‘Fanatical’ approach powers agency; employees stay an average of seven years
Pace goes beyond perks to seek and retain talent with commitment to philanthropy, racial equality, and more.
The slogan at Pace, a woman-owned, woman-led marketing agency, is “Work with Heart.” It knows employees won’t work with heart if they don’t feel the love, so it goes beyond just offering perks.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t perks, like free gelato and pizza, food trucks, massages, on-site fitness classes and more—but no baristas. Employees don’t need them to help keep them working until midnight. Pace recharges its team with fulfilling, challenging work and plenty of work/life balance, providing time for families, creative side gigs and cloud watching.
A welcoming place for talent
Pace welcomes all talent to the table—and that table is colorful. Its diverse talent pool is deep, with myriad of backgrounds and opinions. Fifty-three percent of its leadership is female, and employees’ average age is 42. Despite people’s differences, they’re united in respect for each other and the work.
Commitment to community
Pace believes that investing in the community will propel a meaningful, innovative and profitable entrepreneurial ecosystem for the future. Pace annually tithes 15% of its profits to philanthropy, and offers staff a paid day off to serve people where they live and work.
It recently used its social channels to protest racial inequality and stand in solidarity with employees. It developed the Pace Impact Project Program to partner with underrepresented business founders. The annual Puppython fundraiser—a project inspired by employees—raises money and awareness for local animal shelters.
Employees find a home with heart
Working with heart and showing the love is why Pace employees stay an average of seven years, longer than the average agency employee. Pace employees join the company for career opportunities and stay for the culture: lunches with the president, company gatherings to share wins and an emphasis on flexibility and collaboration.
Pace believes strongly in employee recognition, too. Each month it presents the Martha Leonard Spirit of Pace Award, named for a late, beloved receptionist. Employees nominate co-workers who embody passion and teamwork.
