Bellevue makes GoodHire’s “Safest Cities” list, reiterates importance of positive reputations

Bellevue made its way onto GoodHire’s “Safest Cities” list this year, clocking in at #8 for small cities and #19 overall. 

The GoodHire team behind the study established the list using FBI Crime Data pertaining to property, violent, and society crimes, and then ranked each city by its rate of offenses per 1,000 people for each offense type. (The analysts then assigned a total rank that weighted crimes against persons and crimes against property at 40%, and crimes against society at 20% to adequately reflect public safety sentiment.)

“Public safety is important for businesses to be aware of and manage because it can directly affect a company's reputation,” said Max Wesman, COO of GoodHire. “A positive reputation can help your business grow and thrive in many areas … Profitability, employee satisfaction, and your ability to attract top talent.”

Staffing barriers already feel higher than ever for businesses seeking qualified and committed candidates, so looking outside-the-office to promote your business and its location is important for both attracting new talent and retaining the workforce you have. 

“[Especially] in the tech industry, creating a corporate culture that values safety is one of the ways you can differentiate your brand,” said Wesman. “In today’s job market, attracting and retaining top talent is challenging – a company that has a reputation for prioritizing public safety can help you attract qualified talent and set your company apart from the competition.”

Other highlights from the report: 

• When it came to violent crime, Bellevue was deemed even safer than its average score with a ranking of #5. For property crimes, though, the ranking drops down to #56. 
  
  
• Other Washington state cities that made the ranking were Seattle at #51, Kent at #52, Tacoma at #70, and Spokane at #87. 
  
  
• If looking at cities in West Coast states, Bellevue had the highest safety ranking. 
  
  

View the full report at: www.goodhire.com/background-checks/#safest-and-least-safe-cities