1. Carter Ryley Thomas
From the start-when they broke away from Earle Palmer Brown to launch their own agency-Carter Ryley Thomas founders Mark Raper, J.R. Hipple and Mike Mulvehill have emphasized a values-based approach to agency management. The firm's nine shared values, which can be recited by almost all employees, emphasize respect for the individual, shared responsibility, and work-life balance, and they have given rise to a unique agency culture.

Of course it helps that CRT is one of only a handful of employee-owned PR firms, and that its employee ownership plan is uniquely democratic. It includes not only senior executives but every employee, from account managers to the administrative staff. And no single individual owns more than 17 percent of the company.

But CRT works at creating a great work environment on a daily basis. The firm reinforces its culture through its "We Work" employee recognition plan. Each year, employees are given 12 "We work" slips that they can distribute to colleagues who are living the values. Each quarter, the individual who has received the most slips is rewarded with a prize, which can range from dinner for two at a local restaurant to cleaning service to car detailing.

The firm also has an extensive community involvement program, a comprehensive benefits package, and is in the process of developing an on-site childcare facility.

2. The Horn Group

In the technology sector, the competition for good people has been brutal, so it's not surprising that six of our top 10 firms are specialists in high-tech PR. It's also no surprise that The Horn Group leads them, since Sabrina Horn's firm has won numerous awards for its progressive workplace policies, including "Best Employer" recognition from Working Woman magazine, and an "Excellence in the Bay Area Workplace" nod from the Career Education Center.

Working Woman cited Horn for its "eye-popping benefits packages" and employees at the firm agree, giving their employer high marks for its overall compensation package and for its health benefits in particular. But staffers also praised the physical workspace and the entrepreneurial culture: it scored a perfect 5.0 from employees who were asked whether they agreed that, "my agency encourages people to use their initiative." The firm also scored high marks for its professional development programs and its efforts to balance work-life issues.

3. Citigate Cunningham

Citigate Cunningham-previously Cunningham Communication-was one of the pioneers of the progressive workplace in the public relations industry, investing in professional development and work-life balance long before it was fashionable. The agency continues to be regarded as an employer of choice in Silicon Valley, ranking in the top 15 when survey respondents were asked which agency they would most like to join.

Citigate Cunningham provides three weeks vacation in the first year, and a six-week paid sabbatical after four years. It offers adaptable work schedules, including telecommuting, and the ability to divide the 40-hour work week into four ten-hour days as opposed to the standard five eight-hour days. There are emergency child-care and lactation facilities, an onsite gym, and a computer purchase plan as well as a monthly allowance for DSL lines and cable modems. Onsite massage therapists and yoga classes help employees relax, and there are free beverages and snacks in the kitchen.

4. Fitzgerald Communications

Founded by Cunningham Communication alumna Maura FitzGerald, Cambridge-based FitzGerald Communications is another technology PR specialist with a winning culture, built on a strong foundation of values: a focus on people; a results orientation; open communication; and innovation. The firm maintains its culture, despite its expansion to new office locations, through joint staff meetings, professional development programming and brainstorming, and by transferring staff between offices.

The training program is particularly impressive, from the new hire "boot camp" that introduces employees at all levels to the FitzGerald way of doing things to core skills training to management training offsite. There's a buddy program for new hires and a mentor program that has been recognized by Inc. magazine. On a lighter note, the agency offers a concierge service, a company-sponsored boating club membership, and onsite pick-up and delivery for dry cleaning.

5. Cone

Among the things that people like best about Cone are the challenging nature of the work and the feeling that what they do makes a difference. Cone is a leader in cause-related marketing, best known as one of the PR industry's most creative big-idea agencies, and for many employees that translates into tremendous job satisfaction-further enhanced by the agency's volunteerism program, which gives employees four hours of additional personal time a month to pursue volunteer interests.

The agency backs that up with a training program that puts many much larger firms to shame-up to 120 hours a year per employee, plus a tuition reimbursement program-as well as generous benefits and bonuses. Employees become eligible for a 401k plan on their first day at the agency, and are entitled to three-and-a-half weeks vacation in the first year. Cone also pays up to $300 for smoking cessation programs-or employees can quit on their own for the $300 in cash.

6. Fleishman-Hillard

Fleishman-Hillard is the highest rated of all the major agencies ($100 million-plus) on our "Best Agencies to Work For" list, scoring high marks from its own employees and coming in second only to Ketchum as a favored place to work among employees of other firms.

Fleishman was rated the most stimulating workplace environment, with employees that they feel challenged by their assignments and valued by their clients. The firm also scored high marks for its professional development program, its commitment to ethics, and its 360-degree feedback program. Most large firms don't offer the same level of flexibility as their smaller, niche competitors, but F-H is clearly trying, providing employees with part-time positions, lengthy leaves of absence, and summer hours tailored on an office-by-office basis.

7. PepperCom

Our survey didn't solicit actual salary information, but PepperCom's people certainly feel well rewarded, giving the firm the high marks for its generous pay and its benefits, which include medical insurance (including dental), a 401k plan, and life and long-term disability insurance. The firm also offers an impressive professional development program-PepperCom State University-and some of the most progressive perks in the industry: a visiting nurse from Mount Sinai Medical Center comes to the office to provide blood pressure testing and administer flu shots; there's a game room; a kitchen stocked with sodas and snacks; and options in Partnership Central, the company's e-business initiative.

8. Greenough Communications Group

The smallest and newest firm in the top 10 is Greenough Communications Group, another technology specialist, launched in October 1999 by former Weber Group executive vice president Phil Greenough. The agency scored high marks across the board on our employee survey, with staffers praising the entrepreneurial culture-there's little hierarchy, and industry veterans work alongside younger account professionals in a collaborative atmosphere with no boundaries-and the first-rate benefits.

9. Porter Novelli

Porter Novelli has long been known for its commitment to creating a collaborative, collegial culture. It ranked fourth among employees of other firms when asked where they would most like to work, and scored high marks (second among major agencies only to Omnicom sister agency Fleishman-Hillard) when its own employees were polled. PN's culture is distinguished by its commitment to community, its commitment to learning, and its commitment to work-life balance-offerings include telecommuting, flexible working arrangement, unpaid leave, employee assistance programs such as backup childcare, concierge services, and a variety of counseling services.

10. The ProMarc Agency

Four committees help ProMarc Agency founder Alisa Fogelman-Beyer ensure that the culture at this Washington-based high-tech specialist continues to attract and retain the best and the brightest. The President's Council oversees the company's 360-degree Feedback program, and handles any issues that employees may feel more comfortable discussing outside of management's earshot; the Training Committee makes sure the professional development programs are among the industry's best; the Emerging Leaders group provides management grooming; and the Leadership Team brings together the president, COO and VP for regular meetings that include discussion of the firm's vision and culture.

We will be conducting a follow-up "Best Agencies to Work For" study in the fall of 2001. To participate, please e-mail us at pholmes@holmesreport.com.

Agencies 1-10

Agencies 11-25

Agencies 26-50

Criteria