100 Best Companies to Work For 2019: Midsize Companies

This story appears as the cover story of the July 2019 issue. Click here for a free subscription.

Rankings are derived from scores assigned to each company based on confidential employee surveys. The city reference is the companys home office and the employee count represents the companys full-time Washington workforce. Quotes are actual comments by employees.

1. HIGHSPOT
Collaborate across boundaries
Location: Seattle | Washington Employees: 130
Highspot Inc., a sales-enablement technology company, helps its customers, such as Amazon, Starbucks and Dropbox, leverage marketing and sales resources via a powerful digital platform that features search capabilities, analytics, training, guided selling and some 50-plus technology integrations all powered by an artificial-intelligence engine.

The company also offers stellar benefits, including an employee stock-purchase plan, flexible work and vacation options, comprehensive health care coverage, generous parental leave and more. In addition, Highspot employees enjoy other perks, including fun company outings (such as Mariners games and trips to entertainment venues like GameWorks); cooking classes; beer and kombucha on tap; and catered lunches.

Culture is the catalyst for company success, Chief Executive Officer Robert Wahbe says.

We have built a team of people who collaborate across boundaries and an environment where people are free to bring their full selves to the office every day.

Highspot, which recently raised $60 million, has now raised nearly $122 million in several funding rounds.It also puts a premium on community involvement. It sponsors donation drives to benefit organizations such as Wellspring Family Services and the Domestic Abuse Womens Network.

The company also is committed to fostering diversity and inclusiveness in the workforce. It is a sponsor of the Ada Developers Academy, a training organization focused on expanding opportunities in the tech sector for historically underrepresented populations.

2. EVERGREEN BEAUTY COLLEGE
Everett | Post-Secondary Education Institution | Employees: 61
No matter how busy the owners are, they make time to visit every campus and build that relationship with their employees and the students. They truly care about all their staff and see them as family.

3. SWEENEY CONRAD P.S.
Bellevue | Accounting And Business Advisory Firm | Employees: 70
Amazing flexibility of schedule with fair compensation and autonomy. The work you put in and your progress are always noticed and appreciated.

POSITIVITY. Textio CEO and co-founder Kieran Snyder, standing third from right, with, from left, Elijah Banks, Dawn Wright, Lorenzo Juarez, Jonathan Meas and Margie Henry.

4. TEXTIO
Accessible, intelligent, down-to-earth and compassionate people
Location: Seattle | Employees: 116
When Textio appeared last year in Seattle Business magazines 100 Best Companies to Work For issue, it had 69 employees. When company executives filled out this years nomination form, it had 116. It now has 140.

We are really proud of the team weve built, says CEO and co-founder Kieran Snyder, who expects that the company will grow to 200 employees by the end of 2019. We prioritize hiring people with points of view, who can engage with ambiguous problems and approach them from the perspective of what is best for the customer.

Its no wonder that the company, founded in 2014, knows how to hire well. The augmented writing software it produces is designed to help companies communicate more precisely when writing job descriptions.

If you were really aware, every time you put pen to paper, of the language that would engage your audience, it would become a very powerful tool, Snyder says. But for employees of Textio, those are not just empty words.

Values such as curiosity and community run deep in the companys culture. Each quarter, Textio hosts an Exploreathon, where everyone has the freedom to explore any project they are interested in that benefits the company. Another central benefit is Textios volunteer program employees who spend three full work days volunteering have $500 donated to their favorite charity in their name.

The best ideas come from when we free people up to be curious and explore, Snyder says.

Employee comments on the nomination form reinforce that. One wrote: Absolutely great benefits for such a small company; I admire my CEO so much and love that she is a woman. I honestly feel the fact of having a strong woman as a leader speaks a lot to our culture. Another wrote: Our leadership team is made up of accessible, intelligent, down-to-earth and compassionate people. I love that you can be on a first-name basis with the CEO and have it be a normal, positive experience.

