Top Places to Work in Communications Awards Luncheon 2024

5WPR lays out the red carpet to keep employees motivated

The agency supports community giving, diversity in recruitment and promotion and pet insurance. They’re one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

5WPR, a full-service PR agency based in New York City, strives to enhance its employees’ lives in a variety of areas. For example, in 2023, it launched the 5W Impact team, an employee-driven initiative to offer pro bono services and promote volunteerism. Every quarter, employees across the agency nominate charities and organizations that would benefit from media relations and digital services. Then, the all-volunteer Impact Team develops strategies and campaigns to support the selected cause for at least three months, allowing staff to use their talents to give back.

Similarly, 5W Cares, an extension of the Impact Team, organizes employees across all departments to support local nonprofit organizations, offering 5W employees the opportunity to give back to the community during the agency’s volunteer days.

5W also further invests in employees’ success with its one-of-a-kind program, “The HOW,” an executive mentoring program where select employees spend five months engaging in insightful discussions about leadership and growth with the agency’s co-CEOs and our founder.

Other efforts include:

Community outreach. 5W believes in giving back to the communities where employees live and work. It encourages and supports employees in their efforts by providing PTO to volunteers and matching employees’ donations to a variety of charities.
Thirty-five percent of the agency’s current staff represents ethnic diversity; 5W focuses on hiring talent with backgrounds as diverse as the communities it operates in.
Health and holistic wellness. 5W offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, flex spending accounts, employee discount program, fitness class reimbursements and more. Its Employee Assistance Program offers counseling sessions through insurance; employees are given PTO, floating days and volunteer days, along with parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers.

For the agency’s 20th anniversary, employees celebrated with an outdoor summer event and an end-of-year holiday appreciation party, which brought NYC and Miami associates together.

Congratulations to 5WPR for creating an outstanding and rewarding environment for its employees.

Aadi Bioscience breathes life into its culture of innovation

Its programs ensure transparency in communication; they also spotlight the importance of employee wellbeing. Aadi is one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Biopharmaceutical company Aadi Bioscience understands the importance of effective communication in its team’s success. At the heart of its approach is a culture of transparency, innovation and collaboration. Aadi believes that effective communication isn’t just about transmitting information but about engaging and inspiring audiences.

The organization also places a strong emphasis on work-life balance and employee wellbeing. Here’s how Aadi prioritizes its employee experience:

Comprehensive wellness programs. Recognizing the importance of physical and mental health, Aadi provides holistic wellness programs encompassing mental health resources and wellness activities to promote health and balance in its workforce.
Confidential employee assistance programs (EAPs). EAPs provide confidential support and resources for stress management and financial wellbeing, ensuring employees have support during difficult times.
Paid time off (PTO). Aadi’s PTO policies include vacation days, holidays and personal days, encouraging employees to rest and rejuvenate. Additionally, on the Friday preceding a holiday, employees can kickstart their break by half a day, further emphasizing Aadi’s commitment to their wellbeing and work-life balance.
Flexible work arrangements. The company offers flexible scheduling and remote work options, allowing employees to manage their personal and professional responsibilities as they see fit. “No meeting Fridays” allows them to schedule and enjoy uninterrupted work time.
Internal communication portal. Aadi’s intranet is a central hub for the organization’s cross-functional communication and news flow. Its goal is to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and transparency across teams, leading to quicker decision-making and a more informed workforce. Seamless access to crucial updates and resources helps employees stay connected and aligned, enhancing productivity, innovation and team morale.
Offsite team building events. More than just recreational outings, these carefully curated events provide a break from the daily grind, enabling our employees to build strong bonds and return to work with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

By fostering a culture of collaboration, ongoing development and creative freedom, Aadi’s communication professionals can achieve results that are leading the way in their industry.

Congratulations to Aadi Bioscience for creating an environment that prioritizes its people.

Growth for Aspectus depends on helping employees achieve their potential

A wide range of programs helps Aspectus attract, retain and empower its growing workforce, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Aspectus strives to ensure that each of its more than 100 employees — Aspectees — thrives in both their professional and personal lives. It’s paid off in an uncertain economy: In 2023 Aspectus welcomed 31 new employees for a 14.1% headcount growth, and 90% of its people received a pay raise, 75% received a promotion and 85% received a bonus. Best of all, revenue grew by 28% over the previous year.

The agency’s desire to grow required it to keep hiring on a steady basis while confronting the possibility of losing good people. It designed policies to empower employees to do their best while pursuing professional development and fulfillment:

Aspectus Life Support (extra days off for important life events like marriage, bereavement, moving and more).
Peer group days off.
Organized time away for team building.
Flexible working as standard practice.
Core hours, with a flexible option to adjust a day’s work hours if the employee needs a morning or afternoon for personal time.
Work-life balance charter.
An updated bonus structure.
Tailored coaching and training.
An exchange program for travel opportunities.
The Aspectus Academy apprenticeship program (currently a U.K.-based program).
Companywide mental health training through the Mental Health Nucleus Initiative.

The agency works to push the industry forward in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion. Twenty-five percent of its workforce are non-white, spanning 31 nationalities with native proficiencies in 12 languages. Aspectees come from a wide range of backgrounds, races, ethnicities and sexual orientations.

Survey results reveal that employees are responding to Aspectus’ effort: 100% say they would recommend Aspectus as a great place to work, 98% felt they had opportunities to grow and progress in their career, and 100% felt they were treated with fairness and respect.

Congratulations to Aspectus for creating a workplace that puts its people first.

Boden embraces the spirit of atrevidos

Celebrating its diverse roots, this agency prizes mentorship, empowerment and even the occasional karaoke night. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Boden is a minority- and women-owned communications firm that celebrates being atrevidos — Spanish for bold or daring — as part of its culture. Its priorities are providing a positive, empowering employee experience and fostering the team’s growth and development.

Onboarding is key. A comprehensive onboarding agenda includes training sessions with the team, access to Boden Academy training and check-ins with HR and the new hire’s manager during their first 90 days. New hires are paired with an office buddy who provides insight into the company’s day-to-day activities, shows them around the office, introduces them to co-workers and takes them out to lunch on their first week, all to familiarize them with Boden’s inner workings and culture.

Mentoring is a big part of the culture. In 2023, Boden launched “Coffee with Nat,” an opportunity to get mentorship and advice from founder and CEO Natalie Boden, and “Dare Together,” a group mentoring program where employees can learn from their peers and agency leaders.

The company also provides junior team members with opportunities to explore their passions. Some employee-led initiatives include “Trending Thursdays,” a biweekly agency-wide meeting to keep up with the industry news and trends; “Boden’s Media Relations Squad,” a group to foster relations with the media and share relevant knowledge with peers; and “Ignite Your Week,” a weekly resource for motivation, empowerment and self-improvement.

The benefits package includes a generous PTO policy, 100% employer-paid health coverage, 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, 401K plans with 100% employer match and much more. Boden also supports work-life balance, operating on a hybrid schedule to balance working from home and collaborating with peers in the office. Employees also get summer Fridays off, along with an additional week during the end-of-year holidays.

