by MICHAEL C. BUSH

Every employee should take these behaviors to heart whether or not they are people leaders.  

I often get asked what it takes to create a great workplace. The short answer: trust.

High-trust cultures help employees thrive, which fuels company performance in all areas — from referrals and retention to productivity and revenue. 

It’s impossible to create a great workplace for all employees without trust. That’s what our 30 years of research about company culture has told us. And that’s why our survey that measures employee experience is called the Trust Index™.

Trust is woven into our daily interactions at work, just as it is outside of work among family and friends. It’s built on many moments — moments that our research has broken down into nine behaviors that can build or break trust. It’s a list I keep on my desk and check every day check-in on how I’m doing as a leader.

Every leader should work on and improve these behaviors; if you’re not a people leader, you might be thinking, “What does this have to do with me?”

Leaders affect 70% of the employee experience, but the other 30% comes from our teammates, how we work with others, and the actual work that we’re doing. It takes everyone in an organization to create a great workplace for all.  

Here’s where to begin: 

1. Listening

This is the most important behavior of all and what I focus on the most. If you’re not a great listener, you can’t model the other behaviors well.  

Listening is not just making sure you’ve accurately heard the words coming out of someone’s mouth. It’s also not just waiting for someone to stop talking so you can speak. It is choosing to empty your mind and set aside your opinions while someone else is talking.

True listening requires humility, vulnerability, and empathy.  

You may have a lot of opinions, but to be a for-all, inclusive leader, you must put those opinions aside. If you’re having a conversation and you’re not willing to consider other points of view, what’s the point of having the conversation at all? Letting go of your assumptions can be described as a meditative mindset, and that’s what makes a great listener.

How do you know you’re doing it right? You’ll find yourself asking questions because you’re learning something from the person you’re talking to. People will tell you that you’re a great listener because it’s rare to have a conversation with someone who’s deeply listening.  

Listening might sound reactive, but it should be proactive. Make yourself available and seek out chances to listen.

Think about who you haven’t heard from lately — and then go ask them questions with a learning mindset. Schedule informal meetings like brown-bag lunches and Q&A sessions. Use surveys and focus groups to regularly elicit employee opinions — and follow up with feedback and action.  

“Listening is not just making sure you’ve accurately heard the words coming out of someone’s mouth. It’s also not just waiting for someone to stop talking so you can speak. It is choosing to empty your mind and set aside your opinions while someone else is talking.”

2. Speaking

This is what we do all day. But there are many layers to what might seem like a straight-forward behavior. 

Speaking is about clarity, frequency, transparency, and sharing information fully in a variety of ways. That includes regularly sharing company news with employees through all your channels — video, intranet, email, print, etc. Be sure to share that news (both the facts and feelings around it) internally before you do externally.

It’s not just about what you share, but who you share it with. Be mindful of those who haven’t heard a message and need to know what information is being shared.  

Speaking is more than what you say and who you say it to, it is how you share information. Communicate thoughtfully and with care, and in easy-to-understand styles. Set up regular meetings to discuss what’s happening and personally share news to encourage a culture of transparency as much as possible.

Lastly, speaking is an opportunity to communicate how a person’s job — and how doing their job well — is essential for your organization to achieve its purpose. 

Consider your receptionist, for example — a role that is often overlooked. Whenever you speak with them, reiterate, emphasize, and clarify how important their job is. When someone walks in a building or contacts a receptionist on the phone, that’s a connection to the brand. In a few seconds, a caller or visitor either feels cared for, important, and listened to, or they don’t.

Speaking is the ability to talk to every warehouse worker, every receptionist, every salesperson, every executive, every teammate in a way that they feel that doing their job is important for the organization to achieve its purpose. And if you’re not sure what someone does, this is your opportunity to build trust by getting to know them.

“Speaking is more than what you say and who you say it to, it is how you share information.”

3. Thanking

If you’re listening to people in the way that I described earlier, you’ll learn things about them. That helps you thank your colleagues in ways that are personally meaningful. Acts of gratitude let people know you’re listening in a way that shows they’re important and essential.

Create a culture of appreciation by recognizing good work and extra effort frequently.

Opportunities to do this are endless: Encourage peer recognition, present employee awards, write personal notes, appreciate mistakes as learning opportunities, and recognize employees who demonstrate company values in person and in front of others.

Creating a culture of thanking will positively affect people’s sense of value and willingness to do their best work because they feel seen.

4. Developing

Listening and speaking helps you learn how someone can further develop personally and professionally.

It’s your job to help employees grow as people, not just performers. Nurture their talents and interests through courses (job- and non-job-related), tuition reimbursement, and personalized development plans and training, for example. Connect employees with mentors and inform them of internal job postings.

Try and give feedback in a way that’s measurable, so they know they’re improving, and with a sense of care, so they’re open to what you have to say. 

