For the ninth year in a row, The Great Place to Work® Institute has named Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada (H+K) one of the Best Workplaces in Canada. Announced last night at the awards gala and officially published in The Globe and Mail’s special national report today, H+K—Canada’s No. 1-rated public affairs and public relations firm—is listed alongside only 100 other companies, all known for their unwavering commitment to creating positive cultures and empowering workplace environments.

The firm is also honoured as a four-time recipient of the Best Workplaces for Women Award.

“We are a people company. We’ve even been known to tell clients that our people come first, because we know that’s what drives work-life balance, which is just one of the many ingredients required to be named among the country’s best workplaces,” says Goldy Hyder, president and CEO of H+K Canada. “That balance ultimately drives both retention and productivity—and those, in turn, benefit our clients; so we try to create a holistic cycle where everyone feels valued.”

Investing in its “H+Kers,” across nine Canadian offices, is paramount for meaningful employee engagement, connectedness and ongoing professional development. Aside from offering educational programs and training opportunities, such as short- and long-term cross-cultural work experiences, the firm also provides a fitness subsidy that puts employees in charge of their health on their own terms, and a dedicated program that gives employees ample opportunity to volunteer and give back, among other benefits.

“At H+K, our success is made up of the many faces that line the office hallways. It’s in the smiles, coffee breaks and desk-side chats. It’s in the behind-the-scenes moments, the brainstorms and the teams who rally together when one of their own is sick or in mourning. A caring culture is invaluable to the collaborative work we do each and every day,” adds Hyder.

And it’s why H+K boasts so many tenured employees, and a number of “boomerang” employees—those who leave but come back. Between flexible schedules and telecommuting options, social celebrations and open-concept integration and collaboration, employees are motivated to help each other, and the company, thrive.

This year’s list received in excess of 300 nominations, with more than 60,000 employees participating in the 2015 Best Workplaces in Canada survey. Jose Tolovi Neto, managing partner of Great Place to Work® Canada says: "Our global Best Workplace lists stand out from the rest as they follow strict methodologies carried through in all 52 countries in which we operate, and are the only lists to use employee comments for two-thirds of the ranking process. As the marketplace continues to be highly competitive, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, now it its ninth year as a Best Workplace, is well-equipped to stay ahead of the competition by creating a workplace that boasts a culture of trust, boosts productivity and ultimately increases its business performance.”

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 more than 50 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 nine consecutive years. Its parent company, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Inc., has 88 offices in 51 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.