At Boden, there’s always something to celebrate, like “just-because” happy hours and ice cream socials, getting pan de muerto on Día de Muertos, costume contests on Halloween and even singing to popular tunes on karaoke night.

Congratulations to Boden for going above and beyond as an employer.

Corporate Ink puts its people ahead of everything — and still succeeds

The fully virtual agency offers a wide array of benefits that let employees balance their work and their lives with no hit to business growth. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

One of virtual B2B agency Corporate Ink’s guiding principles is “We work to live, we don’t live to work.” Flexibility was built into its DNA even before the COVID-19 pandemic. It values accountability and performance, not just profits.

Over the past two years, Corporate Ink’s goal has been to work less and grow more. That sounds counterintuitive to growth, but it hasn’t been the case. The company has cut more than 1,200 work hours annually without reducing pay and benefits, retaining 100% of its employees throughout the Great Resignation while doubling the size of its business.

Benefits run the gamut, from 401K contributions that don’t require vesting to unlimited PTO, Inker Fridays (every employee receives every other Friday off), Summer Fridays (everyone wraps up at 2 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day), Loyalty Fridays (employees with Corporate Ink for more than two years can sign off early all year), mental health days, flexible work schedules, paid sabbaticals (for five or more years of service), profit sharing and an annual refresh and relax bonus week, where the company fully shuts down the last 1.5 weeks of the year to give everyone time to unwind and disconnect.

Taking a closer look, the goal of “Inker Fridays” is to give employees the flexibility to take care of themselves while also encouraging ambition, growth and excellence. In addition to giving staff more time off, the program intentionally guides employees to use these Fridays for professional development and training, community service and volunteering, or to immerse in a new skill or technology. Managers help their direct reports identify appropriate training opportunities.

Another one of the agency’s strengths is recognizing that every employee has different needs: Some are primarily motivated by learning new things, others by career advancement, extra time off, spot bonuses or public recognition. Managers are trained to have meaningful conversations about what drives each employee and create authentic relationships with them.

Although it’s a virtual-first agency, Corporate Ink offers in-person team events and collaboration days held in metro areas with clusters of employees. It also hosts virtual events, including cooking clubs, painting nights, wine tastings and more. Leadership monitors the team’s pulse through quarterly feedback surveys and monthly meetings, where team members informally gather with peers to discuss what’s working and how the agency can improve.

Congratulations to Corporate Ink for creating an outstanding workplace for its employees.

Coyne PR: Aiming to live up to its mission

The PR agency has invested in collaboration, development, technology and more to achieve its goal of being the best workplace for its employees. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Guided for more than 30 years by its mission statement, “To be the best place to work,” Coyne PR aims to create a work environment that attracts the best people and gives them the freedom to do their best work. As a result, it boasts one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry.

Here’s some of what it achieved for its workforce in 2023:

Collaboration

Coyne PR introduced a hybrid work model, “Better 2Gether,” with emphasis on the wellbeing of its team members. “Better 2Gether” fosters an environment where 60% of the work is based on collaboration in person, and 40% takes place in a flexible work environment. The model ensures that team members can enjoy the advantages of in-person collaboration while maintaining the flexibility they value.

Creativity

Coyne designed interagency competitions, dubbed “Creative Challenges,” to boost participation and engagement. The idea was to invite a diverse range of employees to generate ideas and develop new business initiatives. The challenges revolve around real-life competitive pitches, offering participants a condensed yet immersive training program. Employees gain valuable insights into plan development even if they are new to the world of pitching new accounts.

Technology

Coyne integrates tools and technologies into its projects, focusing on benefitting team members. The agency has also conducted focus groups and operational audits to gain insights into its platforms and workflows, allowing it to streamline processes and save valuable time and energy. Everyday tasks such as media monitoring, target list development, content creation and data analysis are enhanced with technology, enabling employees to focus their time and energy on higher-level thinking, ultimately contributing to their professional growth and job satisfaction.

Development

The Coyne College platform exemplifies the agency’s commitment to employee growth and development. Its latest innovation is a cutting-edge digital learning library, which provides accessible learning resources for all team members. With courses covering many diverse aspects of the PR industry and beyond, the digital learning library empowers employees to enhance their skills, expand their knowledge and stay ahead in their careers.

Congratulations to Coyne for creating a supportive and inspiring work environment.

Employee-owned Hager Sharp strives to make a difference

Founded by two women, the firm focuses on doing good while giving its employees a stake in the action. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

“Make a difference” has been the core value of PR agency Hager Sharp since Susan Hager and Marcia Sharp founded the firm in 1973. In 2023, it celebrated its 50th anniversary as a leading women-founded agency dedicated to innovative and strategic marketing and communications, as well as its 15th year of being 100% employee-owned.

Every qualifying employee owns a portion of Hager Sharp stock at no cost; ownership is based on time at the firm and the number of hours worked annually, with additional stock every year for as long as one works there. All the employee-owners at Hager Sharp help set and carry out its strategic vision and growth plans.

Hager Sharp works solely with organizations that tackle crucial issues like equity in education, improving public health, empowering vulnerable populations and transforming communities. It pursues clients and projects that align with its priorities and interests.

Through its Employee Ownership Council (EOC), representatives from the agency’s professional levels gather quarterly to share feedback, ask questions and offer ideas for enhancing the company culture. For example, a few years ago, the EOC developed Hager Sharp’s Top 10 Inclusive Behaviors, a tool that has become a core feature of its efforts to build a thriving culture based on respect and understanding.

The EOC also spearheads monthly events that bring the team together, like carb-loading for Pi Day and National Pretzel Day, holding a 1970s-themed party in honor of the 50th anniversary and co-creating a Hager Sharp playlist.

The agency provides “Hager Hours,” paid time off for volunteering each year. In 2023, all Hager Sharpers spent a morning together planting and harvesting produce at a local farm that supplies food to a local food bank, logging hundreds of hours of volunteer time and planting more than 7,500 sweet potato plants that are expected to yield about 38,000 sweet potatoes valued at approximately $36,000.

Other perks include the annual Hager Sharp Day — a day away from the office to celebrate the team and its accomplishments. Plus, on an employee’s 10th anniversary with the company, the agency sends them and a guest on a trip of their choice to any destination, covering airfare, hotel and extra vacation time.

Congratulations to Hager Sharp for creating an environment where employees can thrive.

The comms team at Henry Schein juggles a world full of issues

With help from its interns, the team has highlighted the healthcare company’s COVID-19 response, highlighted employees, supported oral health for children in need and more. It’s a double winner for Large Companies and Internship Programs in Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications Awards, Class of 2024.

For 91 years, Henry Schein and its 23,000-member workforce have helped healthcare practitioners improve their business practices so they can stay focused on their patients. A corporate communications team of 16 enhances and protects the reputation of this Fortune 500 company.

The executive communications team drafts presentations and written communications for the chairman and CEO, and the executive management team. Internally, the team helps educate and engage Henry Schein team members globally through newsletters, management profiles, business success stories, videos and podcasts.

