The Best Midsize PR Agencies to Work For

1. CARTER RYLEY THOMAS

For the second consecutive year, employees at Richmond-based Carter Ryley Thomas voted their firm the Best Public Relations Agency to Work For in America.

The firm rated the best on several key metrics, including: confidence in the quality of management (4.85); whether employees have the freedom to decide for themselves how work gets done (4.79); whether they like the people they work most closely with (4.97); whether management is successful at keeping the informed (4.92); whether they trusted management to do the right thing (4.79); and whether the firm treats its people ethically (4.90). It was also ranked best among midsize firms on a cluster of questions related to communication, and on questions related to ethics.

It starts with shared values including: What’s best for the group comes first; Work for and trust each other; Seek responsibility, and share recognition and rewards; Respect and value individuals; Keep a balance between family and work; and Give without expecting anything in return. It’s backed up with programs designed to support those values: one innovative effort is an Emergency Sick Day Pool, which allows employees to donate sick days that can be then by used by colleagues who have already used up their own sick and personal days; another is an onsite daycare center, one of only a handful in the industry, along with an onsite fitness center.

Communication may be the biggest key to the firm’s success, however. After every board meeting, the firm’s chairman and CEO hosts a staff meeting to go over the board’s discussions, and CRT hosts town hall meetings every other month, giving employees the opportunity to ask questions about the industry, clients, and the agency’s practices. On the professional development front, the firm offers Jackson’s University (named for a golden retriever belonging to one of the principals), including presentations by outside faculty (the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the former head of PR for AARP) and an annual retreat focused on a big issue such as creativity.

2. DOME COMMUNICATIONS

Dome Communications is only four years old, but it has already developed a reputation as a refuge for Chicago area public relations executives who are tired of big agency life but still want to work on interesting assignments for blue-chip clients, hiring senior staff away from firms like Golin/Harris, Edelman, and Manning Selvage & Lee and building a roster of accounts that includes ConAgra, Jim Beam, Kraft and Sara Lee.

The people at Dome Communications are having fun-all of them, apparently. The agency scored a perfect 5.00-everyone strongly agreeing-when employees were asked whether they agreed “this is a fun place to work.” So it’s not surprising that Dome also notched the highest marks for morale (4.92), with an overwhelming 92 percent agreeing that morale at the firm was high.

It also scored the top marks when people were asked whether they worked well as a team (4.96); whether the agency had done a good job of eliminating office politics (4.54); whether it was successful in attracting high caliber candidates (4.83); and whether work was challenging rather than repetitive (4.71). It was one of four agencies to score a perfect 5.00 when employees were asked whether management would “rather be the best than the biggest” and 100 percent of employees strongly agreed that “we are constantly looking for creative, innovative solutions for clients.”

The firm offers innovative work-life programs, including Get-In-Gear, which enables employees to support one another’s efforts to achieve their personal goals-anything from completing a 575-mile bike ride to starting an office book club-and a Creative Learning Center, which includes workshops on subjects such as urban gardening, Feng Shui, stress management, and self defense. More conventional learning takes place under the auspices of Dome U, which offers half-day seminars on effective public relations planning, project management, and performance reviews.

3. CHANDLER CHICCO AGENCY

When Chandler Chicco Agency was launched in 1995, principals Bob Chandler and Gianfranco Chicco made it clear they wanted to differentiate themselves from the competition in part by a distinct culture, one that lacked the bureaucratic trappings of the large agencies where they had spent most of their working lives.

The firm eliminated job titles, and with them unnecessary hierarchy, and eschewed individual offices, removing any physical barriers to teamwork. It also was one of the first to offer perks such as free in-office massages, yoga, manicures and pedicures, and physical training, and quickly became a leader in work-life balance issues. The firm also offers a robust training program, including CCA Programming Boot Camp, an offsite weekend program that hones programming skills and develops global teamwork, and the Knowledge Café, where employees gather daily to share a catered lunch and talk through account issues. New in 2001 is an employee recognition program: employees who exemplify the firm’s founding principles get a leaf with their name on a tree displayed at CCA’s New York headquarters, 100 trees planted in their name as part of the American Forests’ Global ReLeaf Program, and a cash reward.

One of the keys to CCA’s success is that management listens to what employees have to say: 72 percent of employees agree strongly that management listens, and the remaining 28 percent agree somewhat-the highest proportion of any midsize agency. CCA was ranked first when employees were asked if the quality of work they produced for clients was consistently high (4.94), when they were asked whether management had eliminated unnecessary bureaucracy (4.67), and when they were asked whether the firm provided a culture in which all employees are treated fairly.

