News Archives | TopLine Comms

Announcing our diversity and inclusion awards database

‘Diversity and inclusion’ is more than just a slogan or a call for a one-and-done overhaul of company policy; it’s an ongoing effort to create a non-discriminatory workplace where everybody feels comfortable and able to do their best work. While these efforts are their own reward, it’s also rewarding to recognise organisations that have gone above and beyond in pursuit of a fairer workplace, and that’s why there are diversity and inclusion awards.

Just like the awards databases we host for entrepreneur awards and technology awards, our new diversity and inclusion awards database provides details on and links to a variety of offerings. We will update it weekly to ensure that it includes the most up-to-date information, but if you spot something that’s missing, get in touch and we’ll add it as soon as possible.

Check out the diversity and inclusion awards database here.

At TopLine Comms, we are continually working to create a diverse, inclusive workplace, as well as ensuring that all of our work is consistent with these values. We are proud, for instance, to have been recognised as a great place to work for women. If you’re interested in working with us, get in touch.

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We’ve trained 3,000 students in B2C and B2B PR

Our best-selling public relations course, the Ultimate Public Relations Masterclass, has now trained over 3,000 people. Launched in July 2019, the course offers everything you need to know to be successful at PR in a digital world.

The Ultimate Public Relations Masterclass quickly climbed the ranks to become Udemy’s top-rated and best-selling online public relations course, with a course rating of 4.5 stars from over 1,000 reviews. Students have called it “engaging”, “insightful,” “practical” and “fun”.

The course covers an introduction to PR, research and strategy planning, generating ideas, writing for PR, media relations, social media, search marketing and issues management. There is also a section on planning and launching a PR career.

Heather Baker, our CEO who runs the course comments: “We are so happy to pass the 3,000 student milestone. PR has changed dramatically over the past decade and it’s important that the next generation of PR professionals gets both a solid grounding in traditional media relations tactics and a detailed understanding how to approach digital PR.”

Students who have taken the course hail from 108 countries and speak 31 languages.

To enrol on the Ultimate Public Relations Masterclass, click here.

UK university ransomware FoI results

As a leading B2B PR agency we like to practice what we preach. As such we regularly run our own online PR campaigns related to tech PR subjects that interest us, like cyber security. This campaign involved us submitting Freedom of Information requests to 134 universities in July 2020 to establish how many had been subject to ransomware attacks. Of the 105 universities that responded, 35 admitted to being attacked (33%), 25 said they hadn’t been (24%) and 43 refused to answer (45%).

With most universities reporting isolated incidents, Sheffield Hallam University and City, University of London stood out, reporting 42 attacks since 2013, and seven attacks since 2014, respectively. The following table contains the results in full. Please contact us if you’d like the data in a spreadsheet for further analysis.

