It’s déjà vu: the Great Place to Work® Institute Canada has named Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada (H+K) one of the Best Workplaces in Canada—for the eighth consecutive year. Listed alongside 100 other companies, all announced in Globe and Mail’s special national report today, Canada’s No. 1-rated public affairs and public relations firm is proud to again have earned the coveted award.

“Creating one of the best workplaces in Canada starts with appreciation and respect,” says Mike Coates, chairman and CEO of H+K Canada. “Our people are the heart of our business, and there’s no doubt in my mind that we employ the best practitioners in the country. And we recognize that to keep the best, we have to be the best—so, we strive to create an environment that makes people feel engaged, appreciated and motivated to succeed.”

With offices in nine cities across the country, the company continues to invest in development programs to strengthen its culture and connect staff in different offices. Its “H+Kers” are encouraged to share their expertise and experience with each other through mentorship opportunities, and are able to engage in cross-country client work that challenges staff to apply national perspectives to create local solutions.

“The landscape of our business is constantly changing, and so are our clients’ needs. So it’s important for us to stay ahead of the curve and constantly strengthen our internal structure—not only providing an organic platform to connect our offices across Canada, but supporting a creative community that empowers our employees to produce their best work,” adds Coates. “National collaboration drives H+K’s success in a way that’s unmatched by any other firm.”

With employees across Canada and around the globe, H+K sets the stage for its staff to excel personally and professionally, offering national and international transfer opportunities, competitive compensation and family-friendly flexibility—the trifecta of work-life balance.

When asked what she likes most about working for the firm, Axelle D’Anglemont, consultant at H+K Vancouver explains: “The talented team, welcoming work environment and the breadth of incredible clients are all reasons that make working here so great. Collaborating with colleagues across Canada and the opportunities to work on quality projects across all industries that are helping shape our country’s economy is not only motivating, but incredibly rewarding. The infamous H+K beer cart every Friday is also an awesome social perk.”

Company-funded social functions, contemporary work spaces and dynamic learning opportunities are just some of the many benefits of working at H+K. The firm takes pride in its culture and focuses on creating comfortable environments for employees to interact, engage and connect in a way that benefits the staff, the clients and the overall success of the company.

“What makes our rank of Best Workplaces unique is that it is based on employees’ opinions,” says Jose Tolovi Neto, managing partner of Great Place to Work® Canada. “In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Hill+Knowlton Strategies—one of few companies to appear eight times in a row on the list—is able to stay ahead of competition by offering a great workplace culture and a high-trust environment.”

About the Best Workplaces Award criteria

The competition process for “Best Workplaces in Canada” is based on two criteria: two-thirds of the total score comes from an in-depth survey completed by a minimum number of employees, along with their open-ended comments about the organization; the remaining one-third of the score comes from a review of the organization’s culture, including an evaluation of HR policies, procedures and benefits. This offers a rigorous representation of the organization from an employee perspective, and an overall portrait of the workplace culture.

About the Great Place to Work® Institute

Great Place to Work® Institute is a global research and management consultancy with expertise on workplace transformation and a presence in 48 countries worldwide. Our mission is to improve society by creating better workplaces. We are best-known for our global Best Workplaces Programme, which we produce in conjunction with prestigious media partners such as The Globe and Mail, The Financial Times and Fortune. With more than 5,500 organizations surveyed every year across the globe, the programme is the world’s largest of its kind. We believe passionately that any company or organization can become a great place to work. Our mission is to help you do it.

About Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada

With nine offices across the country, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada is a leader in both public relations and government relations. Headquartered in Toronto, the company is the No. 1-rated strategic communications firm in the country. Its experts specialize in corporate communications, public affairs, marketing communications, crisis, energy, technology, health care, social and digital communications, financial communications and transactions. The only communications firm to have earned the Order of Excellence from Excellence Canada, it has been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada for eight consecutive years. Its parent company, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Inc., has 88 offices in 49 countries as well as an extensive associate network; and it is a member of WPP (NASDAQ:WPPGY), one of the world’s largest communications services groups.