When people know you care — even if they don’t always like hearing where they need to improve — they’ll take it as a gift. Everybody wants to get better. Yes, they know it leads to more money, more compensation, and more responsibility in the company. But, at a base level, they want to know they’re making a difference.  

“It’s your job to help employees grow as people, not just performers.”

5. Caring

This is the secret weapon. Great work happens when people care. And people care about their work when they experience being cared for. That shows up when you take time to understand and listen to people’s experiences, inside and outside of work.  

Support their personal lives by discussing options for flextime and personal leave policies. Help them cope with family and personal crises as they arise, and organize support through sick leave or monetary donations. Encourage work-life balance and remind them to take time off to recharge.  

Do you know what makes an employee check an algorithm two or three times, or proofread an email six or seven times? It’s because they care about the purpose of the organization, they care for others, and they feel cared for.

Caring is what unlocks people, and it is key to maximizing a human’s potential.  

“Great work happens when people care. And people care about their work when they experience being cared for.”

6. Sharing

Distributing profits, compensation, bonuses, and incentive plans fairly creates an equitable workplace. If you’re building trust for all, every employee needs to share in the company’s success and understanding how their performance relates to compensation.

Equitable and inclusive sharing also shows up in philanthropic activities. If you’re organizing community activities like a cleanup at a local school, or picking up plastic off a beach or park, make sure that everybody has the opportunity to participate.

If you’re doing those things between eight to five, what about the night shift worker? Make sure you’re truly inclusive in terms of sharing opportunities for people, as well as the resources of the organization.  

Equity does not equal sameness. A picnic for the day shift doesn’t also have to be a picnic for the night shift. What is the purpose of the picnic? To bring people together, to show them their value, and create opportunities for them to interact in informal ways with their leaders.

So how can you create this same experience for this night shift without recreating the same event?

7. Celebrating

The most important things to celebrate are the values of the organization and how people help the organization achieve its purpose.  

It’s important to be specific:

“We want to thank John for the work he did in helping a customer through a sticky problem. We wanted John to do that in seven minutes, but John took 20 minutes because the customer needed it at that time. At our company, we’re willing to do whatever is required to make the customer’s problem our problem, and we’re willing to do what’s required to solve it. I also know that John was late for getting to a soccer practice for his kid. I hope John doesn’t have to do that again, but I want to appreciate the fact that he did that for us.”

If you find yourself celebrating, recognizing, and rewarding the same person, communicate to everyone what it takes to be celebrated and recognized so they don’t feel there’s bias or favoritism. They’ll know if they work hard in some measurable way, they too will get celebrated, recognized, and rewarded one day.

“The most important things to celebrate are the values of the organization and how people help the organization achieve its purpose.”  

8. Inspiring

You don’t have to be a great public speaker to inspire people. You can inspire people with the questions you ask and the way you listen.

You can inspire them by reaffirming the difference your organization makes in the world and why the work is important. Help your workforce understand how their work relates to the company’s higher purpose and business success.

You can do this by telling customer or client stories, sharing the vision of where the company is headed, pointing out behaviors that exemplify company values, reinforcing company values, stressing your company’s contribution to your industry or society, and showing links between employee efforts and achieving your goals.

“You don’t have to be a great public speaker to inspire people. You can inspire people with the questions you ask and the way you listen.”

9. Hiring and welcoming

When someone joins your organization, you should make sure that they know you were expecting them — and that you couldn’t wait for them to get here.

You need to make sure that they have a workplace, can access the systems they need to connect with their work and their colleagues, and have the equipment to be successful. Their laptop is ready, their uniform is ready, their steel-toed boots are ready, their safety goggles are ready.

This goes beyond hiring; it’s what we call welcoming. You can email or send new hires a note in the mail before they start, announce them to other employees in advance, take them to lunch their first week, and help them get integrated into your culture.

When a person joins an organization that has shown that they’ve been thinking about them for a few weeks before they started, they will go home and say, “It was a great experience today. They expected me, my name badge was ready. Everybody was kind, and they seemed to know who I was and what I was going to do.” These actions build trust on their first day.

If someone gets to work and those things aren’t true, trust dips a bit. Self-confidence drops. They wonder if you really want them there, or if they’re an afterthought.

And the worst case — they feel like they’re just an employee and not a person who’s important, because if they were important, they would’ve had a much different experience when they arrived. 

Whether or not you manage people at work, I encourage you to put this wheel of nine high-trust behaviors in a place where you will see it every day.

Trust takes work and conscious effort. And it’s required to create a great place to work for all.

Become great

Ready to learn more about your employee experience? Benchmark your organization using Certification™ and see how you stack against the very best.