University/ Question	Has your university been subject to any ransomware attacks in the last ten years (definition of ransomware here)?	If so, when did they take place?	Have you paid a ransom/s in return for data stolen during aforementioned ransomware attack/s?	If you’ve paid ransom/s, then what’s the total amount you’ve paid?
Queen Margaret University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Leicester	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Essex	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Royal College of Art	Does not hold info	Does not hold info	Does not hold info	Does not hold info
Glyndŵr University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Royal Academy of Music	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Manchester Metropolitan University	No	No	No	No
De Montfort University	Yes	2019 & 2016	No, restored all affected data via our enterprise backup solution	n/a
University College London	Yes	14th June 2017	No ransom was paid.	n/a
University of Bedfordshire	no	n/a	no	n/a
Aberystwyth University	Yes	Cant confirm	no	n/a
University of Wolverhampton	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
UAL	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Oxford Brookes University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Brighton	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
The University of Edinburgh	No	No	No	No
University of Winchester	Yes	2016	No	n/a
University of London	Yes	January 2016	No	n/a
University of Bradford	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Barbican / Guildhall School of Music & Drama	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
London Business School	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Queen’s University Belfast	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Warwick	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Teesside University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Cranfield University	Yes	2016 and 2017	no	n/a
Queen Mary University of London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
London South Bank University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Heriot-Watt University	Yes	refused – 35(2)(g) – FOISA section	No	n/a
Liverpool John Moores University	Yes	2017	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Northampton	Yes	2017	No	n/a
University of Sussex	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Leeds Beckett University	Yes	September 2016 February 2017 June 2017	No	n/a
University of Strathclyde	refused – section 30(c) – (FOISA)	refused – section 30(c) – (FOISA)	refused – section 30(c) – (FOISA)	refused – section 30(c) – (FOISA)
University of Leeds	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Coventry University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Northumbria University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Huddersfield	Yes	June 2018 and September 2018	No	n/a
Nottingham Trent University	Yes	2014	No	n/a
St George’s University of London	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Manchester	Yes	Not recorded	n/a	n/a
University of Bath	Yes	Not recorded	No	n/a
SOAS, University of London	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Cumbria	Yes	October 2015	No	n/a
Kingston University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
York St John University	refused – Section 43 (2) – FOIA	refused – Section 43 (2) – FOIA	refused – Section 43 (2) – FOIA	refused – Section 43 (2) – FOIA
Robert Gordon University	Yes	2015 & 2016	No	n/a
Buckinghamshire New University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Sheffield Hallam University	Yes	42 attacks since 2013	No	n/a
University of Reading	Yes	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	No	No
Harper Adams University	Yes	2016	No	n/a
The Royal Veterinary College	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of East Anglia	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA
Durham University	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA	refused – 12 – FOIA
Anglia Ruskin University	Yes	2014-15	No	n/a
Canterbury Christ Church University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Worcester	No	n/a	No	n/a
University of Hertfordshire	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Edinburgh Napier University	refused – 35(1)(a) – FOISA	refused – 35(1)(a) – FOISA	refused – 35(1)(a) – FOISA	refused – 35(1)(a) – FOISA
Bath Spa University	No	n/a	No	n/a
University of Oxford	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA
City, University of London	Yes	14th April 2014 23rd June 2015 26th June 2015 19th Feb 2016 16th June 2016 1st February 2017 16th February 2017	No	n/a
University of Plymouth	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Liverpool Hope University	Yes	2015	No	n/a
The University of Sheffield	Yes	2015	No	n/a
Cardiff University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Cardiff Metropolitan University	Yes	July 2016	No	n/a
Glasgow Caledonian University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Chichester	Yes	2015	No	n/a
University of the West of England	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
King’s College London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Royal College of Music	Yes	March 2015	No	n/a
Imperial College London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Cambridge	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of West London	Yes	Once in early 2017 and twice in early 2020	No	n/a
Abertay University	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Aston University	refused – section 43(2) – FOIA	refused – section 43(2) – FOIA	refused – section 43(2) – FOIA	refused – section 43(2) – FOIA
University of Glasgow	refused – 30 – FOISA	refused – 30 – FOISA	refused – 30 – FOISA	refused – 30 – FOISA
Swansea University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Nottingham	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Goldsmiths, University of London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Brunel University London	Yes	2015	No	n/a
University of Greenwich	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Birmingham City University	Yes	n/a	No	n/a
University of York	refused – 36 (2c) – FOIA	refused – 36 (2c) – FOIA	refused – 36 (2c) – FOIA	refused – 36 (2c) – FOIA
University of St Andrews	refused – 18 – FOISA	refused – 18 – FOISA	refused – 18 – FOISA	refused – 18 – FOISA
Ulster University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Liverpool	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Exeter	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Sunderland	Yes	2017	No	n/a
Bournemouth University	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Newcastle University	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA	refused – 31(3) – FOIA
University of South Wales	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
Royal Holloway, University of London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
Lancaster University	Yes	2013, 2015	No	n/a
University of Surrey	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Derby	Yes	Feb 2016	No	n/a
University of the West of Scotland	Yes	25th January 2016	No	n/a
University of Salford	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of East London	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
University of Portsmouth	No	n/a	n/a	n/a
University of Stirling	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA	refused – 31.1.a – FOIA
The Open University	Yes	January 9 2013 and January 1 2014	No	n/a
University of Aberdeen	Information not held	n/a	No	n/a
University of Gloucestershire	Yes	2015/16	No	n/a

It’s official: TopLine is a great place to work for women!

We are incredibly excited to announce that TopLine has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces™ for Women! Awarded by Great Place To Work, the award recognises UK organisations that are ‘leading the way in creating equal opportunities for women in their workplace’.