5. BIRCH EQUIPMENT RENTAL AND SALES CO. INC.
Bellingham | Construction-Equipment Rental Company | Employees: 75
We have a saying, How we do anything is how we do everything. It puts equal importance on all parts of our business and each individuals contributions to making every day a success.

6. OLYMPIA FEDERAL SAVINGS
Olympia | Mutual Savings And Loan | Employees: 120
They provided a wage that their employees can actually live off of as well as excellent health care at no cost to the employee. Im so happy to be a part of Oly Fed.

7. ACCOLADE INC.
Seattle | Health Care Services company | Employees: 100
Leadership cares about the well-being of employees. They understand we have lives outside the office, and to be successful in our work, we need to feel supported by those we work with.

8. TRILLIUM
Auburn | Employment-Services Nonprofit Serving The Disabled | Employees: 70
Trillium provides an atmosphere that fosters creativity. Each employee is valued for his/her unique skill set and encouraged to use their talents on the job.

9. DOMAINTOOLS
Seattle | Cybersecurity Company | Employees: 80
The best thing about working for DomainTools is that it feels like a family. We all love seeing our colleagues succeed, and there is great team spirit and enthusiasm for our work and our mission.

10. BERNTSON PORTER & CO. PLLC
Bellevue | Public Accounting Firm | Employees: 98
The company has a first-rate coaching process and works with each individual to develop a personal plan for success. The leadership has an all-company meeting once a month the fireside chat that shares important information.

11. GRAVITY PAYMENTS
Seattle | Credit Card Processor | Employees: 108
Some believe we pay $70K to everyone for the same job. We dont. That is our minimum. Everyone makes complex decisions daily, regardless of their title or level.

12. ICERTIS INC.
Bellevue | Contract-Management Software Company | Employees: 68
Promotions are common and are worked for, salary is higher than average with stock-ownership options. Did I mention Icertis caters free lunch every day? Aside from that, theres free parking every day.

13. XINOVA
Seattle | Company That Manages A Global Innovation Network | Employees: 66
I love the freedom to own and be responsible for the projects I take on. Its a creative and collaborative culture that I thrive in and a flexible workplace that supports my family time and work-life balance.

14. FLOWPLAY
Seattle | Online-Game Developer And Operator | Employees: 57
Warm, caring, high social-IQ place to work. Great Christmas bonuses. People here are happy and often mention it. That tells you something.

15. PACIFIC CAPITAL RESOURCSE GROUP INC.
Bellevue | Financial-Planning Firm | Employees: 60
Extremely flexible work environment that allows me a lot of autonomy. Thats important as a mother of two young kids.

16. FRESH CONSULTING
Bellevue | Technology Design And Development Company | Employees: 104
Fresh cares about individual growth just as much as company growth. This has always been a mainstay and is one of the main reasons there is low turnover.

ENGAGED EMPLOYEES. David Stiefel, Bader Martin managing principal, sitting at far right, with, from left, Rodney Fujita, Kelly Nelson, Ali Schultz and Natalie Novak.

17. BADER MARTIN P.S.
Culture that is inviting and rewarding
Location: Seattle | Employees: 89
As managing principal of Bader Martin P.S., David Stiefel is aware of the reputation many accounting firms have: Stuffy, rigid workplaces that are as hard and cold as the numbers employees deal with on a daily basis.

We try to make what could be a very dry and arduous business as pleasant as it can be. We are not stuffy; we are not corporate, Stiefel says. We have hierarchy, but were not hierarchical.

Employees agree. Wrote one on the Best Companies nomination form: Our company culture is outgoing and friendly. And we always put our clients first!

That doesnt happen by accident. Bader Martin hosts town-hall, company-wide meetings several times each year to keep employees updated. The staff organizes monthly, themed happy hours. During busy times of the year tax season in March and April and tax-extension filing deadlines in the fall the company caters meals to the office.
A therapist gives employees free 15- to 30-minute massages. There are espresso carts and raffles. The company closes at noon on Fridays during summer months.

