Employees at the CEI Group, Inc., are among the most highly engaged in their jobs in U.S., a Gallup Inc. survey has found, CEI has announced.

Based on a survey of nearly the company's entire workforce last summer, Gallup computed CEI's Engagement Index Ratio at 7.83, which is more than four times the score of 1.80 for all U.S. workers last year. Gallup has been conducting annual employee engagement surveys since the late 1990s. The index compares the number of engaged employees to those who are "actively disengaged."

Gallup defines engaged employees "as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace." The consulting firm also says that engaged employees:

• Begin the day with a sense of purpose and finish it with a sense of achievement.

• Consistently bring high levels of determination, tenacity and resilience to everything they do.

• Are dedicated to their jobs, and its shows in their enthusiasm, inspiration and pride in their work.

• Become easily engrossed in their roles, and time flows quickly for them when at work.

The index is computed on the basis of employee responses to 12 questions that measure such characteristics as job satisfaction, emotional commitment and performance attitudes. Gallup notes that companies with high scores tend to have higher productivity, lower turnover and absenteeism, and greater customer satisfaction.

Claudia Smolda, CEI's vice president of human resources, said she wasn't surprised by Gallup's findings. "A supportive and friendly culture has always been one of our most important priorities," she said. "We have worked hard to be sure that CEI is a place where people want to come to work and enjoy themselves, because we believe that's how you get the most and best out of people."

The Gallup results are the most recent that recognize CEI's employee-friendly culture. Over the past 10 years, CEI has twice been named on the best places to work in Pennsylvania, twice won the Pennsylvania's Psychologically Health Workplace awards, and last year was named by Philly.com as one of the best places to work in the Philadelphia area.