Basis Named Ad Age's #1 Best Place to Work: An Interview with Michelle Michael

Basis has been named Ad Age's #1 Best Places to Work in its 2024 rankings, leading all companies with over 200 employees. The annual list honors companies that are "quantifiably ahead of the pack", factoring in everything from pay, to benefits, to corporate culture and leadership.

The list for 2024 is particularly notable, showcasing 50 companies after a year in which advertising businesses faced the joint challenges of an unsettled economy, a changing media market, and a tight talent pool.

In its story, Ad Age recognized Basis for its industry-leading benefits and culture, including its popular Flex Friday initiative:

"Throughout 2023," it notes, "Basis offered a program of flexible Fridays, during which employees were allowed a respite from the normal wheelspin to take time as they saw fit, such as completing personal errands, learning new professional skills or getting a head start on the weekend. Basis tinkered with the format, alternating each week between a full day and half day of flexibility in order to find the right balance of productivity and relaxation. The program became a win-win for employer and employees...and the company is continuing it in the form of weekly half-days of flexibility through 2024."

To find out more about what this recognition means to Basis, we spoke with Michelle Michael (VP, Talent Acquisition) about the honor and what makes Basis such a special place to work.

Let's start with a big one: Why do you think Basis is such a special place to work?

Michelle Michael: Everyone always says, “It’s the people.” And even though it sounds cliché, it’s true. We treat people like human beings, and we encourage everyone to be their whole selves at Basis. 

I’ve been here for 10 years, and I’ve never seen an attitude of “This isn’t my problem,” or “I'm too busy to help you,” or “I don't care what's going on with you”. In my experience, it's been the opposite of a toxic culture, and people feel cared for. They feel supported. And that's true regardless of whether it's about work or in your personal life.

When it comes to perks and benefits, what do you think people most value about working at Basis?

MM: I think people really value Basis’ emphasis on flexibility and support.

Our flexible paid time off policy, Flex Fridays, and the ability to work remotely allow our people to work and use their time in ways that are best for them. Basis’ contributions to employees’ health savings accounts, 401k accounts, and student loan payments allow for financial freedom and for employees to accomplish more with their money. Flexibility with time and money is always going to be a top benefit for people!

When it comes to support, Basis offers amazing resources like access to mental health apps such as Ginger and Headspace, an annual wellness and benefits event called Wellnesspalooza, and custom training and education programming. We always try to take the extra step at every opportunity to support our people.

Support at Basis also goes beyond traditional “benefits”. It’s a part of our culture: It’s getting a gift in the mail after you have a baby with your partner, it’s getting flowers if you're going through a challenging time in your life, it’s a virtual party thrown by your coworkers for your 10-year anniversary—that’s the kind of culture we have here at Basis.

What does this recognition mean to you, and to Basis?

MM: It’s very validating. So many people here work really hard to make Basis special. From the tech teams making a product that is changing the industry for the better, to the services teams that put clients’ needs first, to the Talent & Development team that is constantly curating a wonderful experience for our employees. It definitely feels validating to have that sort of work, care, and culture recognized and celebrated.

Why do you think being a great place to work makes a difference for Basis as a company, what do you think it means for our clients/users?

Basis subscribes to the belief that the happier our employees are, the better we can service our clients, and the happier they're going to be, too.

It's all connected. Our founder, Shawn, knew this from day one, when he said that happy employees lead to better ROI, meaning happier clients and more success. Because you're not going to have a successful company or a successful product (at least, not for long!) if you have miserable people working for you. This type of recognition and celebration only motivates us to do more—to be more innovative, to be more supportive, and to continue to listen closely to our employees so that we can continue to create the type of environment that makes Basis so special.

At Basis Technologies, we believe we're most successful when our employees feel like the best version of themselves. To celebrate this recognition, we asked a few members of our incredible team to share what working at Basis means to them: