Top Places to Work in Communications Awards Luncheon 2026

5WPR reimagines employee experience around trust and wellbeing

5WPR reimagined the employee experience by acting on employee feedback, launching an accessible year-round wellbeing strategy, flexible hybrid and Flex PTO policies, and recognition and development programs that boost engagement and belonging.

At 5WPR, the agency truly reimagined its employee experience around trust and wellbeing after concluding that when communicators feel seen, supported and trusted, they produce their best work. Leaders built programs from employee feedback and used company-wide pulse and engagement surveys to identify priorities: flexibility, wellbeing and clear pathways for growth.

They aligned physical, mental and financial wellbeing into a year-round, accessible strategy and launched ClassPass Corporate to offer on-demand fitness and wellness options that employees can use at their own pace. Wellness initiatives included social campaigns like Wellness Bingo for Mental Health Awareness Month, which turned education into connection and rewarded participation, and the company simplified eligibility for assistance and reimbursement programs so more people could access professional development, therapy and lifestyle support sooner.

The hybrid work model preserves in-person collaboration while respecting individual rhythms, and the organization avoids mandatory four- or five-day office weeks, trusting employees to manage their time and client priorities. A Flex PTO policy reinforced that trust, removing barriers to time off and creating space for renewal that supports retention and creative performance.

Daily recognition through Motivosity, open forums, DEI celebrations and mentorship programs amplified voices across levels and paired with manager training, digital skills workshops and creative leadership sessions to prepare communicators for an AI-enhanced, digital-first future. Managers tracked participation and feedback continuously and adjusted programs to increase accessibility, reduce stigma and ensure benefits matched real needs across seniority levels and geographic locations.

The result proved durable: the firm reports higher engagement, stronger retention and clearer career momentum as employees translate wellbeing and trust into client-facing creativity and measurable results for clients and the business.

Alberta Investment Management Corp.’s comms engine drives clarity, trust and engagement at scale

Alberta Investment Management Corp.’s (AIMC) communications and corporate identity team pairs executive backing with an in-house creative unit and measurement-guided strategy, raising engagement to 7.2 while simplifying complex investment narratives.

At AIMC, managing public pension, endowment, insurance and government funds creates intense scrutiny from nurses, teachers and government ministers, so the communications team prioritized clarity, relevance and trust in every message to protect retirements and the province’s long-term savings.

The team built an integrated editorial calendar and a consult & amplify model to tailor content by audience and platform, aligning intranet posts, social channels and all-colleague meetings to ensure consistent tone and efficient use of resources.

They relaunched AIMConverge as a semiannual, multi-day gathering to reconnect global colleagues for learning and team-building, and they scaled the event to hybrid and live-streamed formats so leaders and staff could engage across multiple offices and time zones. The team runs quarterly global town halls, maintains a best-in-class intranet and shapes executive messaging for local, national and international media to make complex institutional investment work accessible to diverse audiences.

A 2022 shift brought content and creative capabilities in-house, reducing reliance on external vendors and attracting designers, photographers, videographers and web specialists who produce a higher volume of brand-aligned assets with faster turnaround.

AIMC measures impact through external reputation tracking and channel analytics, and the communications team reports engagement at 7.2, a result that informs changes to tone, cadence and format across programs.

Senior leaders fund ongoing learning and experimentation, which supports pilots of AI-assisted workflows and targeted external programs that build skills in digital writing, UX and documentary filmmaking; this investment in people amplifies the team’s capacity to deliver.

These practices strengthened public trust and internal cohesion at an organization that manages major public assets, while improving the speed, accuracy and reach of messages to stakeholders, colleagues and Albertans.

August Jackson builds culture into a growth engine

August Jackson excels at building belonging through flexible policies, intentional rituals and growth opportunities, fueling collaboration and client continuity while achieving a 98% retention rate.

A remote-first agency faced the twin challenges of sustaining creative momentum and strengthening employee connection across time zones and disparate working rhythms. The agency, August Jackson, formalized a Burst & Hum approach — bursts of high-energy events balanced with steady internal communications — embedded principles such as Start with Why, Raise the Bar and Have Each Other’s Backs into onboarding and daily practice and redirected real estate savings to fund annual team retreats that prioritize connection, creativity and fun.

Teams stay connected with rituals such as weekly Day in the Life Slack features, a physical deck of principle cards in every welcome kit and a monthly AJer of the Month recognition that includes a $200 stipend and a public acknowledgment during all-agency meetings, and a monthly Belonging Video Series that centers on personal stories and learning. Jackson divested nonessential real estate to fund an annual three-day getaway that resets team bonds, surfaces ideas and accelerates cross-practice collaboration.

Cross-functional teams lead every client engagement, from early messaging workshops to immersive production, enabling a landmark leadership experience at Sphere that blends communications, design and engineering within one of the world’s most advanced venues and uses AI-enabled workflows to scale ideation and storytelling. That operating model helped retain long-term partnerships with Fortune 500 clients, supported expansion into technology and financial services, formalized Events, Communications and Media practice areas and contributed to measurable year-over-year growth.

Career development follows practice at Jackson, with stretch assignments, mentorship, internal mobility and early leadership opportunities that have moved many people from entry-level to executive roles, including leaders such as Annie Ishola and Lexy Tatro, who built careers from junior roles into executive positions. The approach produced a 98% retention rate last year and reinforced continuity as a competitive advantage in an industry known for turnover.

By making culture the strategy through policies such as no-meeting afternoons, paid sabbaticals and caregiver leave, Jackson sustains long-tenured teams, multi-year client relationships and work that deepens with experience.

Bell Global Public Relations elevates global reach and team growth

A 16-member leadership team guides Bell’s Global Public Relations group as it elevates the company’s aviation profile worldwide through tailored regional strategies, professional development and wellness benefits.

The global public relations team manages all external communications and positions Bell as an industry leader by elevating brand visibility, shaping media narratives and continuously monitoring aviation trends and breaking news. The group follows the core value “Elevate What Matters” to shape messaging that connects employee experience, customer outcomes, product performance, business strategy and future innovation.

Sixteen managers, strategists and coordinators work across regions to combine global reach with local expertise, tailor campaigns for cultural relevance and accelerate responses to market developments. The team crafts clear, timely stories that highlight the operational impact of Bell helicopters in commercial, public safety and defense missions and aligns narratives with measurable business objectives.

Team members access Textron University digital learning, online and in-person trainings, mentorship and stretch assignments, leadership workshops, measurement training and cross-functional rotations to develop business acumen, aircraft knowledge and military business dynamics. Multiple teammates earned certifications from Fullintel and the Public Relations Society of America, pursued postgraduate degrees and applied new skills to lift campaign effectiveness, refine executive communications and introduce measurement practices that clarified outcomes for leadership.

Leaders prioritize in-person gatherings to bridge time zones, accelerate onboarding and foster connection, and the company sponsors employee resource groups that provide community, mentorship and career support. Programs such as Families at Bell and VORTEX provide targeted support to families and veterans, and an on-campus health and wellness center offers primary medical services, an on-site pharmacy, and virtual counseling.

This integrated approach improved media presence, deepened stakeholder alignment, supported sales and program launches, reduced response times to industry issues and helped the company translate complex technology into accessible stories for customers and regulators. The team’s collaborative, growth-focused culture sustains capability, increases morale, accelerates talent development, maintains a focus on employee wellbeing and inclusion and positions Bell to elevate what matters across the aviation ecosystem.

Bospar builds guardrails and growth for a remote communications team

Bospar prioritizes wellbeing and inclusion with extended paid time off, menopause stipends, AI training and mentorship, plus a year-round internship program converting more than 50% of interns to full-time.

Keeping a fully virtual agency from becoming a sweatshop required clear guardrails and intentional development tied directly to workload, schedules and measurable wellbeing goals. Bospar extended summer Fridays year-round and added more paid holidays to curb burnout, clarify boundaries and give staff predictable recovery time between client cycles.

An internal balance initiative layers guided meditation sessions, nutritional workshops and psychological safety protocols into daily routines so that teams learn skills to manage stress and communicate limits. Paid time off policies now normalize illness, preventive care and mental breaks with a call-in well day that encourages employees to rest without stigma and maintain client service continuity.

Employees stay connected on Slack and Zoom, and at in-person happy hours, while affinity and interest channels help colleagues celebrate life events, swap recipes and sustain social bonds across locations. Programs range from a menopause support stipend to a presentation-enhancement fund that pays for equipment and coaching to sharpen client-facing delivery.

Leaders funded staff AI subscriptions, enrolled senior colleagues in a certificate program and staged an internal AI talent show to encourage experimentation and practical adoption across account work. A year-round internship program provides candidates with real client experience and structured mentorship, and it has converted more than 50% of interns into full-time roles, strengthening internal talent pipelines.