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Michael C. Bush

Michael Bush is CEO of Great Place to Work®. Driven by a love of business and an unwavering commitment to fair and equitable treatment, Michael joined Great Place to Work as CEO in 2015, bringing 30 years of experience leading and growing organizations. Previously, he was CEO of Tetra Tech Communications, a billion-dollar global telecommunications infrastructure firm and was a member of President Obama’s White House Business Council. He earned his M.S. in Management from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.

by Great Place To Work® UK

Why employee stories should be part of your employer branding strategy plus real company examples for sharing them with maximum impact.

What was your company’s latest social media post? Was it about your product? Or was it about your people?

How often do you feature employee stories on your social media? (If you do it at all.)

As any marketer knows, social media is one of the most important tools in their kit, providing instant reach to an audience in real time. And yet, while millions of businesses have social media accounts, two critical factors are too often overlooked:

1. Social media is social, meaning it’s meant to be a two-way conversation, not a broadcast
2. Marketing your people and values is just as important as marketing your goods and services

Why you should feature employee stories on social media

Sharing employee stories on social media shows potential job candidates what they can expect from your company culture. It’s also cost-effective and possible with a dispersed team.

More consumers want their money going to companies they feel align with their values. In fact, a 2021 study by Toluna/Harris Interactive and KuRunData found that:

• 79% of consumers prefer buying from brands with aligned values
• 68% have stopped supporting brands that don’t align with their personal values

That alignment also applies to employees, who are increasingly seeking out workplaces that fit their values. Which is why featuring employee stories on your social media is so important. Sharing employee stories on social media is a way to showcase your company culture and values and attract customers and potential hires alike.

But how do you share employee stories in a way that’s authentic and engaging?

Here are five ways to feature employee stories on social media that will work for remote and in-person workplaces, starring examples from Certified™ great workplaces around the globe.

How to share employee stories on social media

1. Employee social media take-overs

Hand your account(s) over to your employees and let them speak for themselves. That could be something like a “day in the life” on TikTok, an interactive Twitter chat, or an Instagram ‘Ask Me Anything.’

Of course, blindly giving the reins of your brand accounts may not fly with your PR and communications team. But if the employee and the marketing team collaborate on the message, you can come up with some creative and authentic employee stories. Best Workplace Version 1, for example, have shared “day in the life” videos of employees like Amardeep, which give a glimpse into what working there is like.

 

2. Participate in theme days for maximum reach

Global theme days (or even themed weeks or months) are a social media gold mine. Not only do they supply you with a focused content topic, but they enable you to take part in a worldwide conversation and reach more people.

Days like Employee Appreciation Day, Certification Nation Day or World Mental Health Day are perfect times to show off how your workplace is making the world better – especially when you can connect those themes directly to your employees’ stories.

For example, check out how Edrington UK honoured the women on its team for International Women’s Day, through a fun video highlighting why each woman had been nominated for recognition.

 

3. Think beyond the workplace

Great workplaces recognise that their employees have lives beyond the office. While it’s great (and encouraged!) to praise employees for their hard work, why not extend that and shout out some of the amazing things they’re doing outside of work?

Maybe you have an employee who volunteers with a charity, or who has a fascinating hobby, or a talent beyond their 9-to-5. Show off the personality of your people and in doing so, you’ll convey how your business puts its people first. Aer Studios, for example, welcomed a new employee to the team with a fun ‘two truths and a lie’ post.

 

4. Share your stats for transparency

If done right, numbers can be very eye-catching on social media. If done wrong, they’re just another boring statistic.

When it comes to social media, think visual: graphs or infographics that are easy to read at a quick glance. And be selective with which numbers you want to present.

Tap into the stats that truly set your company apart, whether that’s:

• how many women you have in leadership positions
• how your salaries compare to the competition
• how your employees answered your latest pulse survey.

For example, Health & Care Management Ltd used a graphic of one of their employee survey stats to show off how and why they achieved Great Place To Work Certification.

 

5. Jump on trends for playful posts

If you’re stuck for ideas, why not try taking a look at what’s trending? From TikTok audios to Instagram buzzwords, there’s plenty of ways to adapt current trends for your organisations’ socials – like Signable, part of Domo Group, who shared their ‘office icks’ in a fun video for Instagram

Brilliant ideas for promoting your company culture award inspired by how Certified™ great workplaces celebrate their workplace recognition.

Did you recently become Great Place To Work® Certified™ or named a Best Workplaces™winner?  It’s time to tell the world that you’ve created a company culture worth celebrating!

Seeking positive ways to identify and promote company culture is one of the most powerful tools you have. Too few companies take the time to align smart, inclusive company culture ideas to their business growth strategies, but you’ve done it. Now’s the time to share and recognize this amazing achievement. Go ahead, tell the world you’ve earned Great Place To Work Certification™.

