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Rank: 34
Promotional Consultants (asi/300790), St. Louis, Mo

This “History Wall” shows how the company has evolved over time.

Benefits & Perks: Full benefit packages. Annual and holiday bonuses. On their birthday, employees receive a free lunch and get to pick where the entire company chows down that day. Company trips to the bowling alley, miniature golf course and St. Louis Cardinals games. Gym memberships and annual wellness programs.

Workspace Highlights: Personalized creations, including a “History Wall,” which details how much the company has evolved over the years. A meditation room has been discussed and may be added in the near future.

Generally speaking, it’s not a good sign when all of a company’s employees are looking to escape. But in the case of Promotional Consultants, a literal escape is just what the doctor ordered.

Earlier this year, all 17 employees participated in a Mastermind Room Escape. “It’s a good team-building experiment. You can watch everybody do their thing, and see the shy ones break out and work together,” says Caroline Koch, a fulfillment manager who’s been with the distributor nearly 17 years.

Breaking down barriers is among the top keys to Promotional Consultants’ success – and staffers say it makes coming to work an enjoyable, family-like gathering, rather than just another place people have to be for eight hours a day, five days a week.

“The big thing is probably the people here,” says Jason Lenny, the distributor’s marketing coordinator. “It’s a pretty small group, and a relaxed atmosphere. You can be yourself. Everybody gets along well. It doesn’t feel like work sometimes.”

Perhaps the most important ingredient to Promotional Consultants’ family feel is empathy. The company fosters that by ensuring co-workers get to know each other beyond the office. Every month last year, the company did “buddy lunches,” in which each employee was paired with another employee for a paid lunch – but with one catch.

“You couldn’t talk about work,” Koch says. “It had to be something so that you would know what that person’s going through at home, just finding out what’s going on. It’s getting you to know that person better on a different level.”

This is just one way Promotional Consultants encourages workers to come out of their shells. Another way: a holiday-themed murder mystery it held last year.

“That was hilarious. Everybody had their characters and dressed up. It was just seeing a different side of people that you work with,” Koch says. “We had someone dress up as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the elves and Santa, it was just fun to watch. You can let your guard down, but everybody’s good. It was just fun.”

These activities ensure the only time Promotional Consultants’ employees will look for an escape is in the name of teambuilding. “I love my job because it’s flexible. My bosses are good. We do fun things,” Koch says. “Don’t get me wrong, there are days when we have to work hard, but I think everybody who works here, they know their job, and if problems arise, we can always call somebody, and get feedback and information, and everybody is willing to help.”

Employees having a little holiday fun.