Leadership conducts regular compensation audits and maintains HBCU partnerships to broaden recruitment and deepen pipelines. Certification as an LGBT Business Enterprise, transparent promotion pathways and frequent feedback loops combine to strengthen advancement opportunities and sustain an inclusive workplace that keeps communications professionals engaged.

Caliber Corporate Advisers’ learning and development team builds career pathways through CCPR

Caliber Corporate Advisers’ learning and development team drives career growth with Caliber College of Public Relations, a four-level, 55-session curriculum, and more than 95% of staff have participated.

At Caliber Corporate Advisers, a learning-first culture drives training, career planning and daily practice, and the approach centers on equipping staff to deliver measurable client value while improving engagement and advancement opportunities across account teams and specialty practices. Leadership funds tailored career maps, conference sponsorship, formal mentorships and regular check-ins, and it allocates time and budgets for certification and study so employees can pursue visible career steps.

The Caliber College of Public Relations spans multiple levels and reaches more than 95% of the staff, and colleagues serve as professors who design hands-on curricula tied to real client work and paired mentorship projects. Live tutorials teach fundamentals such as building media lists and writing pitches, and they also explore client strategy, relationship management, measurement, media training and digital amplification through case studies and role play.

Each cohort concludes with convocation and graduation to celebrate learning milestones, and managers use those moments to formalize career progression conversations with clear next steps and timelines. Regular student and professor surveys inform new modules and prompt revisions, and the program often features quotes such as “From the perspective of someone who has worked in agency PR for a handful of years, all the courses were extremely beneficial in learning the Caliber way of doing things!” as evidence of impact.

The learning ecosystem extends beyond CCPR to agency-wide workshops, guest speakers, LinkedIn Learning and regular mentorship meetings, and leaders track how teams apply new skills in client deliverables. An annual offsite brings the full staff together for immersive sessions, cross-team projects and informal networking that sustain relationships across locations and accelerate onboarding for new hires.

This sustained investment raises career satisfaction, accelerates advancement and produces more strategic work for clients — outcomes leadership tracks through retention, promotion rates and client feedback as the agency continues to iterate on curricula and expand partnerships with industry experts.

Corporate Ink raises the bar on a people-first agency model

Corporate Ink prioritizes employees with flexible sabbaticals, tailored development plans and a 30% staff promotion rate in 2025, boosting wellbeing, retention and sustained career growth.

In early 2025, Corporate Ink formalized a written credo to document long-held values and to make employees the agency’s first responsibility, ensuring those values guide decisions about career paths, benefits, flexibility and wellbeing. The agency translated that credo into tailored professional development plans so each employee has a clear growth path aligned with personal interests and strengths, and it created new, specialist roles so talented people can deepen expertise without following a one-size-fits-all track.

That focus on internal mobility propelled promotions across the team — Corporate Ink promoted 30% of its staff so far in 2025, reflecting intentional role design, dedicated PD days, and company-sponsored training that convert potential into measurable advancement.

Leaders also reduced low-value work by cutting unnecessary meetings and deploying AI tools to automate repetitive tasks, freeing staff to focus on creative strategy, higher-impact client work and the kind of problem-solving that drives market results.

Benefits and time-away policies center on flexibility and meaningful rest, with paid five-year sabbaticals, a Trip of a Lifetime stipend for long-tenured employees, every other Friday off and/or a flexible reentry program for new parents, plus profit sharing and 401(k) contributions with no vesting.

The agency layers wellbeing supports into daily life through scheduled wellness blocks, company fitness challenges and/or paid subscriptions to Apple Fitness+ and Peloton app, an employee assistance program for short-term counseling needs and a companywide “refresh and relax” break at year’s end. The combined effect returns time to people, lifts engagement, and strengthens client outcomes while supporting pay and benefits, enabling staff to work less, earn more and shape long-term careers.

Leaders plan to expand these programs and measure impact so every team member grows healthier, wealthier and happier each year.

Coyne PR builds employee-first culture with hybrid work, learning and connection

Coyne PR fosters a culture of connection, tech-enabled workflows and continuous learning, offering a hybrid model with 60% in-person collaboration and benefits such as unlimited paid time off and 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.

Guided by a singular mission “to be the best place to work,” Coyne PR has spent more than 30 years shaping a culture designed to attract, retain and empower top talent. That commitment has translated into consistent “Best Place to Work” recognition and one of the highest employee retention rates in the industry, reinforcing a workplace model that balances flexibility, collaboration and continuous development.

A hybrid work structure anchors the agency’s approach, blending 60% in-person collaboration with 40% remote flexibility to maximize both teamwork and individual productivity. This intentional balance fosters spontaneous collaboration, strengthens team relationships and ensures high-quality client service, while still giving employees the autonomy to work in ways that support their wellbeing and performance.

Coyne PR’s culture extends beyond day-to-day work through creative, high-engagement team-building experiences that reinforce connection across the organization. Agency-wide and team-specific events — from outings like New York Yankees games to hands-on activities such as glassblowing workshops and stress-relieving experiences like rage rooms — create shared moments that deepen camaraderie and keep employees energized and engaged.

The agency has also made a significant investment in technology to improve both employee experience and client outcomes. By integrating advanced tools into workflows and conducting regular focus groups and operational audits, Coyne PR has streamlined processes like media monitoring, content creation and data analysis. These efficiencies allow teams to spend less time on manual tasks and more time on strategic, high-impact thinking.

Professional development remains a cornerstone of the workplace experience. Through Coyne College, the agency offers a robust digital learning platform with accessible courses across disciplines, alongside tuition reimbursement programs that support continued education. This commitment to learning ensures employees stay ahead of industry trends while building long-term career paths within the organization.

Coyne PR complements these initiatives with a comprehensive benefits package — including unlimited paid time off, paid volunteer days, flexible scheduling and 12 weeks of paid maternity leave—designed to support employees at every stage of their careers. At the same time, the agency continues to strengthen its diversity efforts, surpassing industry benchmarks with a workforce that is more than 25% diverse and maintaining a strong pipeline through inclusive recruiting and internship programs.

Together, these efforts create a workplace where employees feel valued, supported and empowered to do their best work. By continuously investing in culture, collaboration, technology and development, Coyne PR sustains a high-performing environment that drives both employee satisfaction and client success — and positions the agency to build on its legacy as a leading people-first organization.

EvolveMKD blends data, creativity and employee wellbeing to reshape PR practice

EvolveMKD built a people-first culture with flexible perks, inclusive health benefits, proprietary AI tools and physician-influencer programs, boosting employee retention by 27% and delivering measurable client results.

A 100% female-owned and led public relations and digital marketing agency redesigned its operations to connect client results with employee wellbeing, and EvolveMKD leveraged its independence to move quickly and center a client-first approach across strategy, creative and service.

The firm expanded investments in research, analytics and performance marketing to stitch data into creative decisions, and it built EMKD GPT, a secure, branded generative AI platform to accelerate content production while preserving client privacy and brand integrity. It also trademarked Phys-Influencers™ to formalize partnerships with medical professionals, position clinicians as authentic spokespeople and close the gap between clinical expertise and consumer trust.

Campaign teams applied those assets to healthcare and consumer launches, pairing clinical voices with social-first storytelling and traditional media outreach to elevate credibility, shape conversations and move audiences to action. Major-account work ranged from celebrity-led awareness efforts to physician-led product demonstrations and personal storytelling, increasing online engagement and converting attention into client inquiries.

Leaders translated the same intentionality to culture with programs that reward tenure, support parents and expand medical benefits to reflect employee needs. Initiatives include a Summer WFH Week program that scales with tenure, ad hoc childcare reimbursement through an expanded $1,000 medical and wellness allowance, an extended family-planning and gender-affirming care benefit, Predictive Index assessments for hiring, and astrology-based team-building to improve communication.

Those people and cultural changes produced a 27% increase in employee retention over the past year, reduced turnover costs and strengthened institutional knowledge. By marrying measurable client performance with intentional employee support, EvolveMKD created a model that makes teams more resilient, client partnerships more credible and local communities more engaged, and it positioned the agency to scale those practices into future growth.

Fair Labor Association builds a supportive communications culture that fuels impact

Fair Labor Association attracts and retains top communicators by investing in staff with leadership-backed growth, competitive pay and benefits, dedicated professional development and flexible remote work; 97% of staff say it is a great place to work.

The communications staff advocates for giving workers a voice and improving conditions in factories and farms by documenting worker experiences, promoting worker-led solutions, and amplifying best practices across global supply chains.

The Fair Labor Association embeds that mission in an organizational strategic plan that elevates communications, aligns board and staff priorities, and directs funding and leadership support toward measurable advocacy outcomes.

Senior leaders and board members actively champion the team, invest in innovation, support professional development and guarantee competitive salaries and wellbeing as core components of organizational strategy. They allocate resources for new digital tools, long-term capacity building and travel so communicators can report from farms and factories, build stakeholder relationships and strengthen storytelling for policy influence.