But what really stands out on a day-to-day basis, notes Human Resources Director Natalie Novak, is the flexible, alternative work environment. The company has invested in technology to make working remotely seamless and efficient. Two employees work remotely in Florida. One works in Oregon.

Were actually going to have an employee working from a travel trailer soon, Novak says.
For Stiefel, it all adds up to productive, happy and engaged employees.

We really care about creating a firm culture that is inviting and rewarding, he says.

18. OAC SERVICES INC.
Seattle | Design And Construction-Management Company | Employees: 130
Leadership is committed to providing cutting-edge services to clients and employees. I like to see that there are well-thought-out strategic plans to address short- and long-term concerns.

19. OOKLA
Seattle | Internet-Technology Company | Employees: 58
Throughout the company, people share similar values on both working hard but also having a balance between work and personal life. The flexible work schedules and work-from-home ability is part of who we are.

20. AMPERITY
Seattle | Customer-Data Platform | Employees: 77
People genuinely invest in and celebrate each other, which creates this electric environment where everyone strives to help, learn from and motivate one another.

21. KENSCI
Seattle | Health Care Data Company | Employees: 50
The efforts to ensure a happy employee are evident. Work-life balance, integrity and trust are at the core of this company. Its KenScis mission to build a family and that message stems from the leadership down.

22. FLEXE
Seattle | Provider Of On-Demand Warehousing | Employees: 72
The management team is thinking about what needs to be done next to keep employees happy and taken care of as we grow. Theyre also finding new ways to get involved in our community and give back.

23. SEATTLE METROPOLITAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Seattle | Business Association | Employees: 53
Years ago, the chamber implemented paid parental leave. As a nonprofit, they were leading in this area. The leadership does its best to accommodate flexible schedules and to support various stages of life as well as life needs.

24. PIVOTAL COMMWARE
Kirkland | Developer Of High-Tech Antennas And Customized Software | Employees: 56
Snacks, coffee, flex time, fully paid employee medical/dental/vision Insurance, 401(k) matching and paid gym membership are just some of the perks of working here. The people are the best part, though.

25. SHIFTBOARD
Seattle | Provider Of Enterprise Workforce-Scheduling Software | Employees: 58
Shiftboard takes care of people, including flexibility for both maternity and paternity leave, as well as other time off as needed to meet personal needs.

26. NETMOTION SOFTWARE
Seattle | Mobility-Software Developer | Employees: 90
We have so many employees who have advanced their careers one and two times over within the company. As a result, we have great retention and engagement from employees.

27. AMERICAN INCOME LIFE – ALTIG
Redmond | Insurance Agency | Employees: 84
We get paid weekly. There are cash bonuses and incentives: 401(k), $100,000 of life insurance, generous paid time-off with vacation, sick time, critical-illness sick time, personal days, a birthday holiday. They put a high value on employee needs.

28. NINTEX
Bellevue | Business-Process Automation Company | Employees: 150
Nintex lives by an internal promotion system, always allowing current employees the opportunity to be the no-brainer for a promotion before outsourcing the hire. There is so much room for growth.

29. REDCLOUD CONSULTING
Bellevue | Management-Consulting Firm | Employees: 85
Best agency Ive ever worked for. Not a lot of agencies provide medical, dental and 401k for their consultants, a great work space plus laptops to begin their assignments.

30. HANSON CONSULTING GROUP
Kirkland | Woman-Owned Business-Consulting Firm | Employees: 75
Micromanagement is kept to a minimum, but if issues arise, I can loop in management for their input and they will have my back. I also appreciate the [high-quality] medical and dental insurance packages.

31. SUBSPLASH
Seattle | Software Company | Employees: 102
“I htink the attitude toward problems is what distinguishes between a good workplace and a great workplace. Our leadership looks at the problems that arise through the lens of employees.”

The nominating process for the 100 Best Companies to Work For starts in September and runs through December at seattlebusinessmag.com. Winners are recognized in the July issue of Seattle Business and at a gala celebration in late June at the Washington State Convention Center that attracts more than 1,300 attendees. For more information on the program, contact Ariana Taylor at [email protected].