforce profile;
• Benefits;
• Training, development and advancement;
• Work and flexibility;
• Paid time off and leaves; and
• Work/life programs.

A majority of the Best Companies offer career advancement opportunities, including technology training and supervisor/team leader preparatory training. Nine out of 12, including Valassis, offer mentoring, career counseling and vocational skills training.

"Inclusion on this list is a testament to the dedication of our hourly associates, the passion they have for the work they do and their continued efforts to change to meet the rapidly changing needs of our industry," said Ron Goolsby, Valassis Chief Operating Officer,who oversees the company' manufacturing operations, client services, strategic sourcing and information technology areas. A majority of Valassis' 3,000 hourly associates work in these areas. "Our associates and leaders work together to achieve flexibility between business and family needs.  I am very proud of our ability to balance these factors and create a positive overall career environment important to all of our associates, especially working mothers." 

All of the Best Companies for Hourly Workers offer flexible work arrangements. On average, 73% of hourly workers at these Best Companies use flextime, up from 68% in 2011.  At Valassis, numerous work schedules exist to meet business needs while also offering opportunities for family time. Valassis offers a wide range of options that enable associates to take care of family needs such as school meetings, doctor's appointments and children activities.

Valassis provides a host of convenient services with a focus on a culture where work/life balance is encouraged. Among these amenities are onsite workout facilities and discounts,  health fairs/flu shots, dry cleaning, postal services and discount tickets, to name a few. 

"This year's Best Companies exemplify best-practices, workplaces and cultures to help female hourly workers thrive," said Jennifer Owens, Editorial Director of Working Mother Media. "Most of the companies use the 70-20-10 rule: Focus 70% of your time on getting on-the-job experience, 20% on developing internal relationships and networks and 10% on formal training."

Here are the Best Companies for Hourly Workers of 2012:

The full results of the WM Best Companies for Hourly Workers report can be found at www.workingmother.com/hourly.

Earlier in the year, Valassis was recognized as a "Top 50 Company for Executive Women" by the National Association for Female Executives; by AZ Magazine in Arizona where it has an office in Phoenix as a "Top 25 Workplace for Women" and most recently on Advertising Age's Best Places to Work List.