The communications team doubled in size since 2022 under a senior vice president who serves on the senior leadership team, enabling a step-change in capacity, leadership presence and the ability to pursue bolder projects. This growth allowed the team to design and implement a complex digital strategy, to scale content production and to convert internal member convenings into high-profile opportunities for sector-wide thought leadership and collaboration.

Budgets include dedicated funding for retention and professional development so staff can learn languages, attend multi-day technical workshops and travel to observe programs in action, which improves reporting and program design.

Staff receive generous leave, fully employer-funded health and life insurance and immediate vesting on a substantial retirement match, and offices worldwide close one Friday to promote staff wellness and work-life balance. Leaders prioritize regular time off instead of expecting around-the-clock availability, promote biennial all-staff retreats and facilitate staff attendance at global member events to build camaraderie and share knowledge across a dispersed workforce.

A 2024 staff survey showed 97% agreement that the Fair Labor Association is a great place to work, with staff reporting pride, colleague support and equitable opportunities, which supports retention and sustained communications impact.

FischTank PR builds a people-first agency model

FischTank PR stands out for prioritizing employee wellbeing with a 4.5-day workweek, flexible schedules, regular training and quarterly in-person gatherings that boost retention, creativity and client-focused results.

The firm rejected the high-burnout agency model and instead built policies that prioritize flexibility, balance and professional growth. These efforts support staff wellbeing, reduce turnover and sustain consistent, high-quality client work. FischTank PR brings together a compact team of experienced communicators delivering media relations, corporate strategy, content development and social media services. The firm also maintains sector-specialist pods that turn deep expertise into earned media, thought leadership and stronger client reputations.

A 4.5-day workweek gives employees every other Friday off and embeds rest and time for personal priorities into the agency’s rhythm without trimming paid time off, which leaders say contributes to improved productivity and higher morale. Leadership pairs flexible schedules and hybrid work with quarterly gatherings, flights that bring remote staff into New York and a weekly office day for local staff to preserve in-person mentorship, networking and the social ties that sustain team culture.

The agency’s team structure emphasizes ownership, so employees pitch ideas, lead accounts and send client-facing materials with fewer approvals to build confidence, strengthen client trust and speed execution. Those practices reduce bottlenecks, accelerate response times and deepen client relationships while also encouraging staff to expand their skills, work across practice areas, develop personal brands and originate new business that yields recurring commissions. FischTank funds ongoing training, sponsors educational classes and supports participation in industry events like New York Climate Week, which staff use for networking, panel participation and to amplify client stories tied to climate action.

By investing in wellbeing, autonomy and development, the agency creates conditions that increase creativity, shorten turnaround times, raise client satisfaction and sustain a workforce ready to tackle complex communications challenges in the long term.

Forefront Communications builds a workplace that fuels client impact

Forefront Communications builds retention and growth through mentorship, transparency and flexible benefits; two of its earliest hires advanced to vice presidents, reflecting intentional career development and strong employee engagement.

At Forefront Communications, leaders designed a culture that pairs deep capital markets and B2B fintech expertise with clear career pathways, collaborative processes and high standards, improving media placements, executive visibility and client confidence on complex financial communications and strengthening long-term client relationships.

Mentorship drives daily work through one-on-one coaching, leadership check-ins and targeted learning sessions that keep junior staff and senior specialists aligned and accelerate readiness for client leadership. Amanda Perrucci and Sam Belden rose from early hires to vice presidents, leading practice areas, stewarding client strategy and mentoring newer hires to deliver more strategic counsel across engagements and improving leadership bench strength.

Benefits and policies support wellbeing and balance through generous PTO, a hybrid work model, Remote August and regular team-building activities, which help sustain high-quality output during intense deal cycles.

The agency invests in continuous learning through lunch-and-learns, the At the Forefront podcast, and a daily fintech digest that informs client strategy, enhances subject-matter expertise, and surfaces timely story ideas. The internship program creates a reliable talent pipeline by giving interns real client responsibilities, editorial-pitching experience, and industry immersion at places like the trading floor and corporate newsrooms, preparing many for full-time roles and frequently converting them to full-time hires.

Since launching the CSR program, the team has supported four organizations, turning employee passions into agency initiatives that build morale, increase engagement and extend Forefront’s values into the broader community. Founders Mark Dowd and Eric Soderberg set a tone of openness with regular all-hands, business pipeline briefings and clear performance conversations that build trust, align priorities, keep client outcomes front of mind and support sustainable growth.

Clients notice the difference in sharper messaging, faster execution and sustained media attention. The firm plans to expand learning offerings and deepen industry partnerships to keep teams future-ready.

Integral builds a workplace that advances the employee experience

Integral fosters growth through a seasoned senior leadership team, a hands-on intern program that converts interns into full-time hires and regular rituals — weekly standups, quarterly learning sessions and an annual all-staff retreat.

Senior leaders at Integral combined decades of experience guiding Fortune 100 companies and global organizations through transformation, communication and cultural change, and translated that experience into an operating model that aligns internal practice with client outcomes, raises staff capability and embeds mentorship into daily workflows. They blended industry research, professional certifications and lived leadership to create repeatable processes that center growth, agility and humanity while enabling client teams to scale change more predictably and with stronger employee engagement and clearer measurement of outcomes.

At Integral, the senior leadership includes Ethan McCarty, Taylor Shawver, Carolina Mata and Rachel Zakariasen. McCarty, Shawver, Mata and Zakariasen mentor staff, advance client strategy and embed empathy and clarity into decision making while serving in professional organizations such as Page and the Institute of Public Relations and developing leaders through coaching and formal mentorship programs.

The culture emphasizes authenticity, gratitude and compassionate curiosity, prompting daily recognition in a “Wins” Slack channel, regular team celebrations and asking open-ended questions that surface fresh ideas from junior voices. An intern program immerses master’s candidates in client meetings, account work and a signature project in which interns research, design and pitch a full employer brand campaign to senior leaders and client panels, while pairing interns with experienced client managers and subject matter experts to build real portfolio work and client-facing confidence, and many past interns have transitioned into full-time roles at the agency.

Weekly rituals such as Monday Standup and Friday Retrospective, and monthly gatherings like Tasti Tuesdays and Thursti Thursdays, which create space for social connection over lunch or happy hour, keep teams aligned and socially connected across hybrid schedules, while quarterly Brainy Brunches and remote learning sessions sustain knowledge sharing. An annual overnight retreat at Camp Integral brings everyone together for lakeside learning, kayaking and roasting marshmallows at the campfire, which reinforces cohesion, supports wellbeing and sustains a culture that produces measurable client impact and long-term talent development.

iQ 360 fosters growth, belonging and wellbeing for communicators

iQ 360 prioritizes communicators’ growth and wellbeing with 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision for employees and dependents, $500 annual professional development stipends, hybrid work and a culture of recognition.

A deliberate culture of humility and excellence drives everyday work at iQ 360, centering collaboration over ego, encouraging risk-taking to push creative boundaries and ensuring every team member has a voice in shaping strategy and craft. That approach fuels practical innovation, elevates ideas from any level of seniority and builds a sense of belonging that keeps communicators engaged, proud and motivated to deliver results.

Monthly virtual all-hands meetings use creative themes, surprise gift boxes, props and interactive moments to connect teams across time zones, and sessions often include virtual baby showers, milestone shoutouts and quick skill shares. An annual in-person gathering pauses client work to invest in workshops and strategic planning, and it stages team experiences such as guided meditation, karaoke, cooking classes and ziplining that strengthen bonds and surface new ideas.

Recognition happens daily through a peer-driven shoutout program, custom THANK-Q notes and monthly drawings that convert appreciation into tangible rewards and public acknowledgment during meetings. Professional growth comes alive through funded development allowances, leadership coaching, stay interviews and competency-based performance reviews that map clear paths for advancement and skill building.

The company also invests in employee wellbeing with 100% employer-paid medical, dental and vision for employees and dependents. It also provides life and disability coverage, access to mental health resources, expanded bereavement leave and Juneteenth as a paid holiday.

A firm identity as a certified woman- and minority-owned business, a partnership with a professional employer organization to advance equitable hiring and regular anonymous surveys with transparent progress tracking inform policy decisions and broaden recruitment pipelines. The result is a workplace where communicators feel supported, take risks and bring their best work to clients and communities while enjoying hybrid schedules, long-term perks and frequent chances to learn.

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory’s comms department powers mission impact

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory’s communications department fosters employee development, prioritizes wellbeing and simplified processes, and creates more than 200,000 social media posts to amplify the laboratory’s research and mission.

To amplify the Lab’s work across cybersecurity, planetary defense and health innovation, the communications team at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory built a full-service department that pairs strategic communications with design, video production, event management and media outreach to make complex research accessible to diverse audiences.

Leaders focused the unit on internal engagement and mission literacy, creating mission-focused training, regular briefings with scientists and access to the Lab’s learning system, so that communicators can translate technical work into clear public stories and support sponsored programs. The team scaled production across platforms and formats, creating more than 1,200 videos to raise awareness, support research recruitment and strengthen stakeholder relationships.