At TopLine, we have worked hard to create a fair and trusting environment – for women and everybody else – and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve further. We believe that inclusion is a fundamental necessity, and that if any person feels uncomfortable or unwelcome in our office, we can’t succeed as a team. But don’t just take our word for it – the TopLine team are happy to share what this award means to them.

Micky said: “Being a woman that works at TopLine, I think it’s fantastic news that we have ranked in the Great Places to Work for Women list! I’m so glad I have the pleasure of working at such an amazing company, and it also makes me feel proud to be a part of the TopLine team!”

The men of TopLine were similarly enthusiastic, with Tom saying: “I’m really proud to work for a woman-led company where gender equality and diversity has always come so naturally. It’s always been a given at TopLine for everyone to be treated with respect and it’s a great culture to be a part of.”

Sian said that “Being a woman at TopLine has never felt like a disadvantage. It’s a non-issue, and that’s something we certainly don’t take for granted. I’m really proud that we’ve been recognised and included on the Great Places to Work for Women list – because it really is a great place to work and be a woman!”

Rob took the opportunity to reflect on the role of female colleagues as “both allies and mentors,” adding that he “learns from them all the time.” Having a balanced workplace, Katy mentioned, “brings with it a range of perspectives, experiences and inspirations.”

While celebrating, the team fully recognises that this award is a milestone in an ongoing effort and not the conclusion of our efforts. Jenna said: “Gender inequality is something that still remains a major problem in today’s society. We’re leaps and bounds ahead of where we used to be 100 years ago, but there is still a very long way to go. Working for a company that acknowledges the gaps we still face as a society but works towards filling those is essential for me. I’m so happy to be a part of a company that celebrates women and builds them. I feel proud to be a woman at TopLine Comms today.”

Bronwen added: “It’s refreshing to work for a company that values and supports women. Gender equality in the workplace is so important. We’ve come a long way – and despite the progress, there’s still a long way to go – but I’m proud to be a part of a company that understands that and works towards minimising these gaps.”

The sentiment was echoed by Jack: “I’m grateful that the company recognises that none of us can truly succeed while women held back, spoken over, or paid less for the same work. I’m proud to work for a company making continuing, proactive efforts to create an inclusive environment.” Ben added the importance of “pushing for workplace equality for women” in some of the male-dominated industries that TopLine works with, “like fintech.”

Katie S said “TopLine’s inclusion in the Great Places to Work for Women list is testament to the great work the company is doing to create a fair and supportive workplace for all. I’m proud to be part of a team that is striving to provide equal opportunities and support women in their careers.”

Brent also voiced the principle that “gender equality is good for everyone” and that it “affects us all.” He said that he is “proud to be a part of a company that takes it seriously” and that it’s “great to be a part of a team that celebrates the role of women in the workplace.”

In short, as Katie C put it, “I’ve always known that it’s great to work at TopLine as a woman, so I’m really happy to see it recognised officially!”

At TopLine, we’re proud that we’re headed in the right direction, and we recognise that there’s still a long way to go toward creating a workplace – and a society – that is fully inclusive of all genders and people from all backgrounds. We extend our gratitude to Great Places to Work for the recognition, and we pledge to continue to uphold our commitment to gender equality.

Written by: Jenna Rosmarin, Comms Executive at TopLineComms

We’re one of PR Week’s top UK consultancies

TopLine Comms has made PR Week’s ranking of its top 150 UK PR consultancies for the fourth year in a row. This year, we jumped 15 places to rank 116^th.

The rankings are based on UK revenues for the 2019 calendar year, with TopLine enjoying a 7% increase in revenue over that period.

Heather Baker, TopLine’s CEO, comments:

“It feels good to be recognised as one of the leading UK PR agencies, particularly in an economically challenging 2019 when, like so many agencies in our industry, we were battling against budget cuts and uncertainty caused by Brexit. And it’s useful to have these rankings as a benchmark to see how the industry as a whole is faring.
“I’m particularly proud of our passionate team, who continue to deliver an excellent level of service to our longstanding tech, education, science, engineering and fintech PR clients. I’d like to extend a huge ‘thank-you’ to all TopLiners who worked so hard to make 2019 a success. I know things are tough at the moment, with so much uncertainty in every area of our lives, but I have an enormous amount of respect for the professionalism, compassion, diligence and creativity being displayed at every level of this organisation”

Sian’s not loafing around with her home bakery

TopLine Film’s senior producer, Sian and her partner Tom, who is a chef, have started their very own community bakery in Croydon! The effort began with simple offers of bread to neighbours, but word of the mouth-watering loaves and focaccia quickly spread. They have since transformed their humble home bakery into Chatsworth Bakehouse: an initiative to supply their local Croydon community with fresh bread in exchange for donations to hostels, food-banks, soup kitchens, and other worthy causes. Sian and Tom have even expanded into a professional kitchen, which they were offered free of charge, to meet the incredible demand!