Company culture award and its significance

A company culture award honors your organizational drive to build and sustain an exceptional work environment for employees. It demonstrates your company’s ability to create the values, beliefs, and practices necessary to support staff well-being, growth, and satisfaction. You’ve shown a true commitment to advancing a workplace where employees can flourish both personally and professionally.

Importance of promoting company culture and its impact

Your company culture award isn’t just for show – it has the ability to positively impact your organization. Actively promoting this hard-earned distinction will notably enhance employee engagement, whether it’s by sharing highlight reels on social media or hosting celebratory virtual events for remote workers. When employees see external validation of their workplace, they feel a sense of pride and belonging.

They become more motivated and loyal. A strong company culture also plays a crucial role in boosting productivity. By highlighting your award in newsletters and press releases, you showcase exactly how your organization values and invests in employee well-being. This fosters trust and encourages collaboration, empowering your workforce to bring their best selves every day. The result? Increased efficiency, cohesive teamwork, and improved performance.

Fostering belonging and teamwork among employees

A strong sense of belonging and teamwork not only improves employee satisfaction and morale but also heightens productivity and collaboration. When employees feel they are truly part of a supportive team, they are more likely to thrive. They’ll go the extra mile, share knowledge, and support each other’s success.

Choosing a platform to celebrate

When it comes to celebrating your company culture award, there are many options to communicate your win. A formal press release to mainstream news outlets and specialized trade publications shines attention on your workplace. A website blog is an excellent way to highlight many of the essential employees who make your organization an ideal place to work. Online celebrations are a jovial way to mark this award. (Pro tip: We recommend doing them all!)

Press releases

Companies use press releases as a strategic communication tool to disseminate important announcements. They effectively spread your expertly crafted message to a wide audience that includes the media, stakeholders, customers, and the general
public. Here are key reasons why press releases play a critical role in sharing your award news:

● Media visibility: Press releases are designed to catch the attention of journalists and media outlets.

● Controlled messaging: These releases also allow your company to shape and control the narrative surrounding your news.

● Timely communication: Press releases enable your organization to deliver time-sensitive information efficiently.

● Stakeholder engagement: Beyond the media, press releases are a great way to communicate with stakeholders, including your investors, employees, partners, and customers.

● SEO and online visibility: Press releases distributed through online platforms can improve your company’s search engine optimization (SEO) visibility.

● Brand building: When you consistently share positive news and updates through press releases, you also build and reinforce your organization’s brand image.

Promote it in a newsletter

A newsletter is another valuable communication tool for sharing company news such as culture awards. Its ability to deliver targeted and frequent updates directly engages with a receptive audience. Here’s why you should share your major win in a newsletter:

● Targeted distribution: Newsletters allow your company to reach a specific audience that already has opted in to receive such emails.

● Engagement and attention: Subscribers to your newsletter are more likely to be interested and perhaps involved in your company’s activities.

● Consistent communication: Newsletters provide a platform for regular and dependable communication. This is especially critical when you have an ongoing updates about company culture, awards, achievements, and other developments.

● Brand building: A well-tailored newsletter reinforces your company’s brand identity and values.

● Detailed information: Newsletters offer a chance for in-depth coverage of company news compared to shorter announcements and promotions.

● Visual appeal: You can incorporate dynamic graphics, images, and even videos to dramatically present your culture award in a newsletter.

● Two-way communication: Newsletters should include calls-to-action, such as feedback surveys or links to social media. This is an easy and efficient way to get the recipients involved. Have them share their thoughts and connect with your company’s content to build a sense of community.

● Data insights: Many newsletter platforms provide analytics that track email open rates, click-through rates, and other engagement metrics. This data helps your company understand which content resonates most with your audience, so you can adjust future newsletters accordingly.

● Internal alignment: For larger organizations, a newsletter spotlighting company achievements can bring together various teams and departments. It effectively imparts information that aligns with the company’s culture and accomplishments.

Promote your company culture award on a blog

A website blog plays a crucial role in shaping your company culture and highlighting this award with a wider audience. You completely control its content and tone while sharing important news about your organization. Here’s why a company-sponsored blog is vital to molding your employer brand:

● Detailed coverage: A blog post allows for in-depth coverage of your company culture award.

● SEO benefits: Publishing a thoughtful blog post on your organization’s website can improve search engine optimization.

● Permanent record: A blog post serves as a permanent record of your company’s achievements.

● Shareability: Blog posts are easily shareable across social media platforms, email newsletters, and other communication channels.

● Engagement and interaction: Blog readers love to post comments. Having them share their thoughts, congratulations, and questions can cultivate community.

● Storytelling: A blog post provides an opportunity to tell the captivating story behind your culture award.

● Media and press reference: A thorough and informative blog post can serve as a source of inspiration for journalists and bloggers interested in covering the award.

● Educational content: Beyond just announcing the award, a blog post can educate its audience about how your company’s culture, values, and initiatives contributed to the win.