Staff identified bottlenecks, and leadership hired a workflow operations manager, launched regular lunch-and-learns and upgraded project management tools to standardize requests, simplify intake and help staff prioritize work with confidence. Those operational changes shortened delivery timelines, improved predictability for research partners and reinforced a culture in which communicators feel valued and supported.

A renovated studio, audio booths and a centralized print shop create an efficient production environment that boosts collaboration for staff who share office space, and frequent community events keep teams connected. Leadership reinforces trust with hybrid schedules, tuition support, comprehensive benefits and expanded wellbeing resources — including on-site counselors and virtual therapy — that begin on day one and extend to families.

By aligning training, operations and facilities to mission needs, the communications team helps the Laboratory translate complex research into public value and positions staff to deepen impact across national security, space and health priorities in the years ahead.

Kaplow Communications builds a culture where careers take root

Kaplow Communications builds a people-first culture—trust, respect, energy and enthusiasm—that fuels employee longevity, internal promotions and an average client retention of more than six years.

The agency centers its approach on TREE culture — trust, respect, energy and enthusiasm — to keep teams aligned, reduce turnover and ensure client-facing teams deliver consistent service. Kaplow Communications applies a high-touch model to creative communications and influencer marketing for start-ups, Fortune 500s and mid-size brands and ties employee development directly to client strategy and retention.

A dedicated TREE team runs quarterly outings, monthly trivia sessions, virtual workout and cooking classes, Book Klub and a Teams Pop Culture Chat to recreate water-cooler moments and maintain cohesion across remote and in-office employees. An agency newsletter, Biz Bites, and the employee-spotlighting podcast Branch Break keep people connected across hybrid schedules and highlight career pathways and client wins.

The TREE Grant gives one employee per quarter an extra five days of paid time off to learn, volunteer or pursue a passion project and then share that experience with peers to seed new ideas into client work. Kaplow Communications supports wellbeing through discounted ClassPass rates, complimentary access to Wellbeats, flexible PTO banks, Summer Fridays and Forever Fridays and coordinates perks such as dinner for employees working beyond a 10-hour day.

The agency builds careers deliberately through internal promotion, mentorship programs and clear paths to leadership that have produced long tenures and deep client relationships. Over 70% of the agency’s leadership have a tenure of 5+ years, and leaders such as Randi Liodice, Jee Nah Chang Walker and others demonstrate how promotion from within yields continuity for clients and teams.

An internal Taskforce drives DEIB work that touches hiring, education and collaboration, and regular CSR activities support Citymeals on Wheels, park cleanups, wildfire relief, career clothing drives and youth arts programs. Clients report stable relationships and measurable satisfaction that reflect a workplace culture rooted in accountability, mutual respect and service, and leadership continues to invest in training and internal mobility to sustain those outcomes.

KCSA Strategic Communications fosters a culture that empowers communicators

KCSA builds a mentor-driven culture that advances careers, offers three months of fully paid maternity leave from day one and flexible remote work, empowering communicators to grow, collaborate and thrive.

For more than 56 years, communicators have relied on KCSA Strategic Communications to navigate complex public relations, investor relations and digital media challenges across financial services, healthcare, technology and consumer sectors, delivering strategic counsel in IPOs, crisis response and long-term reputation building. KCSA pairs deep industry expertise with a consistent focus on employee development, workplace wellbeing and transparent career progression and designs programs that translate client-facing rigor into daily learning opportunities for staff.

The firm pairs every new hire with a mentor from day one, structures quarterly goal-setting and feedback cycles and provides leadership coaching to accelerate skill development, increase confidence and reduce time to full contribution for junior staff. Danielle DeVoren and Jenny Robles rose from entry-level roles to senior leadership, showing how merit and clear pathways shape promotions, reinforce institutional knowledge and encourage employees to pursue long-term careers with the firm.

Benefits target stability and everyday needs, and the firm frames them as investments in employee futures rather than short-term perks. KCSA provides paid maternity leave from day one, a retirement match, recurring commissions that reward business development, and a concierge service that helps employees resolve household and administrative issues quickly, reducing stress and preserving productivity.

The firm embraces a flexible hybrid model that lets employees work remotely, travel while remaining fully engaged and manage schedules with autonomy balanced by accountability, enabling staff to pursue personal goals without sacrificing client service. Leadership holds regular all-hands, maintains visible accessibility and highlights individual contributions formally and informally, producing higher engagement, stronger retention and a culture where communicators innovate, collaborate and build long careers while delivering measurable value for clients.

Methods+Mastery expands communications practice to drive growth and culture

Methods+Mastery fuels market-defying growth through a data-driven culture, weekly training, inclusive affinity groups and flexible work; 100% of communications apprentices and fellows landed full-time roles.

In January 2023, Methods+Mastery launched a dedicated communications practice that integrated into its existing suite of services, attracted a broader client roster and more than doubled the communications team amid widespread contraction in the marketing industry.

That growth followed a disciplined, data-first approach that puts analytics at the center of strategy, clarifies measurable goals and informs creative executions to deliver consistently reliable outcomes for clients.

A four-prong culture keeps that approach sustainable: invest in growth through weekly training, match assignments to individual strengths, build genuine allyship across affinity communities, and design flexible work to protect employee wellbeing.

Weekly training and workshare sessions focus on media relations, brainstorming, planning and client service. Methods+Mastery also runs an AI Champs program to speed responsible use of generative AI, and day-one strengths assessments are turned into practical “user manuals” to improve team collaboration.

Career mobility shows up in a yearly account remix that empowers staff to elect new client programs for cross-industry experience, rapid skill development and burnout reduction, and a structured apprentice-to-hire pipeline fuels internal hiring and promotion.

Affinity groups are active across the agency, and Methods+Mastery convenes panels, town halls and book-report sessions that deepen empathy while those communities lead inclusion trainings that change everyday practices.

Onboarding pairs each new hire with a buddy, a mentor and a manager to cover practical, social and career needs, and monthly Origin Stories create space for colleagues to share backgrounds, values and what motivates their work.

External relationships strengthen through biannual media listening tours and a steady rhythm of client touchpoints — weekly, monthly and quarterly check-ins guided by Radical Candor training that keep interactions honest and productive.

The sum of these practices produces quantifiable culture outcomes, with 92% of employees reporting a sense of belonging and strong indicators of engagement, retention and internal recommendation. That combination of disciplined training, data-driven strategy and people-first operations translates into durable client results and a repeatable model for scaling communications talent.

MikeWorldWide and Berk blend culture, AI and expertise to power growth

MikeWorldWide and Berk combine full-service PR with hospitality and celebrity expertise, prioritize inclusion, embed AI-driven training and mentorship, and 75% of employees say they would recommend the agency as a great place to work.

At MikeWorldWide & BERK, a unified approach prioritized people and clients over short-term shareholder returns, and leaders used the 2025 integration to preserve independent, employee-first governance while gaining scale and specialized counsel in hospitality, celebrity and crisis communications. The strategy folded Berk’s niche expertise into MikeWorldWide’s full-service model to create the largest sports and entertainment practice in the country and to free senior leaders to deliver candid, high-level counsel to clients.

Leaders translated values into operations by codifying a people-first, client-centric philosophy and by making radical empathy, innovation and honest counsel the measures for hiring, promotion and performance. They backed those standards with concrete programs — employee resource groups, inclusive leadership training and a DEI council that convened 20 events this year — to deepen belonging and make cultural work continuous rather than episodic.

The agency redesigned onboarding and manager coaching based on staff input, and it embedded structured mentorship and regular feedback loops so new hires gain clarity quickly, and managers provide growth-focused guidance on a predictable schedule. Culture scores reached five-year highs, and 75% of employees said they would recommend MWW as a great place to work.

The combined agency fully adopted AI across operations and paired that adoption with a training curriculum and internal workstreams to help teams master the tools before advising clients. By using AI to optimize tasks, ideation and prescriptive client counsel, teams increased the speed and precision of recommendations while preserving senior-level judgment and human creativity at the core of client service.

Practically, that approach produced rapid results — teams managed high-pressure crisis responses, mobilized large-scale relief efforts, supported major IPO communications and sustained long-term community and corporate relationships without overtaxing staff or diluting service. The agency now focuses on sustaining wellbeing, advancing role-specific development, and keeping talent engaged so clients continue to get senior counsel and teams continue to build careers they can stay in for years.

PCL Construction builds connection through onboarding, development and creative freedom

PCL Construction’s U.S. communications team stands out for empowering storytellers with structured onboarding, robust career development and creative freedom, fostering wellbeing and community impact; the company has appeared on Fortune’s list 16 times.

A communications team ties strategy to employee connection and brand protection, aligning messages across operations to make complex projects intelligible and to preserve trust among workers, clients and communities. PCL Construction, U.S. Communications positions communicators as trusted partners who influence change, shape consistent stories and ensure that leaders, field teams and stakeholders receive timely, actionable information.

