Coolest Companies to Work For in 2014

Presented by

As 2014 comes to a close, we look back at seven cities with the coolest companies. The Coolest Company award, presented by O.C. Tanner appreciates companies with an extraordinary focus on building corporate cultures that value employees in exemplary ways.

AWARDS INCLUDE PERSONALIZED CERTIFICATES, A WINNER BADGE TO PLACE ON THE COMPANY’S

WEBSITE, AND A FEATURE IN O.C. TANNER’S MEDIA OUTREACH AS WELL AS WEBSITE.

Let’s look at the coolest companies to work for in 2014.

Orlando, Florida

BishopBeale

Crossman Co.

Chatter Buzz Media

ActivEngage

Purple Rock Scissors

Kavaliro

One Hope United

Cybis Communications

Protiviti

Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP

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Highlights

Unique Culture Programs

“Chatter Buzz Media’s program, ‘Lunch n’ Learn’ allows for employees to talk about their role in the company and their interest over lunch.”

Employee Unity

“ActivEngage focuses on unity among its employees. Whether it’s participating in Charity Challenge Events, potlucks, or intramural sports, ActivEngage is fully invested in efforts to make their employees happy.”

Employee Appreciation

“Appreciation at Cybis Communications comes in the form of a Brag Box, where employees write notes bragging about their teams. Every few months the box is opened and prizes are awarded.”

San Diego, California

Scripps Health

Destination Concepts Inc.

American Specialty Health

Hotel del Coronado

YMCA of San Diego County

Underground Elephant

MI Technologies

MyOffice

San Diego Sign Company

Qualcomm

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Highlights

Communication

“Hotel del Coronado has quarterly ‘town hall meetings’ where the general manager explains upcoming hotel events, projects, and the overall performance of the hotel. This meeting also involves an open microphone, where employees can ask the general manager questions and concerns—keeping everyone in the loop.”

Unique Training Meetings

“One way Underground Elephant achieves this inspired culture is through weekly training meetings with retired boxer, Paul Vaden. Vaden doesn’t have marketing experience, but he talks to employees about setting goals, achieving them, and becoming a champion.”

CEO Lunches

“CEO and chairman of American Specialty Health, George DeVries, hosts ‘Lunch with George’ where employees get some quality face time with their leader over a bite to eat.”

Austin, Texas

GSD&M

Keller Williams Realty

Burnett Specialists

National Instruments

Cirrus Logic

Chuy’s

Yodle

SolarWinds

Whole Foods Market

Rackspace

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Highlights

Employee Education

“Two to three times a month, GSD&M hosts ‘idea university classes’ taught by employees as well as leaders in the community, answering the question: what is the next thing we should know about in order to help our clients?”

Community Outreach

“National Instruments community service includes supporting hands-on robotics programs at local schools to inspire kids to pursue STEM careers.”

Culture Team

“Yodle has a full time ‘culture team’ that organizes daily, weekly, and quarterly contests with prizes ranging from cash incentives to company sponsored trips.”

Portland, Oregon

Consumer Cellular

Pinnacle Exhibits

VanderHouwen & Associates

Cresa

ESCO

Nature Conservancy

Mentor Graphics

Mercy Corps

Janrain

Urban Airship

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Highlights

Employee Growth

“VanderHouwen & Associates provides internal mentors as well as external skill-enhancing seminars that strengthen company performance as a whole.”

Strong Community Relationships

“Because their services are often for community use, ESCO looks for opportunities to build good relationships in the local community. ‘We try to have a good neighborhood relationship in every aspect of the work we do.’”

Company Collaboration

“Urban Airship participates in ‘Hack Week’ where staff put aside their daily roles and collaborate across teams and departments to work on an inspired project. Results from this week can vary from prototypes of new products to a fun improvement of products.”

Nashville, Tennessee

Lee Company

Asurion

Healthways

Pinnacle Financial Partners

LBMC

Ingram Content Group

Churchill Mortgage

Dollar General

Cracker Barrel

STR

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Highlights

Organizational Culture

“The work hard play hard office [at Asurion] allows employees to be result focused while having fun, which includes gathering to watch sports together and participating in corn-hole tournaments.”

Employee Appreciation

“Ingram gives back to their employees with a continuing education assistance program for both undergraduate and graduate employees.”

Giving Back to the Community

“The Lee Company is very involved in the community, participating in Habitat for Humanity and other local charities and organizations—including being the second largest food donor to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee with its ‘Vans 4 Cans’ campaign.

Indianapolis, Indiana

Interactive Intelligence

Eli Lilly and Company

Key Benefit Administrators

RE/MAX Ability Plus

Duke Realty Corp

Community Health Network

Wellpoint

DEFENDER

Orchard Software Corporation

Blue & CO.

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Highlights

Employee Training

“Community Health Network has training and professional development for their employees to help them ‘grow-from-within’ with their Community Learning Institute.”

Giving Back to the Community

“All team members of DEFENDER are given four ‘giving days’ per year to use for serving in the local community.”

Employee Appreciation

“The Spotlight program [at Eli Lilly and Company] allows employees to recognize each other for their accomplishments and give each other points that can be used to purchase items.”

Kansas City, Missouri

VML

JE Dunn Construction

FishNet Security

Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics

Henderson Engineers Inc.

Lockton

Burns & McDonnell Engineering

Black & Veatch

Cerner Corp

Saint Luke’s-Shawnee Mission Health Systems

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Highlights

Employee Recognition

“FishNet Security appreciates its employees through their ‘Rock On’ program, allowing employees to submit kudos or positive things about coworkers in an online form.”

Tight-Knit Community

“By focusing on factors such as meaningful work, purposeful collaboration, and communication, employees at VML have been able to keep our growing global agency feeling like a tight-knit community.”

Culture of Giving Back

“JE Dunn Construction holds activities each year to raise money for various organizations that include BBQ competitions, indoor putt-putt tournaments, and games.”

Do you work for a cool company? Want us to come to your city?

FROM SMALL STARTUPS TO LARGE CORPORATIONS, WE WANT YOU TO NOMINATE YOUR COMPANY.

Nominate your company today for O.C. Tanner’s Coolest Companies to Work For Award in 2015!

O.C. Tanner and The O.C. Tanner Institute

O.C. Tanner helps the world inspire and appreciate great work. Through our innovative cloud-based software, tools, awards, education, and research, we provide thought leadership and strategic recognition solutions for thousands of clients globally. Designed to engage talent, increase performance, and drive corporate goals, our solutions create personalized recognition experiences delivered through a smart technology platform.

The O.C. Tanner Institute regularly commissions research and provides a global forum for exchanging ideas about recognition, engagement, leadership, culture, human values, and sound business principles.