● Internal communication: Sharing the blog post internally keeps all employees informed about the award and your company’s recognition.

Virtual celebration ideas

Reinforce a positive work environment by hosting virtual events for remote workers to celebrate their company culture award. Assembling your team for a happy occasion can boost morale and camaraderie, which leads to stronger social support and connection among remote employees. Put these five ideas in action to make your online celebrations memorable:

● Virtual awards ceremony: Host a virtual event dedicated to the company culture award. Gather all team members on a video conference and have senior leaders or managers present the award. Share the significance of your award, the criteria for winning, and highlight the values it represents.

● Personalized video messages: Ask your team to record short video messages commemorating the award or expressing what company culture means to them. Compile these videos into a heartwarming montage that can be played during a virtual meeting or shared on the company’s communication platform.

● Interactive virtual workshop: Coordinate a virtual workshop or training session related to the core values of your company culture. It can focus on teamwork, communication, or any other relevant topic. This not only celebrates the award, but also reinforces the culture you’re celebrating.

● Virtual culture wall: Create a virtual culture wall where team members can post messages, images, and videos that celebrate your award and company culture. This can be set up on your company’s intranet or collaboration platform, providing a digital space for sharing appreciation and memories.

● Virtual team-building activity: Plan a team-building activity that aligns with the company culture and award. Think virtual escape room, collaborative art project, or online scavenger hunt. This allows team members to be active participants while strengthening their workplace bonds.

Record these moments and reveal them on social media!

Social media channels

Social media is essential to sharing important news about your company culture award. It rapidly and widely disseminates information, engages with various audiences, and amplifies the positive impact of your award. Here’s why you should use social media:

● Instant reach: Share your good news immediately and globally. With just a few clicks, information about your culture award can reach a vast audience that includes employees, stakeholders, customers, partners, and the general public.

● Engagement: Directly interact with your audience through social media platforms. People can like, comment, share, and engage with your post, which builds community and allows your company to quickly respond to congratulatory messages and inquiries.

● Viral potential: If your culture award news resonates with an audience, it has the potential to go viral. When you share news on social media, it can reach an even broader audience than intended. This creates buzz and raises visibility.

● Visual impact: Social media strongly supports visual content, such as images and videos. Share images of your award ceremony, employees celebrating, or interview snippets for greater impact.

● Storytelling: Social media invites creative storytelling. Use short captions, hashtags, and multimedia elements to reveal the story behind the award. Highlight the individuals who contributed to it.

● Brand reputation: Reinforce a positive employer brand reputation through upbeat news about your culture award. Maximize social media to show the ways your company values its employees, recognizes their efforts, and is committed to creating a positive work environment.

● Employee morale: Celebrate your culture award on social media to boost goodwill among employees. Your team will feel appreciated and proud to be part of an organization that receives worldwide company recognition for its culture and values.

● Transparency: Showcase your company’s achievements in a public space to build trust and community with customers and stakeholders. Sharing your culture award on social media demonstrates authenticity.

● Real-time updates: Social media gives you the ability to update in real time and go live with award festivities. Keep your audience engaged and involved in your company’s activities as they unfold.

● Cross-promotion: Social media also makes it easy to cross-promote related content, such as blog posts, press releases, and videos about the culture award. This creates a comprehensive and interconnected communication strategy.

21 social media celebration examples

Over the years, we’ve seen Certified workplaces share the news with their teams (and the world) in creative, memorable ways. Here are some of our favorites to inspire your own celebration and recruiting efforts.

1. Start from the top 

Show employees (and prospective hires) that workplace culture is one of your company’s highest priorities. Film a congratulatory message from your CEO or collect quotes from various levels of management.

Remember to share these both internally and externally, You want your team to get a morale boost and potential job candidates to see that you’ve put in the work to create a great workplace.

2. Surprise and delight

If your employees work on-site, celebrate them as they enter on the day of the announcement. Decorate the office, hang signs celebrating the win, and ask your top leaders to greet and thank employees at the door. You could even roll out a red carpet and create a step-and-repeat with a photographer for the occasion.

3. Get social with #GPTW and #GPTWCertified

Tell the world about your big win and what makes your company amazing. We can even send you a celebration kit with balloons, stickers, and more to celebrate your company culture.

4. Let your employees do the talking

Don’t limit your celebration-sharing to executives – get the whole team involved! Here’s a great example from AvidXchange, who celebrated by creating a fun group GIF of employees posing. Help job seekers see that employees are proud to be a part of your organization and excited to celebrate your achievements together.

5. Go old-school social

When you’re thinking social, don’t stop at social media. Host a happy hour, throw a party, or provide free lunch for employees. 

A few years ago, CHG Healthcare marked 10 years of recognition by bringing their people together for a thank-you from their CEO, along with games and prizes, including “spin the wheel of good fortune,” rolling giant dice and Plinko.