Katie S’ passion for fashion

Comms consultant Katie has taken her love of fashion to a whole new level in lockdown by taking two Business of Fashion courses: ‘Fashion History’ and ‘Fashion Styling and Image Making’. She has completed the online courses, and now Katie is a certified fashionista. We have always known Katie has a love for fashion, and we can’t wait to see her stylish meeting attire once we’re all back in the office. If that’s not enough of a devotion to couture, Katie has also written for cutting-edge fashion magazine, Schön! Check out her latest excellent article on the actress and film director Hannah Marks here.

Brent’s green thumb

At TopLine, we care about the environment on both a large scale and a small one. Brent, our graphic designer, is taking that commitment to the next step by planting a sustainable vegetable garden. It’s a peaceful pastime, a great way to stay busy and at the end of it, he’ll have some wonderful fresh vegetables!

Katie C hits the roof

Due to the restrictions of COVID-19 in South Africa, comms consultant and copywriter Katie C wanted to find a way to soak up the South African sun without breaking the new regulations put in place by the government. To do so, she decided to bravely scale her building. After clambering up a pretty dodgy ladder, Katie discovered an incredible vista laid out before her, and she sent in this photo. Katie has promised to find a safer way of getting up next time, and she intends to pack a picnic. Life is all about perspective!

Jenna is putting her mind to mental health awareness

Comms executive Jenna has always emphasised the fundamental importance of mental health, and this topic is more important in these uncertain times than ever before. Jenna has put her writing, photography and social media skills to good use by creating incredible Instagram posts musing on this important topic. She talks about her own struggles as well as various tools that others can use to help themselves. At TopLine we prioritise mental health, and only by supporting one another can we make it through tough times. Don’t suffer in silence! You can check out Jenna’s initiative here.

Luke is logging hours in the woodshed

Luke, our head of digital PR and SEO, has taken a creative approach to keeping his kids occupied: he’s converting an old cupboard into a soapbox racing car for them. We can’t wait to see the looks on their faces as Luke sends them down a hill for the first time. The wheels are on the way, but check out the picture of the partially constructed vehicle below.

Dana is sketching en plein air

Dana, TopLine Film’s animator, has been going to the nearby woodlands for some nature drawing. She has found that it’s a really relaxing way to get some mental space – and with social distancing, people have tended to leave her in peace! Check out Dana’s incredible sketches below – we love the lively linework.

Micky is solving puzzles

Office manager Micky spends her days solving logistical puzzles for the business, but she’s taken to an entirely different type of puzzle in her spare time. She has taken on a table full of jigsaw puzzles together with her family as a way to spend time together and pass the time. One thing we can appreciate about being in lockdown is the opportunity for nostalgia and good old-fashioned pastimes. Micky has taken this to heart, check out her progress:

Stay safe, stay creative!

There you have it, that’s a small slice of what the TopLiners have been up to during their social isolation for World Creativity and Innovation Day – after all, a caged bird still sings. When we’re not baking or climbing on rooftops, we’re a B2B PR agency. To find out what a creative, innovative PR campaign could do for your business, contact us today.

Moving office – behind the scenes

Near the end of 2019, we decided that it was time to find TopLine Comms and TopLine Film a new home. The decision was partly due to company growth, but also because our flexible working policy (which allows our employees to work from home up to twice a week, or to work flexible hours) meant that we weren’t making use of all the desks and space we had. It made sense to rethink our space, so that’s exactly what we did.

As a B2B PR agency in London, we think it’s important to be around other creative companies, in both a flexible and quirky work environment. We didn’t want to add extra time to everyone’s daily commute, so the location was crucial. Plus, the space needed to be dog-friendly and have a really good coffee machine!