A structured onboarding experience accelerates new communicators’ effectiveness, combining MarComm Central as a resource hub with a buddy system that provides tools, templates and direct guidance for navigating processes and stakeholders. Regular feedback paired with hands-on practice shortens ramp time, builds confidence and creates a shared understanding of standards and expectations.

A broad learning ecosystem supports career ownership, offering LinkedIn Learning, an in-house College of Construction and a library of career toolkits that map skills, experiences and milestones for advancement. The communications team led the rollout of My Career Builder to centralize career paths, track learning opportunities and clarify progression, empowering communicators to set goals and pursue development aligned with business needs.

An in-house agency model grants creative freedom and accountability, enabling bold campaigns that highlight projects, people and the craft of construction while strengthening internal pride and external reputation. For the 50th anniversary, the team transformed the U.S. head office into immersive exhibits and produced storytelling that united employees, drew visitors and celebrated legacy in ways that drove engagement across business units.

Rituals and shared ownership reinforce connection and wellbeing — from candle-making classes to volunteer campaigns — and benefits such as Lyra Health, wellness reimbursements and flexible work help communicators stay focused and resilient. Communicators also extend impact beyond the company by amplifying charitable initiatives, supporting volunteer efforts and serving as community advocates, which makes communications a strategic force for culture, engagement and civic partnership.

Purdue Brand Studio retools campus communications into a full-service creative agency

Purdue Brand Studio stands out for its people-first culture, combining remote and hybrid work with leadership growth and stability — 64% of employees have been at Purdue more than four years.

As the central marketing and communications team for Purdue University, Purdue Brand Studio reinvented itself as a full-service creative agency to raise the visibility of research, showcase students and alumni and align university storytelling with market-level creative standards. The team replaced a traditional higher education communications structure with new workflows, centralized creative operations and a production mindset to deliver faster campaign cycles and more consistent brand execution across channels.

In two years, the studio launched nationally visible campaigns, forged partnerships with household and consumer brands such as e.l.f. Beauty, Eli Lilly and Company and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway proved that Purdue narratives can compete in the same storytelling space as global marketers. Those projects required the studio to scale project management, strengthen university approvals and maintain research integrity while refining message testing, creative iteration and measurement practices that drive audience engagement.

People-first policies underpin that execution, and the team intentionally invests in professional growth through internal training, cross-functional leadership opportunities and mentoring that encourages risk-taking and ownership. The studio builds a supportive culture with flexible schedules, explicit expectations and family-first responses to life events and that stability shows in retention — 64% of Purdue Brand Studio employees have been with Purdue more than four years.

Remote and hybrid work habits have strengthened collaboration rather than diluted it — remote days create focused blocks for strategy and execution, and in-person days concentrate on brainstorming, rapid problem-solving and media readiness. The studio created Purdue Brand Camp to accelerate skills development across the university and to create pathways for staff to lead national campaigns.

By translating laboratory discoveries into clear narratives and connecting those stories to donors, policymakers and industry partners, the studio has amplified funding pathways, supported technology transfer and helped inspire prospective students to pursue the next giant leap in research.

Qlik drives culture, growth and proactive storytelling

Qlik’s global communications team fosters inclusion, empowers employees through employee-led groups and learning, and shifted to proactive media outreach, generating 2,060 unique press clippings that amplified the company’s AI narrative.

At Qlik, the communications team made culture a strategic priority by promoting a “bring your full self” ethos and rallying colleagues around the core value, We Succeed Together, to create a shared foundation for collaboration.

Employee-led affinity groups unite colleagues across identity and interest areas, including Black Alliance, Qlik Women in Technology, LGBTQ+, Latinos Unidos, Qlik-Able and Qlik Vets, and a quarterly Core Values Award links peer recognition to Inspire Points that employees redeem for products and gift cards.

The team shifted media strategy from reactive responses to proactive industry shaping, prioritizing tier-one business media and analyst relations to build credibility and support business development. At the May 2025 Qlik Connect event, the team coordinated cross-functional partners, produced a hands-on cycling experience with Q.365 that raised funds for Special Olympics, and secured 2,060 unique press clippings.

Leaders invested in learning and development, including AI literacy training, and they empowered communicators to set goals, take calculated risks and work across functions to accelerate new approaches. The team launched an intranet hub that centralized news, events and employee content, and it sustains alignment through quarterly Town Halls and biannual Leadership Forums.

Competitive compensation, company-sponsored health insurance, unlimited PTO, a day-one 401(k) match and programs such as VYBE, meditation memberships, gym stipends, prepaid therapy sessions and coaching support employee wellbeing and sustained engagement. That combination of strategic culture work, measurable media impact, and people-first benefits enables the communications team to act as an independent, collaborative force that drives internal alignment, strengthens external reputation and scales successful programs globally.

RKD Group shapes a purpose-driven workplace for communicators

RKD Group fosters a purpose-driven, fully remote culture — robust onboarding, training, tuition reimbursement, paid time off and engaging virtual events — supporting staff who serve more than 250 nonprofits and find deep fulfillment.

A clear mission drives recruitment and daily work, connecting individual roles to measurable impact for nonprofits. RKD Group attracts communicators who seek purpose and then supports them with structured career paths, client-focused goals, mentorship and/or regular performance coaching.

The agency standardizes onboarding and ongoing training, and it provides flexible PTO, 15 paid holidays and/or tuition reimbursement while offering a comprehensive benefits package and an employee referral program to support wellbeing and retention. Leaders run weekly 15-minute touch bases that rotate hosts across departments, feature creative themes and recognitions, and deliver client updates to keep work aligned. Employees connect through book clubs, wellness challenges and/or interest groups, meet during a monthly coffee break and attend lively virtual holiday events that reinforce a sense of belonging.

Across more than 250 nonprofits, staff aligns campaigns with causes including animal care, food banks, humanitarian efforts, hospitals, rescue missions and/or The Salvation Army, and they choose projects that match personal values. The agency combines direct mail, digital campaigns, paid media, donor journey strategy, data analytics and/or creative development to grow donor bases, boost retention, increase net revenue and deepen donor relationships for clients.

Acquisitions such as Data Management, Heller Consulting, MDM Fundraising and/or Summit Marketing have broadened capabilities and technical depth while preserving a nonprofit-first approach. Training resources, tuition reimbursement and/or internal mobility opportunities fuel professional growth and prepare staff to take on expanded client responsibilities. The result is a remote workplace that sustains community and advances careers, and that channels employee energy into measurable results for the causes it serves.

Schneider Electric transforms communications into a strategic growth engine

Schneider Electric built a unified global communications network — about 100 central specialists and 250 embedded colleagues — driving AI-powered content, strategic influence and an 87% engagement score that empowers communicators.

At Schneider Electric, collaboration serves as the foundation for how the global brand and communications team works, grows and delivers measurable business impact across regions and business units. The group connects central specialists with communicators embedded in business units to align messaging, accelerate decisions, support high-visibility initiatives at the leadership level, including revitalized platforms such as the Innovation Hub and the Customer Reference Program, and improve the employee experience.

Leaders reorganized workstreams to remove silos, integrating campaign strategy and events into the communications function and folding the creative studio into the same organization to improve planning and creative execution while speeding time to market. The move into the global strategy organization raised the team’s influence on business priorities and ensured communications informed strategy from the outset.

They built new capabilities by creating a corporate affairs function focused on media relations, crisis preparedness and/or executive engagement to protect reputation and amplify leadership voices. They appointed dedicated leads for customer stories and for global sponsorships and partnership marketing to drive consistent, high-quality storytelling across channels and partners for global audiences. They launched an AI for Marketing Center of Excellence to scale generative tools for content creation and campaign planning, and they added brand research to guide data-informed decisions that sharpen campaign outcomes.

The team lives IMPACT values — Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity and/or Teamwork — and ties those principles to talent development, operational excellence and a shared employee value proposition. The proposition — “Impact starts with us” — links purpose to practice, and the OneVoice survey reports 87% of communications professionals feel empowered to choose how they complete their work and to pursue development opportunities. Those investments improved stakeholder engagement, sharpened storytelling and reinforced the company’s identity as the energy technology partner while enabling communicators to drive measurable outcomes for customers, partners and leaders at Schneider Electric and deliver measurable commercial results.

Sharp Think builds category expertise and a flexible, collaborative workplace

Sharp Think’s leadership in architecture and design drives team growth and client trust; employee retention tops 90%, fueling collaboration, flexible remote work and semiannual retreats.

An independent communications agency founded 25 years ago, Sharp Think focuses on best-in-class brands across passion point categories such as architecture, design, arts and culture, food and/or wellbeing. The agency organized its workplace around category leadership, flexible remote work and/or a culture of collaboration to keep people engaged, create client value and sustain long-term business growth.

