Editor's Note Among The Best

"We've saved so many errors, increased production, know what's coming down the line and...gotten closer as a group," Leech says.

This closeness has virtually eliminated the cliques, gossip and backstabbing present in so many other in-plants, since everything is out in the open during rounds.

Other factors that helped put Dartmouth on the Best of the Best list are its flexibility (employees can name their own hours, to a point), extensive cross-training efforts (even some drivers are trained to run equipment) and staff appreciation through stress breaks, birthday celebrations, picnics and more.