Ingredients for a Best Place to Work: At Children’s World Uniform Supply (asi/161711), transparency is key for building a welcoming and engaging work environment. “No one likes surprises,” says Tim Holliday, who owns the Sarasota, FL-based school uniform supplier along with his wife, Cynthia. “We truly look at our employees as teammates and treat them as such. We involve employees in everything.”

Children’s World Uniform Supply (asi/161711) employees wine and dine at a holiday party in December, where they participated in a cooking class and made pasta, focaccia and tiramisu to enjoy.

For example, many aspects of the culture began as suggestions from employees. “Every year after our busy season, we take employees out for a surprise meeting and event where we debrief what went well, as well as what could be done differently,” Holliday explains. “Many of the things we do today came from those meetings.”

Top Benefits & Perks: Children’s World provides generous paid vacation and holidays to its full-time employees, and staff members receive regular reviews, opportunities for bonuses and more. “We celebrate each team member’s birthday with a surprise cake of their liking, and we offer free snacks,” Holliday says. The office’s “Relax Room” features a reclining sofa, massager, TV, fridge, microwave and dimmable lights, offering employees a space to relax or take a break during the day. The company also offers a program where it provides financial assistance and support to employees going through major life events, such as buying their first car, purchasing a house or attending college. Children’s World also gives opportunities for staff to spend certain work days volunteering in their community.

Parting Tip: Be an open book. “We train our team on everything and empower them to make decisions without asking for approval,” Holliday says.

If Children’s World Uniform Supply Were a TV Show, It Would Be Cheers. “We encourage our employees to do more than just serve them, but to really know them,” Holliday says. “That’s different than what you find at most places.”