Cohn & Wolfe impressed the judging panel because it gives employees as much freedom as possible to develop and grow within the company, as well as outside it.
Feedback from its annual employee survey revealed staff wanted more opportunities to pursue charity and pro bono work. The agency responded by offering workers the chance to get involved in good causes, such as being a part of ex-Formula One driver Jackie Stewart’s dementia charity, Race Against Dementia.
Click to return to the full list of PRWeek Best Places to Work Awards 2017 winners
Cohn & Wolfe also has a commitment to open communication with all employees, even those who work remotely. Notes are shared from team meetings across the company, while every quarter, staff members are taken off-site to a cinema. This helps inspire the team and promotes great work, the agency said. Typically, the agency will bring video from work undertaken to life by showing it on the big screen.
Staff members also benefit from a culture of talent growth. The agency has an academy that was specifically created for staff development and learning. Cohn & Wolfe encourages its employees to fill in any skills gaps they identify, and the agency urges them to learn new things. They also benefit from £100 per year to spend on an activity that will be beneficial to them.
In addition, the agency has instigated a reverse mentoring scheme in which senior staff members have the opportunity to learn things – such as digital and social skills – from junior employees.
