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April 25, 2024
Corporate Ink is on fire, and we’re not just talking about our killer PR game. Since the start of 2024, we’ve snagged not one, but two awards recognizing our top-notch culture. We’ve been named a Top Place to Work by Ragan and one of the Best Places to Work by the Boston Business Journal- both for the second consecutive year.
To commemorate this milestone, we sat down with Corporate Ink President, Greg Hakim, to go deeper into what makes our culture so special, some of our more recent, exciting initiatives and what it means to be a “people-first” agency.
Q: Tell us what winning these “best places to work” awards means for Corporate Ink?
A: The awards validate the time, investments and intentionality we put into our culture. And more importantly, they validate our team. Everything we do is built on our employees. Our agency is full of genuinely good people that are smart, collaborative, fun and accountable. No benefit or perk is worth its weight if your team isn’t amazing. I’m thankful to say we got that one covered.
Q: From your perspective, what sets Corporate Ink apart in terms of workplace culture?
A: First and foremost: our people. Going deeper, it’s the balance of accountability, trust and flexibility. We offer many differentiating benefits, like Inker Fridays, and true, no-questions-asked workplace flexibility, because our team is 100% accountable to each other and our clients. When there’s trust, people are more comfortable being themselves, taking risks, speaking up and taking advantage of the benefits you offer.
In most workplaces, especially tech PR agencies, there’s an inherent tension that makes people feel like they need to keep grinding, or that it’s not okay to take time off, work from home or sign off early. Great workplaces eliminate that tension and provide the structure, time and flexibility people need to take care of what matters most (themselves), while simultaneously enabling ambition, growth and excellence.
This is where 100% accountability comes in. Our team cares immensely and works incredibly hard. Everyone trusts each other to do their job, which makes work and life easier and better for all.
Q: It’s been over 3 years since Corporate Ink announced its “Inker Friday” program. Looking back, how would you characterize the impact it’s had on our culture?
A: The biggest impact is at the individual level. I constantly hear stories from our team about the effect Inker Fridays has on their personal lives, which is most important. A little bit of extra time and flexibility makes a world of difference to people and their families.
As a company, Inker Fridays forced us to improve how we collaborate, prioritize and communicate. It’s also a great incentive for people to stick around. I could count on one hand the number of public relations agencies with a similar benefit. Our high retention – which is one of the things I’m most proud of – positions our people to grow and develop together. We get to know each other and our clients better, leading to more impactful results and stronger relationships. It’s been a big win for our business, clients and team.
Q: Even in just the past year, there’ve been a lot of new initiatives at the agency. Can you talk about some of the newer initiatives or programs that reflect Corporate Ink’s commitment to being a “people-first” agency?
A: Part of being a people-first PR agency is asking the team what they need. We ask our team for feedback every quarter and regularly make changes and test new approaches to improve our workplace. Many changes are small in scope, but they tend to be quite important because they improve the day-to-day experience.
A few of our recent workplace wins and improvements include:
- Improving employee growth and development roadmaps
- Reimagining our mentorship program
- Creating a graduated re-entry program for new parents
- Implementing scheduled wellness blocks
- Offering a new “trip of a lifetime” benefit for employees that hit the 10-year mark with Corporate Ink
Q: What’s your vision for Corporate Ink and its culture in 2025?
A: Our team is healthier, wealthier and happier. We work less, but accomplish more. We make a bigger impact for our clients because we’ve stayed together, grown together and work together better. Our award-winning culture continues to attract the best of the best, leading to better outcomes for our clients and our people.
