Outrank ranks among top workplaces

A Teesside digital marketing agency has been named among the UK’s best small workplaces after achieving standout employee engagement scores.

Middlesbrough-based Outrank has secured a place in the Top 10 Best Small Places to Work in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work list.

The recognition marks the second consecutive year the full-service agency has appeared in the rankings and the first time it has broken into the top ten.

Outrank achieved a 99 per cent average engagement score, with a 96 per cent response rate from its team, placing it 12 per cent above the marketing and advertising sector benchmark.

Bosses say its open-door recruitment policy, welcoming applicants at any time rather than hiring only to fill vacancies, has helped support loyalty, growth and low staff turnover.

Operations director Francesca Kosina said: “Across every measure – wellbeing, recognition, empowerment, job satisfaction – our team scored us at 98 per cent or 99 per cent. 

“We’ve grown quickly, and fast growth can put culture under pressure. 

“The fact that these scores have held up, and actually improved, tells us we’re managing that growth in the right way.”

Head of culture Lucy Stirman added: “People aren’t just turning up, they want to be here, they’re invested, and they feel like the business is invested in them too.

“Building that kind of environment takes time and it takes intention. 

“I'm incredibly proud of what the whole team has created.”

The accolade comes during a period of continued growth for the agency, which now employs more than 60 people, up from 43 just over a year ago.

Recent recruitment has included senior board appointments Amit Aggarwal, an M&A specialist, and David Crawford, former managing director of Branded3.

Founder Stephen Robinson added: “Making the Sunday Times Top 10 is a genuinely significant moment for us. 

“Not because of the ranking itself, but because of what sits behind it – the scores came directly from our team, and they were exceptional.

“When your own people rate you that highly, it tells you that the culture you have worked so hard to build is actually being felt day to day.”

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