6. Tap into technology

If you have employees working hybrid or fully remote, don’t forget to include them in the celebrations. Use the technology you’re already using to host a happy hour, cocktail-making class, or live concert over Zoom, like ALKU did during the height of COVID-19 lockdowns.

7. Provide giveaways

Everyone loves swag! Develop custom swag items so employees can boast about their workplace. Mugs, pins, stickers and notebooks are popular. You can also get creative – Cadence handed out foam fingers!

8. Create culture cookies

Commemorate earning your recognition as a great place to work with branded cookies. One company we work with sent out 14,000 cookies to ensure partners and customers knew they had earned such an accolade.

9. Give the gift of time 

A great way to say thank you is to offer employees some extra time to pause, relax, and take in what they’ve accomplished. So, give your employees an extra day of PTO — they’ve earned it. Some companies close early on the day of the announcement and encourage employees to celebrate with family and colleagues.

10. Offer a financial reward

If your budget allows it, honor your employees’ hard work with a pay raise or financial bonus. In our own research of workplaces across the country, Gen Z ranked better minimum wage and increased hourly pay as their number one factor in ranking an employer as a great place to work.

11. Reward the whole self (and their household)

A great workplace encourages employees to bring their whole selves to work. And with so many employees continuing to work from home, the crossover between home life and work life has never been so intertwined. Invite employees’ families to be part of the celebrations or send them a card or small gift in the mail.

12. Celebrate in your job ads

Add GPTW branding and messaging to your job postings on social media and on your careers page to up your recruiting game.

13. Launch an outdoor ad campaign

Earning Certification or a Best Workplace designation is a brag-worthy achievement. Ensure your office neighbors know they’re in the presence of greatness with a billboard announcement or other signage near your major locations.

14. Email your customers

If you have a customer database that you send marketing emails to, send them the ultimate piece of employer branding: your company culture award.

Your workplace award is a big win for your employer branding. And these days, customers weigh a company’s values and its treatment of its people in their buying decisions. Show your customers that you treat your employees as well as you treat them.

15. Update your company profiles

It may seem like a little thing, but it will make a big impact when job seekers come looking for you. Ensure that your company boilerplate and all your company profiles (Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram) mention that you are Certified or a Best Workplace. And while you’re at it, update business cards and email signatures, too.

16. Start spreading the news

A press release, like this one from DuPont, is a reliable way to get the word out about your achievement. Highlighting your Certification in a release helps media outlets find out about it and demonstrates that you value your culture just as highly as you value other aspects of the business.

17. Show your stats

Everybody enjoys showing off a great score. Your employee surveys generate a ton of quantitative data, and if you’ve earned Certification, you know those numbers are impressive. So show them off!

18. Share stories throughout the year

Invite a different employee to open all hands-meetings with a short speech about why the company is a great place to work for them personally. Hearing directly from employees will reiterate the message that your goal is to create and maintain a great workplace for all.

19. Send your culture leaders to Summit 

Managers can make or break a company culture. Got amazing culture leaders in your organization? Thank them and keep them engaged by sending them to our For All™ Summit. 

They’ll learn from other passionate business leaders and bring back fresh ideas to take your workplace to the next level.  

20. Know your why

Great workplaces don’t happen by accident. Behind the Certification and any other accolades you’ve earned, there’s a story. What is it about your workplace that makes employees excited to come to work, proud to stay? Sharing employee stories on social media can be a compelling, credible way to attract talented job candidates who are considering where to make their next career move.

Teleperformance, a Certified workplace in the United Kingdom, showcased one employee’s story as an example of why people choose to join and stay.

21. Rally for next year

While everyone is celebrating this year’s win, let employees know that there is always room for improvement. Continue the success by following up with an action plan soon. Greatness never rests.

There are so many ways to celebrate the unique and amazing culture you’ve created, and these ideas are just the tip of the iceberg. We can’t wait to see the creative ways you celebrate your company culture award!

Claire Hastwell

As the Content Program Manager at Great Place To Work, Claire helps decode the psychology behind high-trust workplaces using Great Place To Work’s extensive data repository on employee experience. Claire has co-authored noted reports such as “Women in the Workplace” and “The Power of Purpose at Work,” and contributed to Fortune with her profiles of the Best Workplaces™. Her latest white paper draws on three decades of employee survey data to give HR leaders strategic guidance on nurturing trust, inclusivity, and growth within their organizations.

Employees at winning companies were more likely to report fair pay, well-being, and opportunities for professional development.

As Europe continues to feel the pain of high energy prices and weak growth, the numbers tell a strange story.

Economic output of the 20 countries that use the euro currency dropped in two consecutive quarters, meeting the technical definition of a recession. Yet, labor markets are not falling apart. Unemployment is at its lowest level since 1999.

