The employees of WingSwept look forward to coming to work each day – they care about their colleagues, their careers, and their collective success. Accomplishments are rewarded and recognized, and every member of the staff has a financial stake in the company’s success. WingSwept not only puts its profits back into its employees based on their performance each month, it also gives back to charities that make a difference in their community.

Multiple times a week, staff are challenged with quick virtual trivia games. Every month, there’s a company feast and another fun gathering – families are invited to attend quarterly, too.

At North State Bank, employees are valued as “whole people” with families, challenges, and full lives outside of the office. Since their founding, the company has lived by their core values of integrity, hard work, teamwork, consistency, and fairness. With a culture of respect and dignity for all, bank employees are fully supported in continued learning and service to their communities.

All year round, there is something to celebrate at North State Bank: from dressing up for Halloween and Fun Day inspired by elementary school field days in the spring to food-loving events like chili cook-offs and visits from the ice cream truck every summer.

At Jackrabbit Technologies, their culture is all about caring – for their clients, partners, communities, and each other. The company’s founders strive to foster the best possible environment for their employees to achieve and grow in their skills and in their careers. Staff are regularly recognized for their service and their accomplishments with gifts, shoutouts, and peer-selected awards.

Jackrabbit employees volunteer regularly to help serve their communities, and they take time to bond with each other at happy hours, dinners, and other team-building activities.

Personify helps other companies recruit top-tier employees – so it’s no surprise that they know what it takes to hire and retain good people. They put culture first, and regularly check in with their staff to see how they can improve. Through surveys, focus groups with the CEO, and town halls, all team members are encouraged to share ideas and feedback with management.

Employee-run committees overseeing community outreach; diversity, equity & inclusion; employee onboarding; wellness; and work-hard-play-hard activities help make the work environment fun, positive, and humble. Dogs are free to come to the office, and everyone is welcome to compete in friendly games like the company-wide Olympics.

It takes significant time, knowledge, and dedication to pass the four-part exam to become a Certified Professional Accountant – that’s something the employees at Bernard Robinson & Company know well. It’s also why staff who pass the full exam receive a $1,500 bonus.

In addition to recognizing hard work and expertise, BRC supports a healthy work/life balance in a variety of ways, including flexible summer hours and help from IT to set up home offices. Staff find plenty of ways to have fun and stay healthy: they spend time at the office puzzle station, volunteer together, participate in the local kickball league, and compete in walking challenges.

Blue Ridge Energy strives to “make life better” for both its customers and its employees. The company and all of its staff live by its core values: honesty, integrity, respect and appreciation for others, commitment to safety and environmental stewardship, and exceptional service.

In addition to generous benefits and pay, the company awards staff for length of service, upholding safety standards, and performance goal achievements with money, gifts, and other recognition. Throughout the office, there are collaboration stations for colleagues to gather together both informally and formally. Blue Ridge Energy gives back, too: they provide support and care packages for active duty military families.

VisionPoint Marketing is a mission-driven agency where employees are cared for and have plenty of opportunities for fun and growth. To go along with its generous benefits package, the company fosters a workplace culture focused on professional development and recognition, like with its monthly, quarterly, and annual employee-selected MVP Awards.

Every quarter features a Fantastic Friday, where staff take the afternoon off for fun activities like lake trips, bowling, and movie days. During busy seasons, random mental health days are given to employees to help them relax and recharge. A special bonus for pet owners: furry friends are welcome in the office any time!

After more than 85 years in business, ES&E has learned a thing or two about keeping employees happy. Their core values are the heart of their culture, and their staff appreciates the engaging, supportive, and committed working environment.

Each year at the holiday party, employees marking 5, 10, or more years with the company receive cash gifts in recognition of their service. Staff can give away their own “Essie Bucks” to reward their colleagues’ good work and dedication, too. ES&E finds ways to celebrate and bond with each other throughout the year with raffles, giveaways, company lunches, food trucks, and more.

Champion Credit Union calls on all employees to strive to be bold, passionate, and exceptional – but the company also knows that for its employees to be successful, they need to create a happy, healthy, and supportive working environment. Offering generous health, work-life balance, and financial benefits, CCU fosters a culture of growth and positivity.

Employees are celebrated frequently for their birthdays, Employee Appreciation Day, and for their service to each other and their community. CCU hosts regular events and contests – like the annual gingerbread house competition – that make the workplace dynamic and fun.

It hasn’t been easy to operate an office technology company in a pandemic, but Copiers Plus has managed to grow despite the challenges and continues to treat its employees with compassion, respect, and fairness. When equipment supply chain issues disrupted the typical deadlines for employees to receive their commissions, the company paid those commissions anyway, in advance.

Longtime CEO Bob Smith makes it a point to say hello to all, remembers employee birthdays, and recognizes work anniversaries in front of all staff. Generosity, integrity, leadership, and hard work are core values at Copiers Plus, and each employee lives those values every day.

As a quickly expanding pest control company, Go-Forth Pest Control focuses on supporting both the personal and professional growth of its employees. With a full on-site gym, yoga classes, complementary healthy snacks, and sessions on stress management and self-care, Go-Forth invests heavily in their team’s well-being.

Staff at Go-Forth work with their managers to chart their career and salary goals, and make a plan to achieve those goals together. Reaching team-wide goals are celebrated with fun activities like bowling, meals out, golf, and go-cart riding, and all employees and their families enjoy regular outings at the beach, festivals, and local sports games.

At Braven Environmental, employees are committed to solving the world’s plastics challenges and to making the planet a better place. Team members can see their value in helping to develop and share ground-breaking technology, and everyone pitches in on projects, no matter their job titles.

A diverse and collaborative workplace, Braven’s team shares their ideas, values, and works together to carry out the company’s mission. With generous benefits and ample opportunities for career growth, employees find fulfillment in their work.