The team tells the Henry Schein brand story through earned media. For example, the company’s response to COVID-19 received significant media attention for its role in distributing personal protective equipment and testing supplies during the pandemic. The company has also been recognized for its efforts to improve access to healthcare in underserved communities and its commitment to environmentally responsible practices.

The comms team has no agency support, but it does get a boost from the company’s 15-year-old internship program. The 2023 program included 75 interns, two of them working in the corporate communications team from May through August. They supported traditional public relations/media relations and social media experience in many ways:

Media list building. Using platforms like Muck Rack, interns created targeted media lists on topics including artificial intelligence and human resources, targeting local media outlets in the U.S. where Schein has distribution centers.
The interns developed, drafted and distributed a pitch for media on Long Island (where Henry Schein’s corporate headquarters is located) about the company’s internship program, its National Intern Day activities, how other companies can create effective internship programs and more.
National Intern Day Capstone Project. They conceptualized, developed and implemented Schein’s content strategy celebrating its 2023 interns, which involved coordinating, conducting and editing five videos and three written interviews with eight interns globally. This generated 42 social media posts, resulting in more than 100,600 organic impressions and 4,600 engagements, along with inquiries from students about future internship opportunities with Schein.
Rise & Schein. Internally, the duo drafted an article about National Intern Day for Schein’s weekly newsletter. The Aug. 3 edition drew 8,125 unique opens, 21% higher than the all-time average and 37.6% higher than the open rate.

Congratulations to Henry Schein.

Horizon Therapeutics: Where even the top execs know your name

One communicator explains how her organization supports employees as people while doing exceptional work. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Kallie Kouvelis joined Horizon Therapeutics’ comms team on August 22 with little experience or knowledge of the industry. As she grew into her role, she found a company that provided a healthy work-life balance for its employees, prioritized diversity, equity, inclusion and allyship, and valued its employees and the community.

At Horizon, Kouvelis found an executive leadership team that knows your name, asks how your volleyball team is doing and even offers one-on-one mentoring sessions to maximize and prioritize growth and development. Horizon’s benefits package includes an on-site fitness center with personal training, nutrition consultations, monthly massages and an onsite Starbucks. Kouvelis has been able to establish healthy work-life boundaries, take advantage of Horizon’s networking and professional development opportunities and be part of the “big picture” conversations of the Horizon business.

Horizon is also committed to giving back to the communities it serves. By getting involved in volunteer activities through its corporate sustainability, responsibility and impact team, along with and internal efforts that promote diversity, equity, inclusion and allyship (DEI&A), employees can participate and meet colleagues from all parts of the company with different backgrounds and life experiences.

The comms team at Horizon developed a communications strategy and plan for Minority Health Month. It worked with the DEI&A team to conduct a companywide panel discussion designed to increase awareness of the social determinants of health. The team also supported Horizon’s fifth annual Day of Understanding, which provides CEOs and leaders across more than 2,400 organizations a collective opportunity to lead open discussions and inspire change within their employees.

For the communications department, success is measured by the important stories it has the privilege to tell while connecting with colleagues from all parts of the company. The team collaborates closely with research and development communications, brand communications, patient advocacy, government and public affairs, and other teams, working together to operate in a “mixternal” environment.

“The company has created an environment in which we have each other’s backs,” Kouvelis said. “That makes challenging work a lot easier.”

Congratulations to Horizon Therapeutics.

Hotwire makes it work for its entire workforce

The agency offers help for employees in the aftermath of the Roe v. Wade turnover, along with support for new families and a commitment to diversity. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Hotwire’s ambition is simple: The technology communications and marketing consultancy wants to be the best company its team members have ever worked for. Its strategy to achieve this is to regularly reflect on what’s working and where there’s room for improvement, with an innovative eye on the employee experience.

For example, after the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the increase of state laws banning care for transgender individuals that any employee, their partners, or spouse, Hotwire rolled out a travel stipend employees can use when seeking medical care unavailable where they’re located.

Hotwire was also ahead of the curve when it came to hybrid work options; it began offering them in 2015, years before the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides paid six-week sabbaticals for all employees after four years.

In 2023, Hotwire introduced two expansions to its Family Planning Benefit offerings. One was a $4,000 lifetime reimbursement for employees to help cover the costs associated with family planning expenses not covered by medical insurance, such as IVF without an infertility diagnosis, adoption and legal fees, egg freezing and more. The second was an equal parental leave policy giving employees the option to be out on parental leave for up to one year following a new child joining their family, including eight weeks of paid time for all new parents and an additional four weeks of paid time for a birthing parent, plus medical coverage continuation for up to six months.

Also, in 2023, Hotwire launched “Empowered Societies” — safe spaces for members of diverse communities across the team to share experiences, celebrate each other and influence change within the organization. These societies represent ethnic groups, life experiences, disabilities, sexual orientation and allyship. Currently, there are seven groups, with 42 U.S. employees participating in one or more groups, accounting for roughly 50% of the total U.S. staff. Each group gets an annual budget to fund activities in line with their goals, which have included cultural celebrations and donations of roughly $5,000 to organizations in support of their communities.

According to its 2023 DEIB (Diversity. Equity. Inclusion and Belonging) Progress Report, Hotwire had a six percent year-over-year increase in racial and ethnic diversity across its team. Additionally, its annual internal DEIB survey recently showed marked increases from the previous year around feeling that employees’ colleagues understand who they are (up 21%), that they can be their true selves at Hotwire (up 14%) and that the agency made progress in the DEIB strategy over the previous year (up 14%).

Congratulations to Hotwire for creating a top-notch place to work.

Hunter’s Action Group tackles DE&I head-on for its diverse crew

Mentoring circles and ERGs are just the start; the Action Group has hosted group discussions on gun violence, influencer equity and more, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work, Class of 2024.

Consumer marketing communications firm Hunter takes its Diversity, Equity and Accessibility commitments seriously. The agency’s Action Group, created in 2020, represents the needs and interests of Hunter’s more than 270 global staff members, working to foster a diverse, inclusive and antiracist work environment where every person and every idea is welcomed.

The Action Group knew that focusing narrowly on recruiting and hiring people of color without addressing retention and promotion of current staff of color would contribute to a revolving door of talent, leaving negative systemic issues unchecked. In response, the Action Group has created safe spaces like the Black ERG and BIPOC Mentoring Circle to support and elevate the issues affecting staff at all levels.

For example, a common piece of feedback from the BIPOC Mentoring Circle addressed the cultural, racial and generational gap between many supervisors and their direct reports. Staff members felt disconnected from their work and sensed their managers were not fully equipped to manage a diverse workforce. This feedback and supporting data gathered from Hunter’s annual DE&I survey helped the Action Group address the issue as a root cause of the attrition of junior staff of color.

The Action Group also produces agency-wide events addressing social issues that affect staff personally and professionally. Examples include:

“Community Conversations” focused on gun violence, where emotional conversations addressed the issue, specifically highlighting how Black and Brown communities are disproportionately harmed; this resulted in a plan of action to tackle the issue using the agency’s influence.
An influencer panel during Black History Month addressed influencer equity, educating the agency on the disparities in pay and access for content creators of color — specifically Black influencers. This event was attended by over 80 employees and sparked two additional internal initiatives: an Influencer task force to create DE&I tenets for the agency to adhere to when sourcing and contracting content creators; and a “Meet the Media” style panel discussion featuring Black editors, journalists and influencers for Hunter staff to ask questions about best practices when working with Black communicators.

