WHY WE THINK WE'RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

Nina Hale is one of the largest digital marketing agencies in the Midwest. Because we're employee-owned, our people are serious about getting it right every time. We put our people first, and place great importance on supporting employees, both professionally and personally. Our shared PTO policy allows employees to gift each other PTO days in situations where coworkers simply need more time for personal matters. One of the most significant things that Nina Hale offers is the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), which makes the agency 100% employee-owned. The agency offers a three-year cliff-vesting schedule to ensure that employees don't have to wait years to benefit from this plan. Voices are heard, whether to celebrate a promotion or to register a complaint about fridge space. We celebrate each other's achievements both professionally (during our weekly recognition awards during the all-staff meeting) and personally (during our office-wide events like baby showers and bridal celebrations). To say our company culture is unique is an understatement, and we foster this spirit every chance we get. At least once a month we sponsor an all-company field trip or event to give employees the chance to unwind and get to know each other outside of work.

WHY WE'RE A BEST PLACE TO WORK

Since Squaremouth was founded in 2003, we?ve operated with two core goals: to be the best place for anyone to buy travel insurance, and to be the best place for our employees to work. We understand that being the best place for customers to buy travel insurance is dependent on their experience interacting with our staff. Therefore, we?re constantly striving to produce motivated and engaged employees. Many of the benefits offered by Squaremouth include unlimited paid vacation, birthdays off with a beer bonus, and no dress code.

WHY WE THINK WE'RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

Taking care of our employees has been a priority since day one. There is very little distinction between home and work, since Davenport Group is a virtual company. Most of our team operates from their homes, or anywhere they have a fast internet connection and a strong cell signal. How do you quantify being able to work in yoga pants, or greeting your child when they get off the bus, or just being able to answer email in your favorite armchair? Our engineers are empowered to do whatever it takes to make things right when they are onsite with a customer. This attitude allows our employees to act in the right way without delay or approval, including purchasing items or doing work outside the original project scope. Davenport Group has stated values, but more important, the company and its management live these values every day. We talk about our culture, and we walk the walk. We are family-friendly and offer unlimited PTO, yet what really makes us different is that we treat people like adults and don't burden them with rules and restrictions beyond "take care of the customer."

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WHY WE THINK WE'RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

We focus on our employees, most of whom work remotely. We really try to make it a team atmosphere, even though 80% of our workforce works outside of our corporate office.

WHY WE THINK WE'RE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK

This is a very subjective question. This is a question I ask of my employees each year, and this year I decided to enter this contest as a result of their answers. When I asked this year I got answers such as "This place is like family"; "I've never felt so valued as an employee before"; "The culture here is amazing"; "I feel that my opinions count here"; and "I don't see myself ever working anywhere else." These are what I feel are qualities of a "Best Place to Work," and they describe my company to a tee.