Greatest Companies | Must Read Compiled by Kristina Valdez and Rachel Zoch ast year was a strong one for promo. Distributors, suppliers and business service companies exceeded expectations. We know from PPAI’s annual Sales Volume Estimate that the industry hit $25 billion in total sales for the first time ever. Inflation and stockpiled marketing budgets may have led to this 13% increase over total 2021 sales – but it wouldn’t have been possible without industry employees. Returning to the office, workers demanded more from their employers. Flexibility, remote work, higher pay, personal growth opportunities and company culture became non-negotiable. If needs weren’t met, employees had no problem quitting, and many did. An average of 48 million American workers left their jobs in each of the past two years. While not every worker said sayonara, many more became “quiet quitters.” These workers kept their jobs, only doing the bare minimum, and instead spent more of their energy and time on other life priorities. A September 2022 Gallup poll found that at least half of the U.S. workforce (probably more) were psychologically disengaged from their jobs. These work trends didn’t leave the promo industry unscathed. To retain and recruit top talent, promo companies have had to adjust. The companies that best met workers’ needs made PPAI’s 2023 Greatest Companies To Work For list. These 67 companies were praised by staff for their commitment to nurturing work environments that are affirming and supportive. “Now fully emerged from the pandemic, members tell us that these are some of the busiest times they’ve ever dealt with,” says Josh Ellis, PPAI Media publisher and editor-in-chief. “The winning businesses have each created cultures that embrace the challenge and pull together through it. Considering the larger workplace trends we’ve all read about in recent years, this is pretty remarkable for any company to achieve. The winners deserve a tremendous amount of respect.” This year, 67 companies earned the honors, a substantial jump from 47 in 2022. Of last year’s winners, 25 repeated the feat in 2023. The winning companies range in size from as few as five employees to nearly 1,300. About the winning companies, promo workers say, “it’s a dream place to work,” “I am lucky to be here,” and “I found my forever home.” PPAI congratulates this year’s Greatest Companies To Work For. See why employees crowned their companies with the highest praise. How This Survey Is Conducted The competition, which began in March, is open to all PPAI member companies in the U.S. and Canada with at least five full-time employees. Firms must be nominated by an employee to compete. They then submit a roster of employees, who receive a questionnaire asking them to rate their employer on a range of topics, from “I am confident about my future at this company,” to “I have a good benefits package compared to other companies,” and “This company operates by strong values and ethics.” A survey participation rate was established for each company based on its size, and companies were required to meet it for eligibility. The survey results were then tabulated to the same standards as in years past. Taken on average, the employees from winning companies either agreed or strongly agreed with the positive sentiments about their workplaces in the survey. PPAI • JULY 2023 • 67
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==