Of course, moving office isn’t all glamour and we certainly faced some bumps in the road. This included things like making sure the internet speed was up to scratch in our new serviced office; adjusting to flexible desk spaces; moving furniture and equipment from one office to the other and of course, making sure it felt like home. But we got there in the end and can now safely say that we feel right at home in our new space.

Helpful tips when considering an office move

Before starting the process of moving office, it’s worth making sure that you understand how the IT system works in all the potential new office spaces you look at. This means that once you do make the move, you won’t have any delays or issues and you can be up and running straight away.

Finding a space that fit our criteria was proving to be a bit of a task, so we decided to look into the proptech market (particularly proptech in London) to find a platform that could help us. We found that the company KONTOR was well-suited to finding us a new office space. They asked for our requirements, such as the number of people in our team; how many desks we needed; what our IT requirements were and then went to work on finding us some potential new office spaces.

There are also other proptech companies, such as Hubble, which can provide help when you’re considering making the move. Have a look online at the different proptech apps and services to find what’s best for you – you don’t need to face moving office on your own!

Also, it may really help to use apps such as Citymapper when you’re trying to work out the possible new commute times for your team. It’s downloadable on most smartphones and is super easy to use and very accurate.

TopLine has now settled in at The Office Group, and we LOVE our new office. We have great views of Tottenham Court Road and Russel Square, and it’s also allowed the team to work and collaborate with people they wouldn’t usually get the chance to.

All of us here at TopLine look forward to welcoming you at our new office soon!

Written by: Michaela Lee, Office Manager

Becoming one of the best places to work in the UK

Company culture and reputation are important because they affect everything, from sales and marketing to client relations and recruitment. Having great people is an essential part of running a B2B PR agency, which is why at TopLine Comms, we spend a lot of time on our people strategy. We know that we need to keep the great people we already have, to attract the best clients, and vice versa. PR is a competitive field, and PR pros have plenty of choice in where to work, so we do our best to keep our people happy – and to keep them at TopLine.

One of the main ways to do that is to gather in-depth, specific data on where we are succeeding and where we can improve. That’s why we turned to the Great Place to Work® UK (GPTW UK) Best Workplaces™ survey. This year, we submitted for the second time – and while we eagerly await the results, we’re taking the time to reflect on the process and what we’ve learned from previous years.

Encouraging two-way dialogue

The best way to find out what people want is to ask them. We run monthly ‘start, stop, continue’ surveys with our team, where they get to tell us (anonymously) what they would like TopLine to start, stop and continue doing.

In addition, a while ago, we made a long list of current and potential future benefits that we could offer and compared them to other equivalent size companies. Once we finalised our list, we ran a workshop with the entire team to discuss what people valued. Sure enough, our team told us what they wanted – and generally, it wasn’t too much to ask.

The next step was completing the GPTW Best Workplaces™ survey and analysing the results.

The survey works as an analysis tool, a platform for recognition of your efforts, and it helps to attract new talent. The process starts with the Trust Index© survey with employees. It measures the level of trust and engagement within the organisation, considering factors such as values and ethics, leadership effectiveness, inclusivity, wellbeing, and innovation.

Next is the Culture Audit© assessment, which is an extremely detailed piece of work based on our policies, processes and results. The combined results of these assessments determined our success and ranking as a 2019 Best Workplace™.

The work paid off, as TopLine Comms ranked sixth in the UK’s Best Workplaces™ 2019 small business category. We are also grateful that we were recognised as a ‘Best Workplace™ for Women,’ and we have received the ‘Excellence in Wellbeing’ accreditation for two years running.

Using the process to make changes

They say that anything worth having doesn’t come easy, and in this case, we tend to agree – the award entry is detailed and takes some time. But it’s worth it: not only do you (hopefully) get an award, but you also gather insights about your company that you might not have done otherwise.

After you receive your results, GPTW UK provides a detailed employee engagement report that highlights key areas of strength and areas for improvement. Upon getting ours, we split the whole company into three teams to look at where we did well, where results appeared inconsistent, and where we fell short. Each group discussed the results and contributed their ideas for achieving and maintaining a high score, and we collated the feedback to inform our action planning.

The work didn’t stop once we got our award. We’ve continued taking on further CSR and engagement initiatives and we are always working to improve. We’re proud to put our employees first and honestly believe this is the key to our success as a B2B PR agency.

For more information on GPTW UK, check out this case study, and watch this space for our 2020 results!