In 2023 the Action Group partnered with human resources to launch a newly instituted BIPOC Mentoring Circle. Within the circle, 18 employee members meet monthly to discuss topics like managing burnout, conflict resolution and networking while addressing the impact of these issues on people of color in a predominately white industry.

Congratulations to Hunter’s impactful Action Group.

Identity tunes into the game of work

The PR firm recruits lovers of games for its workforce, training apprentices for full-time employment and taking all employees to meetings across the country to reflect and make plans. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

If work is a game, boutique PR agency Identity has the rules figured out. The Identity team is composed of game lovers on a constant quest to accomplish more than the day before, stay on top of industry trends and exceed clients’ expectations. The team has 14% since 2020, with an average employee tenure of five years.

Identity introduced its apprenticeship program in 2023 to sustain the team’s growth. A pipeline to attract new talent, it’s a six-month immersive agency experience providing a structured deep dive into agency life. Up to five apprentices are selected to support all disciplines based on their talent and the team’s needs. Each apprentice is paired with a mentor to guide them through the experience, and those who perform well earn a permanent position with the agency.

Identity holds an all-employee meeting every January and July to spur transparency and inspiration. The meetings include deep dives into annual and long-term goals, financial projections and other essential information. It also offers time for team members to share their thoughts on progress and suggestions on areas to improve. In the summer of 2023, the biannual was held in Traverse City, Michigan, with the entire team spending two days discussing goals and vision while also celebrating the past year’s successes and Identity’s milestone 25th anniversary.

Identity bolstered its in-person meeting time with its Gamelover Supercharged events in 2023. Held in the spring and fall between its other two meetings, the events are paired with a community service event or other activity. In May 2023, the team spent an afternoon making blankets for hospitalized children. At the fall edition in October, the agency team congregated at M-1 Concourse for important discussions paired with thrill rides on a racetrack for adventure seekers.

Identity gathers anonymous feedback through “best places to work” surveys. The 2023 numbers confirmed that 100% of the agency understood the long-term vision of the agency, like the work they are doing and feel treated like a person, not a number.

Congratulations to Identity for going above and beyond as an employer.

Employees at iQ 360 enjoy a yearly trip to Hawaii — and more

The all-company meeting in Honolulu is only one of the benefits employees enjoy, making iQ 360 one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

iQ 360 is a business communication consultancy with clients across the U.S. and teams in San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Honolulu. It’s a women- and minority-owned organization committed to the growth of its diverse team. Managers conduct “stay” interviews and regular check-ins to set and track employees’ professional development goals and address any other issues affecting job performance.

One of its top perks? For the annual all-company meeting, iQ flies employees from all locations to its home base in Honolulu for two days of in-person workshops, team-building activities and educational guest speakers. This allows the entire team to pause their work and prioritize getting to know their colleagues, which builds a stronger culture for iQ 360. Activities at the meeting included karaoke, cooking demonstrations and ziplining.

Other factors making iQ 360 a top place to work include:

A virtual all-company call every month. Each meeting has a theme corresponding to a particular holiday, event, company milestone or special employee celebration, such as a virtual baby shower. To add to the fun, the operations staff often mails out boxes with snacks, props and other prizes to open during the calls.
Team members can post thank-you messages to colleagues who deserve recognition for exceptional work. Each kudo enters the recipient into a monthly gift card drawing; the winners are revealed at the all-company meetings.
A wide range of benefits. Each year, all employees receive $500 of professional development credits to apply toward attending industry conferences, taking online courses or joining professional organizations. Employees at all levels have access to professional coaches for career guidance and development opportunities. Plus, in recognition of their long-term commitment, employees who have been at the company for more than five years receive a $5,000 travel credit and an additional 40 hours of PTO after their sixth year. There’s also group life insurance, long-term disability insurance and an employee assistance program, which provide no-cost benefits for all full-time employees.
Satisfaction surveys. Every year employees participate in an anonymous survey to assess their overall job satisfaction and offer insights on how the company’s culture can be improved. Results are shared during the annual all-company meeting, where feedback is analyzed and suggestions are implemented.

Congratulations to the ohana at iQ 360 who make this popular activation a reality.

Kaplow empowers its team with a TREE-based culture

TREE — trust, respect, energy and enthusiasm — is at the root of everything the woman-owned agency does. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Woman-founded and owned agency Kaplow has been helping brands tell their stories for more than 30 years. Working across the lifestyle, beauty, health and wellness industries, its strategic approach is taking what’s core to a brand’s DNA and overlapping that with an understanding of the audience. This is embedded in Kaplow’s proprietary ONE Strategy Sessions, which kick off every campaign with a narrative that sets brands apart in the minds and hearts of consumers.

Kaplow defines its culture with the acronym TREE: trust, respect, energy and enthusiasm. Using a hybrid work model, a dedicated TREE team hosts quarterly outings, virtual workout and cooking classes, meditation sessions, “Book Klub” and “Binge Bunch” meetups and more, including a biweekly agency-wide newsletter, “Biz Bites,” and employee-spotlighting podcast, “Branch Break,” to connect and motivate team members.

To support employees’ personal and professional goals, Kaplow instituted the TREE Grant, giving one employee per quarter the opportunity to gain five extra days of paid time off to learn something new, give back to the community or work on a passion project. When they return, they share their experience with the agency, along with the inspiration they’ve found during the experience.

Kaplow is also committed to training and empowering the next generation of communications professionals. In addition to mentoring, in 2023, the agency reintroduced a formal training and development program designed to encourage skill-building and cross-level collaboration. Kaplow also offered a customized AI curriculum covering such topics as “Broadcast in Today’s Digital Landscape,” along with monthly informal “Ask Me Anything” spotlights with senior leaders, providing insights on client relationships and presentation skills.

Kaplow’s DE&I efforts are led by an internal task force that fosters educational, hiring and collaborative opportunities. The task force develops resources and trainings, oversees a standardized interview process and shares volunteering opportunities with organizations helping people of underprivileged backgrounds. New in 2023, the agency piloted a program to establish relationships at HBCUs with the goal of increasing diversity in PR — and at Kaplow.

Congratulations to Kaplow for going above and beyond as an employer.

KCSA thrives thanks to a wide array of offerings

The PR/IR firm attracts and retains talent with a companywide commission structure, employee referral rewards, education reimbursement and more, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

KCSA Strategic Communications (KCSA) provides public and investor relations counsel to thousands of companies, specializing in the integration of public relations, investor relations and social media. It maintains offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, but all employees have the ability to work remotely.

KCSA has endured in its industry for 53 years, in large part because of how it takes care of its employees. Take a look:

Commission

KCSA offers a 20% commission structure to all employees; they receive 20% of fee billings monthly if they remain with the company, paying employees to maximize their networks while also encouraging them to keep clients happy.

