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Best Agency to Work For is possibly the only predictive award the Holmes Report gives out. By this, we mean there’s a direct correlation between the agencies on this list and those that take home our biggest honor (often times at some point in the future) — Agency of the Year recognition. That’s, in part, because firms that take culture seriously tend to attract and retain smart and creative talent who, in turn, produce stellar work. It’s a simple formula but one that’s easily overlooked amid the breathless pace and tremendous pressures that are a seemingly inevitable reality of agency life. But this pace is exactly why agencies shouldn’t underestimate the power its culture has on the work its employees produce.

The firms recognized on the rankings include a few holding companies firms, but mostly independents. Some have generous benefits, others prioritize professional development or interesting work that keeps talent engaged. We’re working on an in-depth feature that will more deeply explore the factors that drive employee engagement within our industry. All participating firms can also obtain their own results mapped against either the industry or its competitive set. (For more information on this, see FAQ.)

Trophies for the top ranked agencies in each category were presented at the 2018 Asia-Pacific SABRE Awards in Singapore on 11 September. 

BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR, ASIA-PACIFIC NETWORK 

#1 Text100 (Next 15) 

Always highly-rated for its progressive workplace culture, Text100 takes top spot among networks in 2018, thanks to a well-rounded offering that scores particularly high across Management, Culture and Empowerment. And the agency Next 15 agency accomplished this despite overhauling its internal people structure in 2017, flattening hierarchies and helping staff better build their careers. 
 
#2 FleishmanHillard (Omnicom)

#3 Zeno Group (DJE Holdings)

#4 WE (Independent) 

#5 Ogilvy (WPP) 

BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR, NATIONAL

#1 AKA Asia  (Independent) 
Singapore consultancy AKA takes top spot for the first time in its history. AKA's workplace offering drew strong employee affirmation across all categories, in particular Management, Culture, Professional Development, Client Service, Empowerment and Communication. All of which is testimony to the 31-strong agency's focus on a model that does not deploy siloes, instead challenging staffers to work in cross-matrix teams that aim to broaden experience, grow capability and encourage well-rounded, future thinking communications professionals.

BEST AGENCY TO WORK FOR, SPECIALIST  

#1 Sling & Stone (Independent) 
Perennial winner Sling & Stone again takes top spot, marking its third consecutive triumph as a Best Agency to Work For. Remarkably, the Australian firm has been able to safeguard its culture from the vicissitudes of rapid growth, suggesting that its workplace is functioning as a competitive advantage versus rivals. Employees scored the firm highly across all categories, including Management, Culture, Professional Development, Client Service, Empowerment and Communication, reflecting a workplace that features state-of-the-art technology, collaborative and open workspaces, weekly cultural activities and health and wellness benefits.

#2 MullenLowe Salt (Independent) 

#3 Mutant Communications (MDC)

#4 Allison+Partners (MDC Partners) 

#5 Rice (Independent)

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