Category leadership drove creative work, deep client ties and/or team growth — longstanding relationships with core partners evolved while the firm added new clients and increased its media presence across trade and consumer outlets. Junior staff received stipends to meet media, traveled to trade shows and/or built subject-matter expertise, and team members piloted new service lines such as Affiliate Marketing, “Designers with Influence” influencer programs, Strategic Partnerships and/or Paid Media Consulting; these internal initiatives translated into new client programs and stronger media results.

The agency committed to a mostly-remote model rooted in New York, while keeping co-working hubs across the country, from Los Angeles to Chicago, and encouraging intentional in-person days, such as a Chicago midweek office day that keeps teams connected. Sharp Think protected focus hours with meeting-free blocks, shortened Friday schedules and/or a no-questions-asked reset policy, and they increased focus time for creative work to support wellbeing and sustainable productivity.

Annual pulse surveys showed rising satisfaction, with employees describing the culture as collaborative, supportive and/or engaging while reporting clearer career paths and improved work/life balance; those themes surfaced in a team memory book compiled for the agency’s 25th anniversary. Leadership acted on feedback through an Internal Comms Committee that built onboarding tools and through biannual retreats that combined professional sessions with team bonding, and they streamlined internal processes to speed client service.

This approach supported record client growth and more than 90% employee retention over the past two years, enabling internal promotions, deeper long-term client partnerships, and helping the agency scale service offerings without diluting quality. Looking ahead, Sharp Think will continue to invest in category expertise, remote collaboration and/or employee development to deliver creative work that advances client goals and plans, including expanded training, targeted service launches and/or continued investment in editorial and trade relationships.

SKDK centers its people-first strategy to deepen inclusion and career growth

SKDK fosters a people-first culture with firmwide mentorship, more than 20 professional development sessions, seven employee resource groups and 16 weeks of paid parental leave that advance equity and career growth.

The firm redesigned its people strategy to center care, equity and wellbeing to boost retention and job satisfaction. That strategy prioritized inclusive career paths, restorative time away and accessible health benefits while directing resources to mentoring and learning. SKDK paired policy changes with programs that translate values into day-to-day practice and measurable workplace improvements, such as clearer career pathways and reduced turnover.

The firm launched a firmwide mentorship program and held professional development sessions on pitching, media training and client relations to accelerate skills and readiness, and junior staff leads many sessions to teach peers. It sustained the Changemaker Initiative, created The Lightbulb forum for idea sharing with leadership and supplemented culture with new Employee Resource Groups and shared clubs to broaden belonging. Seven ERGs and five clubs now provide staff networks, and the CEO begins each year with a listening tour to set priorities and align firm resources behind staff-led goals and fund staff-led training and projects.

An expanded alumni program sustains professional ties through panels, networking events and shared resources that keep former and current colleagues engaged and open doors for collaboration and hiring referrals. Annual engagement surveys guide priorities and partnerships with Q Street, the Diversity Action Alliance, GMHC, Partnership for Public Service and Martha’s Table, which anchor external support and community impact and help shape volunteer and pro bono work in communities.

The firm builds wellbeing into benefits with extended paid parental leave, prenatal care time, a gender-affirming care policy and firmwide reset days for rest and recharge to normalize time away. Internships run in three terms and begin with a weeklong orientation, place students on client teams from day one, and conclude with career guidance that helps interns lead a week of programming to showcase their skills and perspectives. Many alumni from the internship program return as collaborators or hires.

Southwire increases engagement with yearlong storytelling push

Southwire’s corporate communications team fosters creativity and engagement through flexible work, purpose-driven storytelling and The Circuit, which reaches 77% of team members companywide.

A yearlong 75th-anniversary storytelling campaign focused on purpose, creativity and employee connection, and it served as the primary vehicle to celebrate the legacy while generating new internal engagement around culture, innovation and career pathways. Southwire, Southwire Corporate Communications Team designed and executed the campaign to unite more than 9,000 team members across manufacturing plants, offices and field locations — including frontline production teams and remote staff — through trivia, video, long-form enterprise stories and interactive polls.

The team paired flexible work arrangements with a business-partner model to empower communicators to act quickly, to pursue bold creative ideas and to tell locally relevant stories that align with strategic goals and operational realities. They leveraged The Circuit — the company’s mobile-friendly internal communications platform — to reach frontline workers and executives, surface real-time analytics, tailor content by audience and location, and benchmark performance against industry norms. The Circuit delivered a 54% average monthly engagement rate, illustrating sustained participation across programs and content types and validating investment in mobile-first, employee-centered communications.

A director, a manager and three communications specialists serve as embedded partners to business units, while two graphic designers and a recruitment marketing specialist provide visual storytelling, employer branding and talent attraction support across the enterprise. That structure shortened approval cycles, increased content output and improved alignment between communications and operational priorities, accelerating the rollout of campaign elements and enabling timely measurement and iteration.

The anniversary campaign converted company history, sustainability efforts and plant modernization projects like Hawesville into shared experiences — eight of the 13 most engaging posts companywide were trivia items from the campaign, which shows how simple interactive formats drove enthusiasm across sites. Communicators amplified Giving Back activities like Walk for Water, disaster relief drives and Toys for Tots to surface purpose-driven narratives that strengthen internal pride and enhance the company’s reputation in local communities, and they will apply lessons from the year to future measurable campaigns and employee engagement strategies.

Stratacomm builds a remote-first culture centered on communication and continuous growth

Stratacomm stands out for a remote-first culture, continuous learning and inclusive community, pairing full Microsoft Copilot access with robust benefits, including 16 weeks of parental leave that boost wellbeing and retention.

A deliberate focus on consistent, frequent communication and adaptable work practices shapes the culture at Stratacomm and guides decisions about scheduling, technology and people investments to ensure teams stay connected, informed and empowered to deliver client work with clarity and mutual accountability.

The agency schedules bimonthly all-staff meetings based on direct team feedback, distributes a weekly Agency Update via email and intranet and maintains active Team channels to share new business, administrative updates, hires and achievements so information flows quickly across ranks and regions.

A Work From Anywhere policy pairs maximum flexibility with personal accountability and enables staff across 14 states and Washington, D.C., to choose environments that boost productivity while remaining responsible to clients, deadlines and team commitments.

While remote-first, the agency keeps physical hubs in Washington, D.C. and Detroit and runs regular in-person events, coworking sessions and a two-day StrataSummit focused on fostering collaboration, driving growth and building cross-generational understanding that strengthens day-to-day teamwork.

The agency embeds continuous learning through StratAcademy, a monthly development newsletter and a new Early Career Workshop series that responds to employee feedback and teaches business fundamentals, confident communication and professional behavior to accelerate career progression.

Leadership gives every team member Microsoft Copilot access, enables guided experimentation with other AI tools under confidentiality protections, and supports certification and on-the-job application, so new capabilities translate into better client outcomes and faster internal processes.

Benefits reflect a commitment to wellbeing with competitive health, life and 401(k) plans, flexible spending accounts, paid leave to care for family members, 16 weeks of parental leave for birthing and nonbirthing parents and an open PTO policy that supports rest and retention.

A Common Threads Council and companywide fireside chats create space for candid conversation and inclusion, and a recent employee engagement survey shows overwhelming agreement that the agency is a great place to work and that it operates equitably and inclusively, linking culture investments to measurable morale and performance.

Swarthmore College Communications Office redesigns hybrid work to boost collaboration and results

Swarthmore College’s communications office turned hybrid work into an asset, boosting productivity and engagement; media mentions rose from 6,000 to nearly 9,000 while fostering a strong, collaborative culture.

The office redesigned work patterns to make hybrid work reliable and generative. Swarthmore College Communications Office balanced in-person collaboration with remote autonomy by setting campus days, standardizing digital tools and clarifying expectations for roles, which created predictable rhythms for teamwork and individual focus.

Slack kept the 21-person team connected across project channels, one-on-one check-ins, and social exchanges, preserving relationships despite distance. Wrike established a single source of truth for projects, enabling clear workflows, visible progress, timely handoffs and better cross-functional coordination, reducing duplication and speeding up deliverables.

That steady operating rhythm supported major initiatives — a new messaging and visual identity, a chatbot for prospective students and a surge in media exposure to nearly 9,000 mentions this past year — while preserving creative experimentation and responsiveness to campus needs. Leaders prioritized outcomes over hours online, set transparent expectations and invested in onboarding practices that integrated new hires quickly into systems and culture.

The office onboarded six colleagues remotely and reinforced connections through retreats, care packages, QuizBreaker trivia and frequent in-person gatherings that build trust and reduce friction in collaboration. Staff freely propose ideas, take initiative and iterate rapidly because managers signal support and provide clear decision rights and feedback loops.

New messaging guided comprehensive updates to recruitment materials, alumni communications and digital platforms, helping the team tell clearer stories that meet audience needs across channels. The hybrid model sustained creativity and increased productivity — allowing the Communications Office to deliver strategic work, deepen audience engagement and build a resilient team ready to respond to campus priorities and future challenges.