Employee referral program

The company’s referral program is open to the full workforce. It pays $5,000 for any recommended candidates hired for a position below the vice president level and $10,000 for the vice president level and above. This has resulted in higher-quality candidates and a culture focused on recruiting top talent.

Time off

Prioritizing employee health and wellness, KCSA’s time off policy offers all employees a minimum of 13 PTO days per year, along with five sick days, one quarterly mental health day, a day off on or around the employees’ birthday, the entire week off between Christmas and New Year and half-day “Summer Fridays” from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. The company also gives extra “bonus” days off around holidays, like the Wednesday and Friday of Thanksgiving week.

401(k) match

KCSA offers its employees a 401(k) match of six percent, going up to 12%, encouraging retention by helping people save for their retirement.

Educational grants

Employees at KSCA are eligible for a $5,000 annual educational reimbursement grant to acquire new skills, which leads to improved job performance and productivity, thus opening them up to higher-level positions. It’s an attractive benefit for job seekers looking for opportunities to grow and develop their careers within the company.

Paid maternity leave

All employees receive three months of paid maternity leave from Day One, promoting gender equality and helping employees balance work and family responsibilities, which reduces the risk of career disruptions and supports equal opportunities for women in the workforce. By not requiring a service date to take advantage of maternity leave, KCSA provides women with the ability to grow in their careers without feeling stuck at the company because they need the benefit.

Congratulations to KCSA for creating an outstanding and rewarding environment for its employees.

Marathon Strategies’ secret: Listening to employees

The PR firm conducted surveys and interviewed employees to find out what they really wanted, then took action. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

In 2023, independent PR firm Marathon Strategies launched a strategic transformation to expand its service portfolio, attract new clients, and boost annual revenue. However, they realized that achieving their business objectives hinged on a commitment to fostering a company culture that prioritizes people, nurtures their wellbeing and recognizes their dedication and hard work.

To get started, the company developed an anonymous survey to gather direct feedback on employee engagement, career development opportunities, workplace culture, work environment, overall job satisfaction and more. To delve deeper, Marathon partnered with the Prosper Group, which conducted a 360-feedback initiative based on interviews with randomly selected staff members.

Insights from these interviews, combined with internal surveys, paved a path forward. Marathon created a work-from-anywhere policy while retaining office space for employees in New York and Washington, D.C., for those who preferred a physical workspace and a social environment. Managers closely monitor work hours and workload to prevent burnout among remote workers and ensure a healthy work-life balance. Additionally, the company introduced unlimited paid time off (PTO) and sabbatical policies to allow employees to recharge and spend quality time with their families.

The company also enhanced its professional and personal development programs, hosting educational sessions led by external experts, covering topics like media best pitching practices and economic trends. In addition, Marathon addressed financial health with personalized financial planning and workshops on financial wellbeing through a partnership with LearnLux.

Marathon’s commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture has resulted in an 83% retention rate. The company expanded its workforce by 12 percent, reaching a record high of 73 staff members and added 25 new accounts. All this fueled record revenue growth in 2023, with Marathon set to surpass $23 million in annual revenues — its highest year ever.

Congratulations to Marathon for creating an outstanding and rewarding environment for its employees.

The Merz Aesthetics Global Communications and Social Media team covers the globe

Merz Aesthetics’ global communications team works with partners to ensure consistent strategic messaging and spark conversations around the world. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

The Merz Aesthetics Global Communications and Social Media team is demonstrating how communications can shape an organization’s performance, reputation and culture. Under Emily Browder, who joined the medical aesthetics company in 2017 as director of corporate communications (the first employee with a role exclusively dedicated to communication), the global comms team of seven has transformed Merz Aesthetics’ global communications strategy over the years.

The team sets the global communications strategy, providing partners with consistent and powerful strategic plans and support designed to keep customers informed and educated about the company’s priorities and flagship brands. Recognizing that each region has a unique set of customers and employees, the team works with regional partners to adapt content and campaigns to be applicable and compliant with regulatory standards.

In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the team spearheaded the “Confidence to Be” campaign, commissioning artists from around the world to create one-of-a-kind works inspired by the confidence journeys of the Merz Aesthetics staff. The launch successfully increased Merz Aesthetics’ visibility among customers, media and competitors, sparking a global conversation that generated 56 million media impressions and 52,200 social media engagements.

Following that initiative, the team led the creation and launch of the organization’s new corporate visual identity, one that which reflects the global community and embodies Merz Aesthetics’ vision and purpose. Based on market research and concept testing, the visual identity features a distinct color palette and empowering messaging that celebrates confidence while setting the company apart.

The team’s work has been recognized within the organization by the Division Awards, a global recognition program for employees who exemplify Merz Aesthetics’ purpose and excel in special projects that go beyond their regular duties. Members of the team have been selected as Division Award recipients in three of the four quarters of 2023, underlining the team’s contributions to Merz Aesthetics’ purpose and success.

Congratulations to Merz Aesthetics for creating an outstanding and rewarding environment for its employees.

Meteorite makes an impact on society — and its employees

The coalitions Meteorite builds for social change reflect its own culture, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Meteorite is a social impact agency building private-sector coalitions to tackle society’s biggest challenges. One of its signature coalitions is the Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of more than 1,300 businesses united by a commitment to democracy.

At the same time, it’s committed to living up to its ideals on behalf of its 20 employees, particularly in terms of the benefits that every full-time employee receives. It supports its employees by offering paid time off to participate in civic life by voting and serving as poll workers, showcasing the civic engagement of its employees during and after election season. In addition, all Meteorite employees are allocated eight hours of paid time off every year to volunteer in their communities and share what they learn.

Meteorite also powers the Health Action Alliance, the nation’s largest private sector network designed to help employers navigate health challenges, including workplace mental health. Many of the recommendations that the Health Action Alliance outlines are reflected internally: Employees are provided with mental health and wellness days, unlimited sick days, paid parental and family leave and an Employee Assistance Program.

For Mental Health Awareness Month in 2022, the company mailed out “mental health kits” personalized with items representing how team members practice self-care; in 2023, Meteorite observed the month with a day off to help the team prioritize and share activities for their wellbeing.

Because financial health is intertwined with mental health, Meteorite provides up to $200 per month for student loan repayments, relieving financial stress for many employees. The company also offers a monthly technology stipend and a generous 401(k) matching program.

As a remote company, Meteorite cultivates a culture that prioritizes its people. The team has dedicated Slack channels to share moments with family, loved ones, pets and even plants. Weekly all-staff meetings open with a round of acknowledgements, encouraging colleagues to champion wins, collaborations and proud moments. Anyone, from managers to interns, can present projects they’re working on or best practices that would benefit the company, leading to cross-pollination, team connection and innovation.

Congratulations to Meteorite for creating an environment that puts people first.

Employee-owned Mower shows commitment to social justice

The agency works with One Hundred Black Men of New York and other groups and performs hundreds of yearly pro bono hours. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Mower is an independent advertising, marketing and public relations agency with 140 employees in 10 cities. Its employees own it: In 2022, executive chairman Eric Mower transferred 100% of the company’s ownership via an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The ESOP made all 140 employees “employee owners” at no cost to them, with equity in the business providing them with an additional retirement benefit. The smooth transition to employee ownership helped maintain Mower’s reputation for independence.