4. TEXT 100

If you were looking for a simple explanation for the high ratings recorded by Text 100, you might start by looking at the vacation time offered. Text 100 is headquartered in the U.K., where they do things a little differently, and it may be no one told management that four weeks of paid vacation in the first year (five weeks in the second year) is considered unusually generous on this side of the Atlantic (particularly since employees also get two personal days, two floating holidays, and five sick days. And sabbaticals after six years. And a work-life solutions program administered by Magellan Health.

But there’s more to the firm’s popularity with employees than that. Text 100 ranked number one when employees were asked whether their agency had a clear sense of its mission (4.96); whether management took the long-term view (4.88); whether the firm listened well to what clients had to say (4.96) and resolved problems quickly (4.87); whether it did a good job of keeping clients informed (4.87); whether it was good at retaining high caliber employees (4.83); whether clients treated employees with respect (4.67); whether management was accessible (4.92); whether people are satisfied with their opportunities for career development (4.79)

Each office offers off-site meetings that encourage team building and fun, weekly staff meetings, awards for excellent programming and client service, and 36o-degree reviews. An open office environment reflects the firm’s flat organizational structure, and encourages learning and teamwork. And professional development is handled through a program called PRotocol University, which educates employees not only essential public relations skills but also on the firm’s culture, values, philosophy, history and leadership.

5. GREENOUGH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

While most of its peers in the technology sector dropped out of the top 10, last year’s eighth ranked firm actually saw its ratings improve. That may be because it was one of the few tech firms to expand in 2001-its headcount was up from 30 to 45-although it’s hard to know which is cause and which is effect. In any event, Greenough Communications Group continues to earn high marks from employees for a culture that is demanding (the second highest score among midsize firms when employees were asked whether they agreed “this is very demanding place to work”) but rewarding.

One thing that sets GCG apart is a highly entrepreneurial culture. The firm scored exceptionally well on empowerment metrics, including a perfect 5.00 when employees were asked whether they were encouraged to use their initiative and whether they were encouraged to volunteer new ideas. There’s also strong agreement that the firm is committed to hiring only the best people (4.83, tied for first in that category) and that it encourages them to learn new skills (4.94, best among all midsize firms). And GCG also scored well on client service: one of two firms to earn a perfect 5.00 when employees were asked if client satisfaction was a top priority at the firm.

GCG’s benefits package is particularly generous for a firm barely two years old-it includes childcare and elder care, and partial coverage for vision care-and its professional development offering is similarly robust, starting with an information portal called the Greenough Knowledge Center and extending to lectures by industry luminaries (conducted and stored as webcasts) and programs conducted in partnership with The Learning Center, one focused on creating a climate of trust within the agency and another addressing ways in which the firm’s employees could become more supportive and accountable, both to each other and to clients.

6. PATRICE TANAKA & CO.

Patrice Tanaka & Company has been talking about work-life balance since long before the subject was in vogue, so it’s not surprising the firm ranks number one among all midsize agencies on that subject, with 64 percent strongly agreeing that they feel they can balance work and family demands effectively, and another 28 percent saying they agree somewhat. The firm ranked first in terms of giving employees they personal recognition the deserved (4.67); and second when employees were asked about their confidence in the quality of management (4.80) and when they were asked whether management has strong values, and lives them (4.88). It was also one of four agencies to score a perfect 5.00 when employees were asked whether management would “rather be the best than the biggest.”

“At PT&Co., we believe that an organization, like a person, has a soul that’s unique,” says agency founder Patrice Tanaka. “Nurturing our corporate soul is the reason we work so hard to accommodate the individuality of our employee-owners.” That means benefits that are on the leading edge, including child and elder care covered by a flexible spending plan; a wide range of community involvement initiatives, such as the firm’s annual Valentine’s Day program Acts of Love & Kindness, which has expanded into a PR industry effort; up to six weeks paid leave for new fathers and for parent adopting a child; a wellness program including a meditation room and Reiki treatments; once-a-week visits from a licensed psychotherapist; free breakfast every Monday; and free ice-cream for employees whenever the mercury hits 95 degrees.

How important are these programs to employees? When some of them had to be put on hold in 2001 as a result of belt-tightening measures, employees reinstated many of the programs by paying for them out of their own pockets.

7. CARMICHAEL LYNCH SPONG

Employees at Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch Spong rate their firm number one in several areas. The first is professional development: five years ago CLS developed a unique program it calls HeadRush, which offers tailored training programs for individual employees, giving staffers the opportunity to put together their own work plans at the start of the year. The second is the overall level of reward: the firm offers generous health benefits, including child care assistance and up to $2,000 in adoption assistance, and a host of cool perks, such as Going to Extremes, a rewards program that gives co-workers an opportunity to thank each other for going the extra mile; events such as a summer picnic and a St. Patrick’s Day O’Gong show; even free dry-cleaning pick-up and delivery.

The firm also rated number one for employee communication, and for its physical work environment, space it shares with its ad agency parent. (The Carmichael Lynch website offers a guided tour of the company’s space.)