That means businesses are forced to balance a challenging economy with a hot labor market, and fight to retain their best employees. That’s exactly what the best companies in Europe have done, and investments in employee well-being have led to better retention rates and higher rates of productivity.

At the Best Workplaces in Europe™, 88% of employees report they intend to stay with their company long-term. In a global benchmark survey, only 58% for employees at a typical company planned to stay.

Great Place To Work® analyzed over 1 million survey responses representing the work experiences of over 2.6 million employees to identify the 150 companies on this year’s list. Companies were split into four categories: small (10–49 employees), medium (50–499 employees), large (500+ employees), and multinational (at least 1,000 employees and at least three wins on national lists in Europe).

Winning workplaces received higher survey scores around flexibility, fair pay, and well-being. And when workers reported more consistently positive experiences at work, companies were rewarded with better job performance. At the Best Workplaces in Europe™, 91% of employees believe people give extra effort at their company.

Flexibility and Trust

One of the ways companies on the 2023 Best Workplaces in Europe List stand out is by offering flexible work arrangements.

At winning companies, 83% of employees reported special and unique benefits, 18 percentage points higher than at other workplaces participating in this year’s survey.

Both large and small companies on the list invested in their workers by giving them extra time away from the job. Untile, No. 13 in the small category, closes the office for one afternoon each month to give employees free time to pursue personal interests. Cadence, the No. 9 in the multinational company category, introduced Global Recharge holidays to provide employees with 12 days of companywide time off to spend with friends and family.

Some companies embraced hybrid and remote work arrangements to offer more flexibility to employees. Synoptik Sweden AB, No. 41 in the large company category, increased flexibility for its opticians by offering digital eye exams that opticians could administer over Microsoft Teams.

To successfully offer flexible work, winning companies had to develop trusting relationships with employees.

“Whether it’s working from home, coming into the office, or a combination of both, we trust our employees to manage their time and deliver exceptional results,” shares Amdocs Development Ltd., No. 11 in the large category.

When employees feel trusted, they have more faith in their managers. At winning companies, 86% of employees said management does a good job assigning and coordinating people, compared to only 71% of employees at other workplaces surveyed.

At the Best Workplaces in Europe, 91% of employees believe people give extra effort at their company.

Building Connection

While European workers value flexibility, they also value in-person time with coworkers.

Distilled, No. 24 in the medium category, goes to great lengths to help team members connect with each other. Group hikes and “stay connected” breakfasts are held monthly. In-person huddles and “Wellness Wednesdays” are held quarterly, with the entire company coming together four times a year for what it calls “Company Days.”

“One of our core values is collaboration and in order to collaborate effectively it’s important to get to know your colleagues, and we believe the best way to do this is in person,” Distilled shares. “Our Company Days usually include team building activities, games, and challenges that encourage collaboration, communication, and bonding among colleagues.”

At the Best Workplaces in Europe, 90% of employees say they look forward to going to work and 93% agree that people at their company are caring.

At Deloitte, No. 19 in the multinational category, 700 practitioners from its businesses meet and compete during a multi-day sporting event called the “Derby.” Employees participate in sports activities including mountain biking, trail running, canoeing and more, with employees preparing for months to be ready for the big event.

The result for Deloitte is a culture of camaraderie and team spirit. “This culture of belonging and pride permeates through our interactions, fuels our motivation, and drives our pursuit of excellence,” Deloitte says.

The data shows camaraderie between colleagues pays off. At the Best Workplaces in Europe, 90% of employees say they look forward to going to work and 93% agree that people at their company are caring. In a 2021 benchmark survey of global employees, only 57% of workers said people at their company are caring.

Promoting Well-being

By balancing flexibility and connection, the Best Workplaces in Europe are able to offer higher levels of well-being for their employees.

DHL Express, the No. 1 in the multinational category, uses company events like the DHL EuroCup to foster relationships between employees and promote well-being. The EuroCup brings together 3,000 DHL employees to participate in four days of sports competition and well-being activities, including yoga, sound meditation and kayaking. Employees can hear from inspiring speakers and connect with sponsors like the Premier League football club Manchester United.

The event demonstrates to DHL employees the company’s commitment to well-being and reinforces important company values by bringing employees together to learn and celebrate shared goals.

Some of the Best Workplaces in Europe invest in their people through professional development.

At Easi, No. 3 in the medium category, employees are encouraged to participate in coaching and training from their first day on the job. The company has a strong commitment to develop and promote from within.

Other companies are focused on financial well-being for their people, a need that has been highlighted amid rising inflation and economic anxiety in the region. AbbVie, the No. 2 in the multinational category, expanded financial health resources for its people in 2022 and 2023. Programs offer education about personal finance, tips on using AbbVie’s financial tools, and other resources to provide clarity and support.