Mower’s culture features a “Fierce Friends” colleague recognition program. This Lifetime Learner Award program grants large prizes to Mower employees to pursue new passions or interests, and monthly cultural and heritage recognitions. It also offers a flexible hybrid work plan, piloted before the pandemic, giving employees the option to gather monthly in their local office to participate in themed bonding activities, collaborative work time and breakfast and lunch outings provided by the agency.

Committed to representing diversity among its clients and vendor partnerships, the agency maintains a growing database of businesses owned by people of color and women that it can call on for campaigns and projects. Mower has also built a three-year pro bono relationship with One Hundred Black Men of New York to demonstrate support for racial justice, investing several hundred pro bono professional hours each year. Mower provides more than 1,350 hours of pro bono professional services annually, and employees spend more than 2,000 hours in service to their communities.

Plus, it provides regular opportunities for employees to participate in diversity, equity and inclusion programs, such as celebrating Juneteenth as an official company holiday and participating in One Hundred Black Men of New York’s Juneteenth Virtual Village, co-sponsored by Mower.

It pays off for the agency. In 2022, turnover declined to 14%, an improvement from 18% in 2021. Mower also saw a 14-point improvement in overall employee satisfaction compared to 2021. Nine in 10 staff were satisfied with Mower as an employer, and 94% of staff agreed that they were proud to work for the agency, a 15-point increase compared to 2021.

Congratulations to Mower for creating a top-notch place to work.

Next PR seeks to lead the industry in employee wellbeing

The CEO’s commitment drives Next PR’s focus on the right kind of work-life balance for employees, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Next PR CEO Heather Kelly believes that work should fit into team members’ lives, not the other way around. Kelly and the firm have worked to make this vision a reality by building a supportive company culture, providing continuing education opportunities and offering a wide range of industry-leading benefits.

Culture

Inclusion and connection are top priorities with Next PR’s largely virtual team. It holds an agency-wide (optional) team meeting every Wednesday afternoon where team members can decompress and connect with their colleagues outside of client work. Conversations range from pop culture to cooking to childhood photos.

To support its commitment to providing a superior employee experience, Next PR launched an internal “Hype Squad” — a team of employees across locations dedicated to fostering a positive culture, strengthening bonds between colleagues and supporting agency-wide teamwork. Hype Squad initiatives have included a monthlong employee health and wellness initiative and a celebration of Next PR’s 45th anniversary, with a themed “Spirit Week” complete with parties and Next PR trivia, along with virtual celebrations recognizing team members who win industry awards.

Learning and development

Next PR encourages continued learning by organizing regular team knowledge-sharing opportunities. Biweekly “Thinking Thursday” meetings allow team members to share their thoughts and insights on trending PR topics. “Thursday Afternoon Club,” a summer series hosted by experts in and outside the agency, covers personal and professional development topics, including finance tips, improving your writing and pulling valuable metrics from Google Analytics 4.

Every January, each Next PR team member participates in a two-on-one meeting with the CEO and COO to discuss career goals, needs and aspirations. Agency leaders then work with each team member to build a plan for success and a path toward the career they want.

Benefits

Next PR strives to position the agency in the top 10% of the industry for its benefit offerings. This drove the CEO to create a “Benefits Bucket List” of team member benefits and perks. The list now includes 100% healthcare coverage for all full-time team members, free life insurance and a guaranteed three percent 401(k) match.

In support of a healthy work-life balance, Next PR offers remote work flexibility, flexible daytime work hours, half-day Summer Fridays and a weeklong Winter Wellness break. Employees also enjoy generous PTO to fully unplug from work, time off to vote in elections and family-friendly policies like six weeks of paid parental leave (with the option to return part-time) and adoption support.

Because financial security also plays a role in wellness, Next PR analyzes its industry annually to ensure it provides competitive salaries and commission opportunities to every team member, no matter their tenure or title. In addition, the agency holds financial planning seminars to help team members understand and maximize their benefits.

Congratulations to Next PR for going above and beyond as an employer.

Business is a laughing matter to Peppercomm

The comms firm takes humor seriously as a tool for recruitment, retention, creativity and more. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Peppercomm takes its work as a strategic integrated communications and marketing agency seriously. It also takes its employee experience seriously — but with a dash of humor in the mix.

Humor stimulates alpha brainwaves, empowering people to challenge and change old ways of thinking, behaving and innovating. Peppercomm uses the fundamentals of humor to engage its workforce. Virtually all new hires and prospective employees reference this humor-centric approach as a key differentiator that prompted them to apply there.

Each employee goes through stand-up comedy training, with many going on to do improv training and, in some cases, performing stand-up on the stages of New York’s comedy clubs. The purpose of this goes beyond making people laugh. It unites teams, allowing people to feel more comfortable with each other. The process also refines employees’ presentation skills, helping them learn to read the room and pivot when necessary.

In 2022, Peppercomm launched its weekly “Wit + Wisdom” newsletter, designed to bring a smile to employees every Friday. The newsletter discusses the benefits of using humor in business and also highlights businesses that miss the mark. It’s filled with puns, links to current events/trends and industry news to inspire readers to dive deeper into the power of laughter and the ramifications of not deploying it correctly.

In addition, Peppercomm presents the “Dandy Stevenson” award to one employee every year. The original Dandy was a Peppercomm employee who displayed an incredible sense of humor, a never-quit attitude, a heart of gold and immense pride for the firm.

One thing Peppercomm does take seriously is providing thought leadership and services to companies responding to social issues. The firm conducted a study that found only 18% of brands are very likely to speak out on social issues. As a result, it debuted its Corporate Character Barometer, a quarterly metric of brands’ willingness to speak out to stakeholders. It also launched a new crisis communications solution, RepCompass, to guide organizations in responding to issues aligned with their values and the stakeholders’ values and help prepare them for the opportunity to speak out.

Congratulations to Peppercomm for going above and beyond as an employer.

PwC’s comms team reflects the firm’s ambitious My+ people strategy

The team fulfills its promise as advisors to leadership thanks to learning and development opportunities, a commitment to diversity and more. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

At the start of its 2023 fiscal year, the PwC communications team faced a number of challenges. It was driving the company’s new global strategy, The New Equation, focused on helping clients build trust and deliver sustained outcomes. At the same time, it was dealing with rising inflation, the threat of a recession, landmark Supreme Court decisions and the debate around “return to office,” making the team an integral part of the firm’s leadership toolkit.

The more than 220-person comms team members serve as trusted advisers, helping set and lead strategy. This strategy reflects PwC’s My+ people strategy, which creates a workplace where people can be their best selves while experiencing a sense of belonging and purpose. With its focus on wellbeing, rewards, development and connection, PwC has achieved a 4% increase in its overall people engagement index, reaching a high of 81%.

PwC programs embrace mental health (allowing for 12 free visits with a mental health professional annually and providing 90% reimbursement for out-of-network mental health support), sabbaticals (employees can take up to six months off while still receiving 20% of their pay), flexible work arrangements, parental leave and more.