An internal survey recently found that employees at CLS describe the firm as creative, friendly and informal, characteristics that have paid off in terms of industry recognition-the firm wins more awards than any other agency its size; a roster of nationally-recognized clients; and consistent, steady growth.

8. SCHENKEIN

At Schenkein, the mission is “to create a values-driven workplace dedicated to the growth of our people.” But that mission isn’t the responsibility of management alone-the firm has a unique approach to coaching that involves everyone in creating the culture and ensuring that employees develop their careers in a way that’s right for them. Every member of staff, from the receptionist on up, has a “coach,” a senior staff members responsible for that employee’s personal growth and development. Employees and their coaches meet weekly or bi-weekly, and there are six-month reviews to ensure that things remain on course.

The firm also offers generous benefits, including vision care, chair massages, and child and elder care assistance, as well as a work-life balance program that includes flextime and telecommuting, and after five years sabbaticals (unusual for a midsize agency) of up to four weeks. The firm also practices open-book management, sharing an uncommon amount of financial information with staff.

Over the past few years, Schenkein has built a strong culture: employees there are more likely to agree that “if you don’t fit the culture you won’t last long” than at any other midsize firm. It’s also a demanding environment, recording the highest score (4.75) when employees were asked whether they agreed “this is a very demanding place to work.”

9. ACCESS COMMUNICATIONS

The fact that Access Communications, a newcomer to our survey, made it into the top 10 among midsize firms is pretty remarkable, considering that only three firms in the top 40 suffered a greater decline in headcount in 2001, but Access made a commitment early in the year to continue the kind of programs it had put in place when it was competing for talent in the highly competitive dot-com gold rush, when the San Francisco-based firm emerged as a leader in the consumer technology arena.

The firm offers flextime and telecommuting, a generous employee assistance program and a “Whoopee Committee,” which facilitates fun events monthly and has helped to keep morale high. The training program includes an ongoing initiative, Access Academy, and a two-day Camp Access for account directors and above. An employee suggestion box is available at all times, and the firm also offers a special session called EMT Unplugged, at which employees can meet with a member of the executive team and ask questions about whatever is on their mind. Annual employee satisfaction surveys are conducted and form the basis for town hall meetings that follow.

One major key to the firm’s success is the quality of its communications with employees. Access was ranked second among midsize agencies on a bundle of questions relating to communications. People at Access were more likely than those at any other midsize firm to agree that they understood their firm’s financial goals, and the firm ranked second when employees were asked whether management made every effort to communicate with employees, and whether they were encouraged to volunteer new ideas. It also scored well on client service: one of a half-dozen firms to score a perfect 5.00 when employees were asked if client satisfaction was a top priority at the firm.

11. DIX & EATON

Dix & Eaton presents new staff members with an “employee compact” that makes clear the employees’ obligations to the firm (act with integrity, be willing to work had and do what it takes to get the job done, show initiative) and the firm’s obligations to employees (provide interesting and challenging work; an environment that encourages collaboration; a culture that is kind, respectful and fair).

The firm appears to be living up to its end of the bargain: Dix & Eaton was in the top 10 among firms of all sizes on a series of questions related to clients-from whether provide stimulating, challenging assignments to whether they treat account team members with respect-and also scored well on questions relating to financial and psychic rewards: D&E employees were more likely than employees at any other midsize firm to say they found their jobs rewarding in financial terms and to say their compensation was competitive with compensation at other agencies, and they rated the firm second among midsize agencies when it came to compensating people fairly for their contribution to the firm.

Professional development is also a priority. D&E’s “Masters” series consists of hour-long discussions covering a wide range of PR business issues, supplemented by “Huddles,” quick presentations followed by Q&A sessions, that take place twice a month. In 2001, the firm added a CEO Forum Series, inviting client and other CEOs to discuss their own perspectives on the importance of communication.

12. HEADLINE GROUP Two years ago, management at The Headline Group realized that turnover at the firm was about the industry average-and decided that employees deserved better than just average. It asked employees what they wanted and based on the answers constructed a professional development program THG University that allows employees to earn GROW (Great Opportunity, Rewards and Wisdom” points that earn them special privileges or gifts. The firm also offers generous benefits (child care and elder care including), an impressive community service program, and work-life benefits include an in-house café, flextime, telecommuting, and occasional unexpected outings.

Maybe The Headline Group is just lucky: its employees are more likely than their counterparts at any other midsize agency to agree that clients are likely to treat them as partners, not just order takers, and the firm ranks second when employees are asked whether clients treat them with respect. Or maybe building a culture on values such as “professional, moral and artistic integrity,” “a work environment that fosters energy and creativity,” and “investment in the continuous professional growth of our staff” means being selective about the kind of companies you work for.

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