Peace Village Earns Great Place To Work Certification


Peace Village in Palos Park was certified as a great workplace by the independent analysts at Great Place to Work® in May.

Great Place to Work® is the global authority on high-trust, high-performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools, advisory services, and certification programs, including Best Workplaces lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work® provides the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain, and recognize outstanding workplace cultures. They produce the annual Fortune "100 Best Companies to Work For®" list and a series of Great Place to Work® Best Workplaces lists.

“We have worked intentionally to create a work environment that is fun, supportive, and meaningful for our employees and receiving this distinction is not only a great indication that our efforts have been successful, but also a reason for celebration for our entire team at Peace Village”, said Linda Beushausen Gunter, CEO at Peace Village. Gunter said that the entire team at this senior living community is very excited to be certified as a great workplace.

That buzz at Peace Village isn’t just about the certification, according to employees. What makes Peace Village such a great place to work is a collective excitement every day.

Peace Village is a senior living community in Palos Park. The community offers independent living, assisted living, memory care and rehabilitation services. The Village is situated on twenty-two acres, lushly landscaped with walking paths, sitting areas and sparkling pond. The neighborhood for retired residents is rife with modern and comfortable social and dining facilities, activities, events, trips - and passionate team members.

After researching opportunities in the southwest suburbs, Gena Taveggia began working at Peace Village in August of last year while completing her Masters in Social Work and Gerontology & Health Care at Aurora University. “My cousin told me about Peace Village and I looked into it. It had very good reviews and I had a very good feeling about it - and I’m happy I went with my gut.”

Her original goal of working in a hospital setting was quickly discarded. She soon realized that working in this smaller, close-knit environment was a better fit for her. After her May graduation, Taveggia became the Care Partner for the Memory Care Unit at Peace Village. “Here, I’m able to build long-term relationships with residents and their families, and be able to better advocate for them,” Taveggia said.

Taveggia is responsible for programming weekly activities that enrich Memory Care residents cognitively, emotionally and physically. In her role as Social Worker, she communicates often with families and completes regular assessments of residents, intervening whenever there is cause. “We are always looking for what we can do better,” she said.

That mission, of always improving life for Peace Village residents, is a shared focus and a core reason that Peace Village feels like a family. “Everyone comes in here excited to work,” said Taveggia. “ All the staff, everyone, has a great attitude every day. Everyone gets along, which is so rare with co-workers. We are willing to work late, because if it’s worthwhile for the residents, it’s worth it to us.”

“It’s a homey environment,” she continued. “When you walk through the door, you know what you are going to get - staff whose first focus is the residents’ well-being, residents who are happy to see you and smiling, everyone treating you like family. Everyone is warm, welcoming and smiling. We help each other out, understand that we have the same goal of providing what is best for our residents and we work as a team to achieve that. We are a big family here.”

Marion Rice agrees. A Certified Nursing Assistant, Rice has worked at Peace Village for eighteen years, starting in 2000 as a contract CNA and becoming a full-time employee in 2002. “I had no hesitation joining Peace Village”, said Rice. “I knew that the atmosphere was like a family and everyone worked as a team for the better of the residents.”

As a CNA, Rice works the night shift with a team that has been together for decades. She helps residents with personal care such as dressing, grooming and eating. “I also give hugs when I know they need a hug, and ensure that they are safe and happy,” she said.

“I love giving care to the elderly because they have given so much to us. There is an at-home feeling here. The longevity of our team builds that family feeling; we are in one accord and on the same page, working together for the better of our residents. We do what needs to be done in the interest of our residents,” said Rice. “These people are my joy, they are my strength.”

The attitude of management also plays a vital role in making Peace Village a great place to work. Rice says when there is a problem, management is there to resolve it - asap. Peace Village also provides ongoing training and inservice education opportunities, ensuring employees understand current care theories and standards.

Rice feels genuinely appreciated at Peace Village. Rice’s husband Walter has suffered several strokes and is battling dementia, resulting in a need for understanding - and time off - from her Peace Village supervisors. “It has never been a problem here,” said Rice. “Management understands and helps make sure you get what you need to take care of your family. They really care. It’s shown in the expression of their faces and in the tone of the voice. My boss is always asking me, “How is Walter?” They care about you here, and your whole family. I am appreciated by management and by the residents. There is a lot of love here and it is genuinely felt.”

The overwhelming majority of Peace Village employees feel the same. “According to our study, 93 percent of Peace Village employees say it is a great workplace,” says Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Vice President of Great Place to Work Certification & List Production.

Peace Village earned the Great Place To Work credential based on extensive ratings provided by its employees in anonymous surveys. A summary of these ratings can be found at http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/peace-village. Peace Village employees completed 92 surveys, resulting in a 90 percent confidence level and a margin of error of ± 2.93.

"We applaud Peace Village for seeking certification and releasing its employees' feedback," said Kim Peters, Executive Vice President of Great Place to Work's Certification Program. "These ratings measure its capacity to earn its own employees' trust and create a great workplace - critical metrics that anyone considering working for or doing business with Peace Village should take into account as an indicator of high performance.”

Taveggia concurs, “Resident and staff do very well here.” Rice expresses the excitement that is hallmark of Peace Village. “I love working at Peace Village and am so happy I am able to express my feelings about our great management, great staff and great residents.”