Other elements are central to the comms team’s culture:

Commitment to learning

PwC provides learning opportunities, but the team goes further with quarterly learning days and monthly Meet & Eats, which include deep dives into everything from upskilling in tech to building an inclusive mindset to sharpening business acumen. The team also provides access to resources like curated news subscriptions and the Digital Workplace Group at no cost.

Unique development opportunities

Managers in a rotational development program take on stretch projects outside their current roles. With the support of a career coach, teammates at all levels are encouraged to flex their multidisciplinary skills while collaborating across functions and connecting with their peers to find their passion and design their careers.

Purpose and inclusion

Committed to delivering more value with inclusive teams, the team focuses on DE&I efforts to attract talent and mentorship programs to allow diverse professionals to advance.

Connectivity and culture

With teammates in the United States, Mexico, Buenos Aires, and India, creating a cohesive, resilient and fun culture is crucial. In August 2023, a hybrid gathering designed around a sports theme brought the team together to kick off the new fiscal year. Throughout the year, the team holds offsites to allow team members to spend quality time with each other, along with virtual events offering opportunities to share their hobbies and interests.

Congratulations to PwC for creating a supportive and engaging workplace.

Red Hat’s comms team prides itself on an open-source culture

The global communications team thrives as a meritocracy, with recognition, development and transparent communications crucial to its identity. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024,

Red Hat, a provider of open-source technology solutions, believes in the diverse talent of its associates, developers and open-source communities worldwide. It relies on company traditions, new initiatives, and Red Hatter feedback to foster a culture where employees feel connected, supported and appreciated.

The Red Hat global communications team is founded on a set of core values and cultural pillars like these:

Meritocracy

The global communications team recognizes individuals for their expertise and skills, not their seniority. Each team member has access to top executives and takes full ownership of their area, with the freedom to advise senior corporate leadership (all the way up to the C-suite level) with authority. Senior members on the team pitch in to do “grunt” work, creating a healthy environment that fosters camaraderie and mutual respect among team members.

Peer recognition

A peer-nominated awards program recognizes outstanding marketing and communications associates, with the winning associates receiving reward points to use in Red Hat’s Cool Stuff Store. They’re also recognized by the entire company for their contributions, inspiring a supportive environment that builds up everyone and celebrates each other’s wins.

Professional and personal development

Once a year, associates participate in “We are Red Hat Week,” five days of virtual and in-personal events centered around service, wellbeing, talent and culture, or diversity, equity and inclusion. The week includes hackathons, an intercontinental open mic, guest speakers, arcade competitions and opportunities for peer recognition. There’s also Red Hat University (RHU), a centralized learning platform where Red Hatters have access to over 500 RHU-designed courses, 1,900 courses from internal learning and enablement partners, and more than 16,700 additional external courses.

Transparent communications

In 2023 Red Hat announced a workforce reduction of four percent. The global communications handled both external and internal communications. Internally, they worked closely with the People team to guide the message during a time of uncertainty; the external communications team shaped a message that would accurately reflect the business decision and educate the market on Red Hat’s decision.

Congratulations to Red Hat for creating an outstanding workplace for its employees.

People are at the top of Sachs Media’s priority list

The strategic comms firm encourages development and growth, putting the lessons it learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to work. It’s one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

At Sachs Media, creating and sustaining a culture that attracts, supports and develops people is a top priority. At the end of 2021, the firm sharpened its focus on three key values:

Impact: Doing meaningful work that’s changing the world.
Excellence: Engaging high-performing teams to deliver outstanding work.
Caring: Building and nurturing a supportive culture.

Each employee has an individualized road map that charts their career growth and progression, providing a clear path toward advancement and encouraging retention. Team members can pursue more than 60 certifications, from Google Analytics to digital media buying to statistical data analysis, which they can complete during work hours and at company expense. When they finish, they can earn up to $1,000 in cash bonuses.

Like many companies, Sachs adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic with remote work, but in the aftermath, it used what it learned to make changes that met employees’ needs while supporting productivity, including:

Hybrid, remote and work-from-home options.
A “Recharge Week” from Christmas through New Year’s.
An annual three-day, offsite retreat mixing business with fun.
Closing on Fridays at 2 p.m.
An annual $250 home office stipend.

Inspired by the firm’s unofficial mascot — a hard-charging rhino — weekly staff meetings begin with “Rhino Recognitions,” where employees can acknowledge a colleague’s success or assistance. Staff members are also invited to present recent, high-impact work showcasing their talents, creativity and effectiveness and that of their team.

Diversity is important to Sachs Media as well. People of color, team members with disabilities and LGBTQ+ individuals currently make up about a third of the staff. Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a top priority, so Sachs Media has built a strong relationship with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), Florida’s only public HBCU. It maintains an active intern recruitment program at FAMU, FSU and UF, where Sachs professionals have served as guest speakers and adjunct professors.

Congratulations to Sachs Media for going above and beyond as an employer.

Sage Communications keeps its eye on employees’ careers

From fireside chats to hands-on internships and fantasy football, Sage puts the employee experience on top, making it one of Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024.

Sage Communications provides full-service marketing communications, public relations and strategic marketing services to clients — but it’s also devoted to creating an enjoyable, flexible, fun and rewarding place for people to grow a career.

Sage’s commitment to professional development has evolved over the last two years, pivoting to a virtual experience through its Sage U program. Its initiatives include a Sage U Fireside Chat Q&A series, where employees share lessons in a conversational interview; ongoing knowledge-sharing sessions, where team members present a brief lesson on a professional topic; and writing workshops led by former journalists on the team.

Sage’s “Culture Crusaders” team identifies and implements activities to improve morale and strengthen camaraderie. Its initiatives include reducing mandatory meetings to minimize Zoom/Teams fatigue, establishing a book club and a fantasy football league, attending local sporting events and hosting activities like an annual “professional compliments”  exercise where employees anonymously acknowledge the contributions of their peers.

Diversity is an essential part of Sage’s culture. Employees lead the diversity, equity and inclusion task force at Sage, working to help each other learn, share opinions and contribute ideas without being judged. Sage reinforces its inclusive culture with enhanced education programs during all-staff calls, develops a robust diversity recruitment pipeline and conducts surveys to obtain feedback and inform future programming.

Another key part of Sage’s culture is its internship program. Far from being glorified personal assistants, interns work side-by-side with account managers to carry out client campaigns. They also learn PR and communications from strategy to execution while gaining exposure to technology businesses, government agencies, nonprofits and more. Each intern cohort has an opportunity to lead, execute and report on a PR initiative with the agency, showcasing what they’ve learned and demonstrating their newfound PR skills and understanding of communication strategy.

Congratulations to Sage for going above and beyond as an employer.

Seattle Children’s Hospital advances diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives

Seattle Children’s Hospital has earned acclaim in Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications Awards, Class of 2024, specifically in the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging category. This recognition applauds the hospital’s steadfast commitment to fostering an anti-racist environment, marked by a concerted effort to enhance workforce diversity, inclusion and belonging.

