Great Place To Work has revealed its list of Australia’s Best Workplaces 2022, ranging from micro, small, medium and large companies.
Roland Wee, director of Great Place to Work ASEAN and ANZ, said that the year had been one of change and adaption, post-pandemic, in which employers and their staff have learned what it means to be flexible and what it takes to trust.
The director noted that the list reveals companies that excelled were those who genuinely cared about their people’s wellness – both physical and mental – and delivered new ways of offering flexibility.
Wee said the list: “is the one positive legacy of this deadly pandemic and the repeated natural disasters we have suffered: a new appreciation that we are in this together as employers and employees.
“And it’s only with a sense of genuine trust and authenticity that we can bring out the best in each other,” he added.
Among the certified companies were four media, advertising and marketing agencies.
Jimmy Hyett
This Is Flow, based in North Sydney, came in at number three in the micro organisation category. Led by founder and CEO Jimmy Hyett, the company boasts a tight-knit team of 15 employees.
The CEO said of the recognition: “It’s quite easy to understand why Flow has seen incredible success over the last three years, it’s all thanks to our people.
“Being recognised as a Great Place to Work in 2022 is an awesome achievement and proof that culture, talent, passion and a combination of personal, professional and emotional growth makes for one incredible work environment. Couldn’t be prouder of the legends that work within our organisation!” he added.
See also: This Is Flow CEO talks leading a positive impact agency after making Mediaweek’s Hot List
The Flow team
Four Drunk Parrots, based in Ballina on the NSW north coast, has claimed the 12th spot with its team of 12.
Great Place To Work noted that the MarTech company made its mark by “doing the right thing for others but also for the planet, our communities and our people.”
CEO Sonja Ceri said: “As part of our mission to inspire using business as a force for good, we had a good look in the mirror and thought about what it takes to build a great workplace.
“No matter if they are working from home, the office or a remote island in Thailand, it is equally important to us to make sure everyone feels looked after.
“Long story short, they interviewed the entire workforce and came up with what they call a company trust factor… I am glad they asked.Turns out, everyone at 4DP is freaking happy, if not proud to work here. Proud of the impact their work has on the community, on the environment and on others.
“Receiving that feedback on the back of our recent B Corp certification makes us very happy. It demonstrates that each and every one of the parrots is backing our story, our mission and our vision,” Ceri added.
Four Drunk Parrots team
In the small category is Gold Coast advertising and marketing agency Efcomm. The team of 31 services Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast.
The agency specialises in fundraising for reputable not-for-profit organisations and raised $15.8 million for its charity partners.
Barratt Kennett, CEO of Efcomm said the certification propels the company’s vision. “We love what we do, and we love how our company and our industry develop our staff – so much so that our core driver as a team is for face-to-face marketing to no longer be ‘the best kept secret’ as one of the best jobs young people can get if they want to succeed in business.
“We want people to know that – when the culture is right; the staff are welcomed, accepted and recognised; and people are challenged to become more – what we’ve built is truly a great place to work,” he said.
“Not only will this help with recruiting great talent, with internal pride within the team, and showing us what to double down on, but frankly it’s unbelievably humbling to know that everyone in the business loves being here,” he added.
Following two spots behind in 15th was Commission Factory, which has a team of 47 in Sydney, Brisbane and Kuala Lumpur. The agency aims to empower its partners and build trusted meaningful and profitable affiliate relationships.
It boasts an extensive affiliate marketing network in APAC with over 600 advertisers and more than 30,000 publishers. Partners include Platypus, Glassons, Under Armour, Bing Lee and Asics.
Alec Alltimes, APAC finance director, said: “As a company, we always strive to put our employees first and look at what we can do to help them in their work and personal lives and ensure a healthy work-life balance.
“We do this by offering open forums for staff to put forward ways to improve how we work, providing an autonomous working environment and providing the team with the flexibility of a 4-day work week.
“Being recognised as a Great Place to Work is a fantastic achievement and an outstanding recognition for us as a business and the team that help to create the friendly, positive culture that we pride ourselves on,” he added.
OMD Australia was the only company representing the advertising and marketing sector in the medium organisation category, claiming the 7th spot.
Martin Cowie, OMD’s chief people officer, said: “OMD is living proof that when a company puts its people first, business results naturally follow. GPTW certification has resulted in many years of continuous growth, making OMD the No 1 media agency in Australia.
“We focus on creating professional and personal growth opportunities for our people to ensure they have the necessary future work skills that will ensure sustainable careers,” he added.
REA Group was the only media company listed in the large organisation category. The Melbourne-based company specialises in property ranked 4th on the list.
Mary Lemonis, chief people and sustainability officer, said: “Our people and culture are our competitive advantage, they are what differentiates REA to ensure we are successful now and into the future.
“We have a significant focus on culture, consciously nurturing and strategically designing a distinctive employee experience. We are clear that our purpose and strategy guide us, but it’s our culture that drives us to perform. We are incredibly proud to be certified again as a Great Place to Work!” she added.