The result of these efforts can be measured in multiple ways. At the Best Workplaces, 88% of employees report a psychologically and emotionally healthy workplace, 14 percentage points more than for employees at other workplaces surveyed.

When compared to the global average, the gap is even larger. Only 55% of employees at a typical company reported a psychologically and emotionally healthy workplace, revealing the huge benefit to workers of having their employer on the Best Workplaces in Europe list.

Workers at the best workplaces are more likely to have flexibility, meaningful connections with coworkers, and a healthy work environment. In return, those experiences inspire workers to do great work for their companies.

How to make the list

Think your company deserves special recognition? Get started here to become eligible for next year’s Best Workplaces™ honors.

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Ted Kitterman

Ted Kitterman is a content manager for Great Place to Work®. Ted has experience covering the workplace, business communications, public relations, internal communications, work culture, employee well-being, brand purpose and more. His work shines a light on the unparalleled data and insights offered by Great Place to Work’s decades of research, helping the company share its vision of a great place to work For All™.

Why Is Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace Important?

Diversity and inclusion (D&I) is more than policies, programs, or headcounts. Equitable employers outpace their competitors by respecting the unique needs, perspectives and potential of all their team members. As a result, diverse and inclusive workplaces earn deeper trust and more commitment from their employees.

What is the difference between diversity & inclusion?

Diversity and inclusion are two interconnected concepts—but they are far from interchangeable. Diversity is about representation or the make-up of an entity. Inclusion is about how well the contributions, presence and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into an environment.

An environment where many different genders, races, nationalities, and sexual orientations and identities are present but only the perspectives of certain groups are valued or carry any authority or influence, may be diverse, but it is not inclusive.

What is diversity & inclusion in the workplace?

A diverse and inclusive workplace is one that makes everyone, regardless of who they are or what they do for the business, feel equally involved in and supported in all areas of the workplace. The “all areas” part is important.

Do you have diversity in your recruiting, in each of your departments, and in your leadership? Or do you have a workplace where 50% of your employees are women but 0% of your women are managers? Do you have good representation of employees of color overall, but all of them are in the same department?

These telling questions reveal true diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Why is diversity & inclusion in the workplace Important?

Research has shown many benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace:

• Higher revenue growth
• Greater readiness to innovate
• Increased ability to recruit a diverse talent pool
• 5.4 times higher employee retention

Inclusion in the workplace is one of the most important keys to retention.

When employees don’t feel that their ideas, presence or contributions are truly valued or taken seriously by their organization, they will eventually leave.

Our research on company culture shows that when employees trust that they, and their colleagues, will be treated fairly regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or age, they are.

• 9.8 times more likely to look forward to going to work
• 6.3 times more likely to have pride in their work
• 5.4 times more likely to want to stay a long time at their company

Having an inclusive workplace culture will not only help you attract a diverse set of talent but also help you retain the diverse talent you attracted in the first place.

What is an inclusive workplace?

The diversity that lacks genuine inclusion is often called “tokenism.” An inclusive workplace doesn’t just have a diversity of people present, it has a diversity of people involved, developed, empowered and trusted by the business.

What is the difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging?

The difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging is that diversity is the representation of different people in an organization, inclusion is ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to and influence every part and level of a workplace, and belonging is ensuring that everyone feels safe and can bring their full, unique selves to work.

What is For All?  

For All™ is Great Place To Work’s definition of a workplace culture that has evolved beyond “Diversity & Inclusion.” 

The goal of the For All approach is to create a consistently high-trust workplace experience for everyone, no matter who they are or what they do for the organization.  

For All is the accumulation of day-to-day experiences that help people feel they belong, that their unique talents matter and that their individual needs are cared for by their colleagues and leaders. When companies experience the very human acts of acknowledgment, inclusion, dignity and compassion, that is when they can achieve For All. 

For All is critical for success. Workplaces today are more diverse and globally connected than ever before. With the complexities of today’s work environment, leaders must tap into the collective intelligence to maximize the potential of every person.  

Technological and social changes continue to alter the landscape in every industry. Organizations will need the human judgment, empathy, passion and creativity of all their people to realize the full promise of the era’s new technologies, increase agility and inventiveness and address the challenges of an increasingly demanding, vocal marketplace.  

Organizations that remain “For Some” workplaces will risk losing money, earning less and falling behind their competitors in this disruptive climate. However, the companies that succeed with For All will cultivate tremendous value from their people’s differences and will thrive. 

If you’re ready to create a great place to work For All™ – contact us about our solutions today.

By Matt Bush
Matt Bush is the Culture Coaching Lead at Great Place to Work® US. With a background in both quantitative and qualitative research and analysis methods, Matt helps leaders gain insight into how to build great workplaces for all, while simultaneously achieving their business goals and fueling new and innovative practices.