A quick look at the winners.

SMALL EMPLOYER

GOLD: CROSS GUNTER WITHERSPOON & GALCHUS P.C.

SILVER: ST. FRANCIS COUNTY EMS, FORREST CITY

BRONZE: NAVIGATOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS

MEDIUM EMPLOYER

GOLD: ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION

SILVER: BENCHMARK GROUP

SILVER: DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS

BRONZE: RICH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

LARGE EMPLOYER

GOLD: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

SILVER: AEP/SOUTHWESTERN ELECTRIC POWER CO.

BRONZE: FAYETTEVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT #1

BRONZE: 3M

GOLD: CROSS GUNTER WlTHERSPOON & GALCHUS P,C.

Cross Gunter Witherspoon & Galchus P.C. believes that employees should have a quality life at work. "Our line of work is stressful and demanding," said Rick Roderick, the firm's managing director. "We feel it is important to our success ... to have people balance their work with their lives."

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The Little Rock law firm, which primarily handles labor and employment law defense, allows its employees to work flexible hours so they can adapt to a work schedule that fits their needs. Employees can even choose to compress their work week into four 10-hour days.

Another bonus for employees includes the firm's telecommunication system, which can be used when an employee needs to stay home for a family emergency. Also, the firm takes into consideration methods for judging work performance other than just billable hours like most law firms when awarding vacation time to its employees.

While the employees know how to work hard, they also know how to relax. The firm has frequent happy hour parties on Friday afternoons and provides snacks and prizes for employees. Holidays are also a big deal, with a Christmas party at the country club and prizes for the best costume during Halloween. Employees can also play for their health when they join the law firms' sponsored baseball team.

Although it is difficult balancing the firm's work with employees' personal lives, it's gotten easier with the changes the company's put in place, Roderick says.

SILVER: ST. FRANCIS COUNTY EMS, FORREST CITY

St. Francis County EMS does not believe that work and family have to be on opposing sides. To make sure work cuts minimally into home I life, St. Francis has implemented special family-friendly policies.

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To maximize employees' time with their families, St. Francis has visiting hours. Families are allowed to visit at work from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and can also attend the monthly staff meetings, which include dinner provided by St. Francis.

Another bonus for St. Francis employees is the variety of shifts available. Employees can choose a day or night schedule, as well as a 24-hour shift, which means that an employee would have to work only 10 days in the month to meet full-time hours. Some employees use the flexibility in their shifts to spend more time with their families or even go back to school, according to EMS Director David Herzog.

Other benefits include sick time that can be used not only for employees' illness but also for the illness of any immediate family member within the household, family counseling services at no cost to employees and a payroll deduction plan that helps employees pay for their uniforms.

Without a doubt, when employees are hired, the company doesn't just welcome new staff members, it welcomes whole families - a fact that helps retain employees. "Once employees begin working here and realize what benefits they are receiving along with the work environment here, full-time employees want to stay," Herzog said.

BRONZE: NAVIGATOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS

The culture at Navigator Telecommunications focuses on keeping spirits high and stress down in a way that many other companies would envy.

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"Our organization was founded by family and ... promotes the family," said Tammie Deaton, Navigator's director of human services. "A balance of work and family makes the employee more committed, dedicated and loyal, and this is the culture we have become successful with."

Navigator rallies its troops once a month for "Spirit Meetings," where employees celebrate and recognize personal and corporate progress. The company also has a healthy spread of incentive and reward programs. In an eight-month program called "Whale Done!" employees were given recognition cards with praise, and at the end of the term, top contenders won all-expense paid cruises.

Employees at Navigator can also enjoy a shortened workweek during the summer. Also, during last year's gas crisis, Navigator helped employees save gas by allowing a four-day workweek or work-from-home options, handing out gas cards randomly, giving weekly luncheons and offering carpool options.

Energizing employees throughout the year are the holiday celebrations, such as the Cinco de Mayo fiesta, Mardi Gras party, chili cook-off and Halloween decoration and costume contests.

To advance healthy lifestyle choices, the company hosts wellness seminars, nutrition demos, Weight Watchers at Work, "walkout' picnics, bike rides and smoking cessation classes. The fitness challenge program with rewards has dramatically improved employee health across the board.

GOLD: ARKANSAS EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK

Arkansas Educational Television Network creates an environment where employees are family. The support system makes employees feel as if their work is an extension of their home life.

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With its "family first" commitment, AETN rallies around employees in their time need. The company has an employee fund that helps pay for things such as flowers and cards. Employees are also encouraged to donate unused annual leave time to a catastrophic leave bank for other employees to use during a crisis.

But employees don't need a crisis to show they care for one another. One employee offers free yoga classes during lunch to help decrease the stress around the office, while another has taught the staff CPR and how to use a defibrillator, which AETN keeps on hand for emergencies.

AETN also holds events for employees' families, including an annual Family Day with games and activities for children and adults. The company even allows eight hours of leave time for parents or grandparents to attend school functions.

"At AETN we have an incredible group of employees who represent our diverse society and work hard to bring a unique public service media to all Arkansans," AETN executive director Allen Weatherly said. "Our team has endured much together, even beyond the varied work experiences. It is the least we can do as a work place to be sensitive to all this and to foster a culture that always understands that family is first."

SILVER: BENCHMARK GROUP

Benchmark Group's family-friendly policies are what elevate this company above most as it welcomes both employee and family to the fold.

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Benchmark hosts an annual dinner for employees and their families and significant others to bring everyone closer. The event features dancing and live music, and employees have the option of getting their pictures taken by a professional photographer.

Benchmark also makes room for kid-friendly events like its annual Party with Santa. Children and grandchildren of the staff come in to visit

Santa, who is usually played by the office manager, and it thrills the children when Santa calls them by their names without asking.

In addition to Santa, the company allows parents to bring their kids to work when there is no other option available. "If worse comes to worst, we can bring our children to work with us, even just for a few hours," said Shannon Nerem, administrative assistant for Benchmark. "If our kids are sick, Benchmark does not count it against us for being gone to take care of them."

Benchmark's perks don't stop there. The telecommuting program allows employees to work from home, which enables them to take care of professional and personal matters. Also, Benchmark pays for 100 percent of the first two hours of personal legal services a year for staff members and their families. Other bonuses of working at Benchmark include catered lunches one day a week, a Casino Night, dinner at a minor league baseball game and a trip for 20 years of service.

SILVER: DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS

To protect and enhance the daily work life of its employees, Delta Dental of Arkansas' policies reflect a welcoming environment.

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Delta Dental shows that it cares for its employees by being flexible and providing a friendly atmosphere that keeps employees happy and healthy. Every month it hosts an employee appreciation lunch or breakfast, depending on what the employees choose, and the company has a thank-you bulletin board where people can post appreciation for hard work.

Delta Dental also knows that the health of its employees is important. It has created many wellness programs to encourage employees to live a healthy life. The company's Smoking Cessation Incentive Program encourages employees to be physically aware of their health. As an added motivation, Delta Dental will reimburse any employee who chooses to take Chantix, a prescription smoking-cessation drug not covered by insurance.

Another popular program is the company's Weight Loss Incentive Program. Employees active in the program are required to attend a weekly Weight Watchers meeting held on the premises of Delta Dental, which has provided cash bonuses in the past when goals have been met and weight has been lost and maintained.

"Improving the health of Arkansans is a core value of our company," said Ed Choate, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Arkansas. "Improving the health of our employees also improves their morale and productivity."