2024 Best PR Agencies to Work For, North America

Our Best Agency to Work For research is possibly the only predictive PRovoke Media award. Over the years, we’ve noticed a direct correlation between the agencies on this list and those that take home our biggest honor (often at some point in the future) — Agency of the Year recognition. That's because building a great workplace culture—diverse and inclusive, flexible enough to accommodate a continuum of home-office preferences, respectful of employees’ mental health—has never been more critical than it is today.

In 2023, the aftershocks of the pandemic were further complicated by difficult economic environment, but if the firms included in our survey felt a temptation to cut back on efforts to protect the mental health of employees and their commitment to diverse and inclusive workplaces, they resisted—because overall scores remained high (even though slightly fewer agency participated this year).

In the PR industry in particular, there’s an understand that DEI is an existential challenge: to create communications campaigns that reach all citizens, agencies need to look more like all citizens; the same is true whether the audience is a diverse employee population, communities of color, or specific marginalized populations too long neglected.

Clearly, managing a people-centric business like PR is getting increasingly complicated and challenging (and make no mistake, the value chain of communications consulting is clear: attract, develop and retain good people and they will bring in good clients, who will in turn deliver long-term growth and profitability) it is.

These four Best Agencies to Work For will be presented with their trophies at the 2024 North American SABRE Awards dinner, which takes place at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York on May 1. Tables and tickets are available now.

Best Large Agency to Work For (more than 300 employees)

Winner:

Golin (IPG)

Backstory

Golin has progressed far beyond its Chicago-based consumer roots — these days the IPG firm is expanding across practice areas that also include technology, healthcare and corporate. Across these practice groups, the firm’s expertise spans content creation and production; corporate strategy; crisis management; data & analytics; DE&I strategy; employee engagement; influencer marketing; media relations & training; public affairs; social media; and social purpose.

Performance

Golin continued to outperform its peers in a challenging 2023, with global fee income up by better than 6%. North America, which contributes about 80% of the firm’s revenues, grew slightly faster than that, with the New York office setting the pace, and the healthcare business making a significant contribution (both of them were up by better than 15%) and data and analytics making an even more significant contribution.

Workplace Culture

Still committed to flexibility in terms of the workplace, Golin’s approach encourages people to work in office two days a week. With a greater focus on in-person collaboration in 2023, the agency invested in global skills training focused on our craft. The most notable was the re-launch of The Playbook—the agency’s sequential, data-led internal planning approach—supported with in-person staff workshops across our global footprint. And the agency is preparing to roll out a new learning and development summit for high potential mid-level staff from around the globe, called Golin GOLD, to train the next generation of top client service performers.

Diversity & Inclusion

The agency continues its dedication to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce. It increased its BIPOC workforce to 31%, and last year added new employee resource groups (ERGs) for working mothers and persons with disabilities, adding to the suite of ERGs that launched the previous year for employees who identify in Black, Asian or Pacific Islander, Latiné and LGBTQIA+ communities. Under the leadership of Natasha O’Dell Archer, Golin is a DEI leader within IPG, and in 2023 a Golin + IPG sponsorship at ColorComm shared Golin’s belonging advancements.

What Employees Say

Asked what they like best about their agency, one respondent says: How humble senior leadership is and how the agency creates opportunities for junior staff to learn and grow.” Another highlights: “The culture - Golin does a great job at connecting the agency, promoting an inclusive environment and company values, and fostering internal and client relations.” But the majority cite “the people I work with.” And asked to describe the firm in three words, the most common are: “collaborative, inclusive and welcoming.” Asked what bothers people, the overwhelming top pic involves money.

The top five:

Golin
GCI Health
Finn Partners
Unlock Health
Real Chemistry

Best Midsize Agency to Work For (150-299 employees)