The Bliss Group builds a value-driven workplace with data, care and curiosity

The Bliss Group stands out for an employee-first culture that blends data-driven insights, robust development and peer recognition, with an eNPS of 82 and a third of staff promoted last year.

An insights-driven agency blended data science with storytelling to connect people with precision, empathy and purpose, and The Bliss Group invested intentionally in people, products and places to translate that philosophy into daily practice guided by Bliss Beliefs — Smart + Kind, Curious, Collaborative, Entrepreneurial and Accountable. Leaders prioritized care over competition and made recognition and growth central to the employee experience through regular shoutouts, weekly newsletters and an annual nomination program that culminates in off-site recognition and bonus awards.

Keri Toomey serves as head of employee experience and leads onboarding, learning and development, internal communications, culture and performance management to turn employee feedback into dozens of micro and macro improvements each year. Programs include the Account Excellence Academy, Building Blocks onboarding, tuition reimbursement and an Innovation Sabbatical — all designed to develop talent, increase agency ownership and preserve continuity without layoffs. Greg Hassel advanced to EVP of Integration to connect design, AI, content, research and analytics with internal communications and to democratize innovation across teams.

The firm increased internal communications through CEO chats by title level, Business of the Business sessions, and town halls to help employees feel like owners and improve transparency around strategy and finances. Staff engagement reflected those investments, as measured by an Employee Net Promoter Score of 82, which signaled exceptional levels of advocacy and satisfaction among employees.

Leadership also advanced DEI&B work through a public report, partnerships that broaden the talent pipeline and the Bliss-Baker Fellowship to increase access for underrepresented professionals. Clients and candidates feel the results in the agency’s energy, which comes from consistent development, intentional inclusion and a calendar of experiential programs that range from annual regroup workshops to volunteer days and spontaneous celebrations.

The Evoke Agency builds a workplace where communicators can thrive

The Evoke Agency cultivates a people-first culture with monthly three-day weekends, mentorship-driven career paths and peer recognition, keeping communicators energized, growing and proud to work there.

A commitment to building a workplace where communicators can thrive drives every program at the agency, shaping how teams collaborate, how managers set expectations and how leaders invest in people and celebrate success across departments. The Evoke Agency aligns culture, benefits and career development to help people do their best work, and it removes barriers to focus, fosters psychological safety and designs routines that make work energizing rather than draining.

Leaders embed recognition and collaboration into daily practice by creating routines for peer acknowledgment, by rewarding initiative and by keeping communication channels open across client teams and practice areas. Peer-nominated Evoke Create Awards celebrate colleagues who model agency values, while monthly team-building, volunteer opportunities and annual retreats give people time to connect, recharge and translate relationships into better client work.

A structured internship program gives interns real client-facing work, senior mentorship and full agency exposure, and it includes regular feedback cycles, skills workshops tailored to career tracks and meaningful project ownership that accelerates professional confidence. Regular feedback and skills workshops prepare interns for careers, and many move into full-time roles because mentors coach them, managers create clear pathways and leaders prioritize internal hiring when talent aligns with client needs.

Benefits mirror values and protect the whole person, with health coverage that includes employer-paid premiums for employees at 50%, voluntary dental and vision options, a confidential employee assistance program and time-off policies that emphasize rest and family. Leadership insists on clear career pathing, regular manager check-ins and financial support for training so employees see a path to leadership, accept new responsibilities with confidence and choose to build long-term careers at the agency.

Town of Aurora corporate communications builds a people-centered comms engine

Town of Aurora Corporate Communications blends bold leadership, prioritizes mental health and strategic creativity, and empowers staff to innovate, boosting video production by more than 400% to expand community engagement.

A small, eight-person unit has built a communications operation that moves quickly, experiments boldly and delivers measurable impact across diverse channels, shifting the Town of Aurora Corporate Communications’ approach to storytelling, resident engagement and internal alignment. It operates with a flat structure that encourages cross-training and quick decision-making.

The team doubled community reach through a blended strategy of video storytelling and hyperlocal digital campaigns while maintaining consistent brand voice and accessible messaging for residents, and that expansion increased two-way engagement and helped drive higher participation in town initiatives.

Manager Carley Smith centers care and trust in daily practice, prioritizing wellbeing, personalized recognition and hybrid flexibility to keep staff connected and empowered, and Smith sends personalized team emails, schedules frequent check-ins and models vulnerability to normalize conversations about workload and stress.

Smith reallocates assignments, calls for reinforcements and encourages mental health breaks when workloads spike, so the team sustains creativity without sacrificing quality, and Smith fosters psychological safety, allowing newer staff to test ideas publicly without fear of blame.

The team embraces playful, low-cost ideas — from DIY parade installations to a fish-themed phishing awareness stunt — and turns those concepts into campaigns that prompt public conversation and internal buy-in, attracting press attention and sparking resident feedback.

They scale skills outward through regular social media training and a staff-led Social Media Symposium that raises digital competency across departments and strengthens municipal communication practice, and they pair peer coaching with documented toolkits for easy adoption.

Strategic plans link messaging to council-endorsed priorities, audience insights and operational goals, and the team designs multichannel rollouts that balance print, digital and social for maximum clarity and reach, while embedding accessibility and brand standards into every deliverable.

The group embeds KPIs and analytics into every initiative, measures outcomes to inform future work and translates complex municipal topics into clear language that builds trust with residents and supports better service delivery, creating feedback loops that inform council decisions and operational planning.

V2 Communications builds careers with coaching and collaborative culture

V2 Communications stands out for its career-first culture, having promoted 25% of staff so far in 2025 and pairing employees with dedicated coaches to drive growth, collaboration and stronger client results.

A career-first philosophy guides V2 Communications and informs choices about structure, development and daily practice so employees can see, feel and chart their own growth from day one.

The firm builds clear pathways with transparent job ladders, biannual reviews and the Choose Your Major program that lets senior account executives and above explore practice specialties and shape long-term careers. A Lead Manager structure introduced in 2025 pairs each team member with a consistent coach for one-on-one support and complements long-standing mentor and buddy programs to ensure new hires receive guidance from day one.

Biweekly professional development sessions bring together internal leaders and outside experts to cover skills ranging from emotional intelligence to strategic leadership, while peer-nominated awards and twice-yearly in-person all-hands drive recognition and team alignment. Summer outings, regular social gatherings and an active alumni community on LinkedIn keep relationships strong in a hybrid environment and reinforce the camaraderie that powers collaboration.

Employees take that support into client work, experimenting with experiential campaigns and branded podcasts because leadership trusts their ideas and gives them space to test new approaches. The result: more than 85% of business comes from repeat clients and referrals, a clear indicator that internal investment in people translates into sustained client success and long-term partnerships.

Voices from the team underscore the impact, with staff describing how structured growth, consistent coaching and a culture of mutual investment helped them build skills, advance careers and contribute at higher strategic levels. Leaders prioritize internal mobility with clear milestones, transparent feedback and visible promotion pathways so employees understand next steps, feel empowered to pursue new roles and progress on timelines that align with their skills and ambitions.

Vested builds a people-first model that develops communicators and advances finance

Vested fosters a people-first culture with flexible hybrid work, sabbaticals, leadership development and 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave, empowering communicators to learn, grow and shape financial industry narratives.

At Vested, a kitchen-table start-up, a mission to help financial services become more accessible, transparent and sustainable is driven by strategic communications that translate complex ideas into actionable narratives and build client trust.

The founders translated that mission into a people-first operating model that pairs deep industry expertise with robust learning, flexible policies and a values-driven culture that encourages questioning and ethical counsel. Vested runs structured onboarding, weekly VestED sessions led by subject experts, Annual Securities Industry Essentials training, cross-border collaboration and mentorship to equip communicators with sector knowledge, regulatory confidence and practical client counsel skills.

A women-founded, women-led leadership team, including co-founders who are women of color, shapes hiring, promotion and collaboration to expand opportunities and surface diverse perspectives across client engagements. Vested offers a competitive salary and equity, hybrid work with no mandatory office days, 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave regardless of gender, paid sabbaticals, Campus Days and creative hubs to foster connection and a Partner Program to accelerate leadership.

The firm builds entrepreneurial platforms that scale media engagement and professional networks — extending reach beyond client work — and Vested employs more than 100 people across New York and London to deliver consistent, global counsel.

These investments lower barriers to cross-border collaboration, improve employee retention, enhance day-to-day wellbeing and sharpen client outcomes by aligning specialist expertise, timely market insight from the chief economist and applied training.

Those outcomes align with the criteria used to identify leading communications workplaces — measurable professional development, inclusive leadership, tangible employee wellbeing and continuous innovation that together strengthen client impact and sustain long-term growth as the agency enters its second decade.

Vistatec builds a remote culture that centers communicators

Vistatec’s remote-first model and global teams across 39 countries combine year-round wellbeing, development and recognition programs that foster clarity and inclusion; 98% of employees call the workplace inclusive.