Central to Seattle Children’s strategy is the deliberate integration of anti-racism principles into organizational culture. Initiatives include revising values-based behaviors and leadership qualities to deeply embed anti-racism and partnering with Inclusion Networks to develop unique icons representing each group’s identity. Additionally, restorative practices have been introduced into performance management, emphasizing proactive accountability and healing when needed.

Through extensive listening sessions and CEO Town Hall polls, Seattle Children’s prioritized transparent communication and quarterly progress reports. The hospital conducted an internal communications audit in 2023, evaluating channels and capabilities and soliciting feedback from diverse stakeholders. This led to the replacement of the Code Purple emergency code with the Adaptive Social Response system, designed to eliminate disparities.

Transparent communication is further underscored by the release of quarterly progress reports and the launch of the Health Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan data dashboard. Revised editorial style guides integrate DE&I principles, emphasizing a storytelling approach that highlights individual contributions to anti-racism efforts.

Seattle Children’s comprehensive efforts have yielded tangible results, as evidenced by positive feedback from the workforce and engagement metrics exceeding industry standards. The hospital’s proactive approach to fostering an inclusive environment and transparent communication has established it as a leader in promoting DE&I in the workplace.

Congratulations to Seattle Children’s Hospital for its well-deserved recognition.

Sharp Think: A culture of excellence and balance

Sharp Think communications agency has been awarded in Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024, in the Work Hard/Play Hard Culture category. This recognition spotlights the agency’s commitment to fostering an environment where dedication to excellence is balanced with employee wellbeing and fulfillment.

Sharp Think is a small agency that thinks big, a remote culture that values face time and contains big city grit with a coastal happy hour policy. These opposites that attract are core components of the “Sharpie” culture.

One of its standout achievements is its impressive employee retention rate, nearly hitting 90% in 2023 despite significant industry shifts. The agency’s hybrid and remote setup has strengthened its workforce and facilitated nationwide talent acquisition, enhancing diversity and perspective.

Leadership continuity and internal promotion are pillars of Sharp Think’s success. With VPs boasting over eight years of tenure, the agency cultivates a culture of growth and mentorship from within to maintain sustained excellence.

Sharp Think’s onboarding and training programs are designed to integrate new hires swiftly while fostering a collaborative ethos. By pairing new employees with mentors and buddies, the agency ensures a supportive environment conducive to learning and development. Each year, it brings new sessions into the training system, including AI 101, affiliate marketing and an influencer marketing refresh.

The agency’s commitment to evolution is evident in its proactive approach to feedback and improvement. Engaging third-party consultants, the leadership team initiated comprehensive reviews to enhance operational efficiency and employee satisfaction.

In addition to its professional initiatives, Sharp Think prioritizes employee wellbeing through its Work Hard/Play Hard ethos. Summer and winter retreats offer opportunities for team building and skill enhancement, complemented by policies promoting work-life balance and flexibility. Notably, Sharp Think’s flexible maternity plans underscore its commitment to supporting employees through life transitions. New moms can customize their return-to-work schedule to work for them and their families. The agency has seen more than six months of leave, part-time returns, partial returns with a second leave within the first year back, and more.

Congratulations to Sharp Think for earning recognition as a top workplace in communications, exemplifying the synergy between dedication and fulfillment in a fast-paced industry.

SourceCode Communications elevates workplace wellness and benefits package

SourceCode Communications has been honored Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications Awards, Class of 2024. This achievement is due to the firm’s commitment to nurturing a holistic and supportive environment for its employees.

At SourceCode, the ethos revolves around recognizing the multifaceted identities of its team members. Emphasizing the importance of work-life balance, the company champions inclusivity, fostering an environment where individuality is celebrated and respected. This inclusive culture forms the bedrock of SourceCode’s workplace wellness initiatives, contributing significantly to the organization’s overall success.

One key initiative, SourceCode Strong, unveiled in 2021, symbolizes the company’s dedication to promoting self-awareness and balance among its workforce. Central to this initiative is the transition to a 37-hour workweek, accompanied by year-round Summer Fridays, granting employees additional time for rest and rejuvenation. Moreover, SourceCode Strong encompasses various resources and policies to enhance employees’ physical and mental wellbeing. Notable features include weekly meditation sessions, fitness challenges and a substantial annual mental wellness stipend.

SourceCode further bolsters its benefits package by expanding insurance coverage options, offering comprehensive health, dental and vision plans, HSA and flexible spending accounts. The introduction of TalkSpace and Calm subscriptions shows the company’s commitment to prioritizing mental health support.

Perhaps the most innovative aspect of SourceCode’s program is the introduction of “Nope Days” — a unique offering allowing employees to take a day off twice a year without explanation. Additionally, the new sabbatical program grants long-serving employees a four-week paid break every three years, facilitating rest and rejuvenation.

Throughout the past year, SourceCode has continued to enhance its benefits package, including access to professional online education platforms, augmented leave policies and increased volunteer days. Unlimited sick leave, extended parental leave and bereavement support exemplify the company’s dedication to supporting its employees through various life events.

Congratulations to SourceCode Communications for its outstanding commitment to workplace wellness and employee wellbeing.

Kroger’s Corporate Affairs Team: Fostering purpose, connection and growth

The Kroger Co.’s Corporate Affairs team is a testament to its commitment to its purpose — to Feed the Human Spirit. Comprising over 110 communicators, creatives and leaders across various domains, the team orchestrates a symphony of initiatives aimed at amplifying Kroger’s impact on associates, customers and communities, earning it a Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications Awards, Class of 2024.

What sets The Kroger Co. apart as a top workplace is its focus on people and its many career growth opportunities. From entry-level roles to seasoned professionals, Kroger invests in its talent through coaching, training and diverse experiences, fostering a culture of continuous development and advancement.

Despite geographical dispersion, the team remains tightly knit through regular meetings and virtual collaboration tools, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Annual team conferences further deepen connections, celebrate successes and realign efforts with Kroger’s overarching purpose.

Guided by the shared objectives of “Inspire More Action,” “Do More Good” and “Reach More People,” Kroger’s Corporate Affairs team seamlessly integrates communication, advocacy, social responsibility, and philanthropy into the company’s cultural fabric.

At the heart of Kroger’s corporate citizenship lies its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste (ZHZW) impact plan, which aims to combat food waste and hunger. Through strategic initiatives such as expanding food access, optimizing store-level execution and leveraging technology, Kroger demonstrates its commitment to creating communities free of hunger and waste.

As a testament to its dedication to associates, Kroger offers industry-leading benefits, including up to $21,000 in continuing education benefits for both part-time and full-time associates. These benefits empower associates to pursue lifelong learning and professional development.

In essence, Kroger’s Corporate Affairs team embodies the company’s ethos of purpose-driven leadership, fostering a workplace where associates thrive, innovate and make a meaningful impact on the world around them.

Congratulations to The Kroger Co. Corporate Affairs team.

Congratulations to Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications, Class of 2024!

TOP PLACES TO WORK IN COMMUNICATIONS, CLASS OF 2024

Additional Awards