Colorado is racking up the recognition these days, and here’s a “Best” list that the entire state rocked.
The list is Outside Magazine’s 100 Best Places to Work 2016, as determined by the publication’s editors. This list holds special status, since it’s covering an aspect of our lives that occupies a huge chunk of time – where we work.
“No one wants to spend the majority of their waking hours slogging through a boring job in a cubicle maze, cemented in place under buzzing fluorescent lights,” writes Outside Magazine’s editorial staff. “We’re human beings, not drones.”
Colorado claimed a whopping 36 of the spots on the list of 100, beginning with the No. 1 place to work: Forum Phi architectural and interior design firm in Aspen.
The Boulder-Denver metro area hauled in nearly half of the Colorado businesses on the list – 17 in total – leading off with the No. 2 ranked GroundFloor Media in Denver.
It’s good to see companies that treat people well find their home in our great state.
Here’s the Boulder-Denver metro area list, edited from Outside Magazine’s rich descriptions.
2. GroundFloor Media (Denver)
The plan at this midsize public relations firm is simple: give employees the ultimate in flexibility by allowing them to work anytime, anywhere. And, offices surround a central collaborative space which is turned into a “beer club” every Thursday, where employees sample a new brew.
6. TeamSnap (Boulder)
Seventy-five percent of the 60-plus-person staff at this tech startup work remotely. … The company sells time-management software that clubs and organizations use to streamline registration and build rosters. … Once a year, employees take to the mountains of Colorado for an annual teambuilding session.
10. Pellucid Analytics (Boulder)
The founders of Pellucid Analytics created a software program that’s helping Wall Street and the industry change by helping stockbrokers create data-heavy presentations faster. Employees enjoy big Flatirons-facing windows.
11. ReadyTalk (Denver)
This company created audio, video, and web conferencing system that allows businesses to telecommute seamlessly.
15. Zen Planner(Denver)
ZenPlanner team members enjoy company activities designed to keep their minds active.
21. Cloud 9 Living (Broomfield)
This company sells “experience gifts” and recently started a paid-time-off volunteer program for staffers.
25. Avid4 Adventure (Boulder)
Employees at Avid4Adventure design and operate summer camps for kids. Employees receive adoption assistance and support for workers traveling home for family emergencies. If that’s not enough, workers also get help with the dog-kennel fee when they travel without their furry family members.
27. Room 214 (Boulder)
Shop dogs rule at this ad agency, as employee pups roam the office. The pinball machine can be heard inside this social media and digital marketing firm’s headquarters.
35. Sterling-Rice Group (Boulder)
A well-known advertising and public relations company, Sterling Rice provides employees with a dedicated nap room and weekly messages in a spa room.
36. TDA Boulder (Boulder)
This ad agency’s employees can earn a $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice. But it’s no walk at the beach. To qualify, staffers climb a Colorado 14er and bring proof back to the office via a photo taken from the summit.
And the list continues…
39. BSW Wealth Partners (Boulder)
57. Namaste Solar (Boulder)
59. Peaksware (Boulder)
62. VictorOps (Boulder)
68. Brewers Association (Boulder)
73. Crestone (Boulder)
82. Access Fund (Boulder)
83. Mondo Robot (Boulder)
86. Tendril (Boulder)
88. Sphero (Boulder)
93. Cloud Elements (Denver)
97. FullContact (Denver)
99. Verde Brand Communications (Boulder)
Read the full descriptions of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work here: outsideonline.com/2136266/best-places-work-2016.
Timmy Duggan is a Realtor at RE/MAX of Boulder. Call 303.441.5611 or e-mail [email protected].