At Vistatec, a distributed model makes remote work foundational, and communicators operate with clarity, inclusion and connection as daily practices across headquarters, regional offices and local hubs that span multiple time zones. The HR team, led by Chief Human Resources Officer Siobhán Gantly, pursues a people-first strategy grounded in listening, localization, development, and measurement, and translates employee feedback into focused global programs while measuring outcomes through regular reporting.

Gantly implemented structured surveys, regular listening sessions and regional workshops to surface actionable insights, and local teams adapt programs, so initiatives reflect language, culture and legal requirements in each hub. A Workplace Wellbeing Calendar provides year-round resources — supported by an employee assistance program and a central HR helpdesk that coordinates timely support across time zones and languages for mental health and practical needs.

Recurring initiatives such as VistaYoga, Zen Time and the Give Thanks recognition platform build daily connection, and campaigns from health awareness to community service drive inclusive participation companywide, while recognition programs highlight contributions at scale. Professional development centers on LinkedIn Learning, expert-led talks and tailored workshops and a flagship program, Dialogue Across Cultures, equips staff with practical skills in plain-language writing, inclusive meeting practices and time-zone etiquette, and managers receive coaching to reinforce inclusive practices.

Vistatec embeds those practices into onboarding so new communicators adopt inclusive habits from day one, and teams maintain consistent standards for clarity, collaboration and client-facing content while globally distributed teams replicate successful approaches. The impact shows in low turnover, steady hiring and high engagement, and a striking indicator is that 98% of employees describe Vistatec as inclusive. These practices enable communicators to deliver clear, collaborative and client-focused work while feeling supported, valued and able to sustain long-term performance.

Water & Wall builds a people-first model that sustains long-term client impact

Water & Wall retains talent with an average tenure of 5.2 years, fostering a people-first culture of transparency, generous benefits and diverse leadership that drives engagement and client-focused results.

Founded more than a decade ago to modernize communications for financial brands, the agency evolved this year into a full-service, independent B2B communications and marketing firm while preserving a tight, collaborative model that keeps staff connected and accountable. Water & Wall centers on a people-first culture built on trust, authenticity, and collaboration, and that culture guides hiring, role design, and daily routines across hybrid work settings.

Leadership prioritized retention and professional growth, resulting in an average employee tenure of 5.2 years, which created deeper institutional knowledge, faster client onboarding and more strategic long-term counsel, elevating campaign outcomes. That sustained tenure lets teams own client relationships, iterate quickly on strategy and deliver consistent, measurable results across extended engagements.

The agency paired flexible policies and comprehensive benefits with a revamped onboarding program that gives new hires a clear career path, transparent expectations and regular performance check-ins to keep advancement conversations active. An internship program assigns real client deliverables, embeds interns in mentor relationships and returns fresh perspectives that spark creativity and strengthen account teams.

Diverse leadership and staffing broadened perspectives and improved client counsel and external engagement through board service, guest lectures and long-standing nonprofit partnerships deepened professional development and civic impact.

Operational investments, such as commissions for new business and hires, wellness reimbursements, and generous parental leave, reinforced day-to-day stability and rewarded long-term contributions.

This combination of sustained tenure, structured development and people-centered operations produced measurable client impact and high team engagement while positioning the agency to scale specialized offerings without sacrificing culture or autonomy.

Whalar Group People Team unites acquisitions, culture and growth

Whalar Group’s People Team builds an inclusive, global culture through localized support, executive promotions and tangible benefits, achieving 13% LGBTQ+ management while fostering growth, wellness and accessibility.

The people team led a companywide integration, merged two acquisitions, scaled a distributed workforce, and sustained daily connection in a largely online creator industry by prioritizing intentional communication and practical support. The Whalar Group People Team deployed region-specific directors and local specialists to adapt policies across the U.K., the U.S. and EMEA and to keep culture work relevant to local needs.

They layered recurring touchpoints — ERG meetings, wellness sessions and/or social events — to maintain bonds and to embed company values into day-to-day practice and onboarding materials. They also expanded IT capacity, launched personalized GROW career plans, and scaled Whalar Live! to ensure consistent cross-team knowledge transfer and leadership development during rapid growth.

DEI work included pay and promotion audits, six ERGs with budgets and executive sponsors and/or transparent promotion pathways, supported by training and mentoring to drive equitable outcomes. The group aligned creative sourcing to representation by ensuring at least 50% of recommended creators come from underrepresented groups.

Leadership development advanced through internal mobility and strategic appointments that elevated women and BIPOC leaders into senior roles, strengthening succession and operational resilience across global teams. Benefits and wellbeing programs — half-day Fridays, paid parental leave and/or volunteer days — paired with stipends and mental health resources to reduce friction for caregivers and hybrid employees.

These combined actions kept teams motivated and increased cross-team collaboration, sustaining creative delivery and helping the business meet client benchmarks during a period of rapid acquisition and scale. The people team continues to iterate on culture, learning and/or inclusion, align talent with creative outcomes and prepare the company for further global growth.

Wireside Communications centers a people-first culture to fuel performance

Wireside cultivates work-life balance, generous benefits and growth programs and recorded zero turnover in 2025, fueling innovation and sustained client impact.

At Wireside Communications, a small, focused model gives team members the agility to move quickly, the closeness to collaborate freely, and the support to serve clients with consistent attention and to develop individual careers. Leadership anchors the agency in five core values — flexibility, balance, recognition, growth and trust — and translates those values into daily practice, policies and clear expectations for how people work together and prioritize wellbeing.

Flexibility and balance are part of the company’s practice rather than optional perks, with generous paid time off and dedicated wellness days that make rest part of the rhythm of work and reduce burnout. The firm shuts down between Christmas and New Year’s and extends long weekends around major holidays to protect recovery, strengthen family time and reduce holiday stress. Policies such as No-Meeting Fridays, four-week sabbaticals after five years and paid parental leave support sustained careers, reduce pressure to be always on and enable deeper, higher-quality contributions.

The benefits package mirrors that of much larger firms, with comprehensive health coverage, an HRA and tech stipends, while financial programs deliver long-term security through immediate 401(k) vesting and profit sharing that link compensation to company performance. Engagement mixes local budgets for in-person hubs with virtual touchpoints like wellness challenges, hackathons and weekly Q&A to keep hybrid and remote teammates connected, included and participating across time zones.

Learning and mentorship drive upward mobility through structured onboarding buddies and an Intern Advisor Program, plus hands-on simulations and unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning for practical skill-building and career planning. The results reflect that investment in people — in 2025 the agency recorded zero turnover, a rare outcome that preserves knowledge and continuity for clients and accelerates integration of new team members. That continuity fuels client outcomes, from launching startups out of stealth to securing top-tier media placements, and it shows how people-first practices translate into sustained relationships and measurable business performance.

Wonderthink builds Wonderculture to keep creative teams thriving

Wonderthink builds Wonderculture that prioritizes creativity, wellness and development, offering wellness stipends, flexible work and 100% staff retention during the judging period.

At Wonderthink, leadership redesigned recruitment to prioritize values, culture fit and creative excellence, introducing staged interviews, team meetings and a paid practical task to confirm role and skills alignment and to give candidates a clear sense of the work and collaboration style they would join. The process requires candidates to meet hiring managers, the founder and the wider team, and it centers on shared values such as curiosity and collaboration, rather than rigid experience thresholds, to widen the talent pool and support diverse perspectives. This approach attracted professionals who commit to pushing creative boundaries and who integrate quickly into client work and agency rhythms.

The company pairs competitive pay, a generous incentive program and remote-first flexibility with a Wellness & Wonder Fund that supports creative pursuits and personal wellbeing, and it runs an annual Creativity & Connection Retreat to rejuvenate minds and deepen team bonds. That approach supports retention — 100% of the team stayed throughout the judging period — and it reduces burnout while maintaining steady delivery on complex creative briefs.

The firm centers inclusion through remote work, flexible schedules and a skills-first approach, and Wonderthink intentionally includes Indigenous representation from Ngāti Whakaue and Te Arawa, age diversity and a wide freelance network to broaden perspectives. Onboarding and development follow a clear, repeatable sequence with a welcome pack, documented systems, daily manager sessions, a founder meeting and co-created quarterly development plans, plus access to mentorships, courses and a leadership program to turn potential into measurable capability.

The result is a high-trust, high-performance culture that fuels creative work, attracts applicants and keeps people engaged while delivering sustained client impact and commercial growth for the business. Leaders measure progress with regular check-ins, client satisfaction reviews and internal creative reviews to ensure learning translates into stronger campaigns and clearer commercial outcomes. Team members cite the retreat, the fund and the development pathways as reasons they stay and as drivers of higher-quality work and client loyalty.

Congratulations to Ragan’s 2026 Top Places to Work in Communications!

TOP PLACES TO WORK IN COMMUNICATIONS, CLASS OF 2026

Congratulations to Ragan’s 2026
Top Places to Work in Communications!