5 Corporate Awards and Lists that Prove Your Office RULES

You know your office is a great place to work, but does the rest of the world?

Public recognition and inclusion in “Best Of” style lists may seem frivolous, but they can actually help your company attract talent and get the attention of new clients and customers. Plus, there’s something to be said for the company-wide morale boost that accompanies these kinds of accolades.

There are hundreds of lists, awards and other honors out there, but we rounded up a few we thought might apply to our diverse community of office ninjas.

1. Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For

fortune-2015-headerApplication Deadline: July 14, 2015
Cost: Free

Every year, Fortune teams up with the global research firm Great Places to Work to generate this highly publicized list. They measure and assess everything from hiring practices to diversity and employees’ thoughts on comradery. Fortune also publishes a similar list for small companies called “50 Best Small & Medium Workplaces.” A spot on either list is press release-worthy and a nice addition to the company website.

2. Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women

2015-best-companies-multicultural-womenApplication Deadline: November 6, 2015
Cost: Free

Conducted by Working Mother Media, this comprehensive survey is, according to the company’s site, designed to “promote the interests of women of color in corporate America by recognizing companies that are successful in bringing minority women into professional and leadership positions.” Some restrictions do apply. Companies must have at least 500 employees, and certain types of consulting and government agencies are not eligible.

3. The HRC Corporate Equality Index

corporate equality index

Application Deadline: August 14, 2015
Cost: Free

The Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBT organizations in the country, publishes the Corporate Equality Index on an annual basis. The index measures “how equitably large private businesses in the United States treat their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees, consumers and investors.” While HRC automatically rates many larger corporations, companies with over 500 employees may request an audit. A perfect score is not only a great recruitment asset, but it’s also a solid way to show support for all of your employees.

4. The Webby Awards

Webby_Logo

Application Deadline: Call for entries opens in September 2015
Cost: Varies by category

This one’s for ninjas in the digital space. Named by the New York Times as “The Internet’s Highest Honor,” the Webby Awards recognize excellence on the internet through dozens of awards in five categories: websites, online film and video, interactive advertising and media, mobile sites and apps, and social. Some of the Webby’s many awards include “Best User Interface” in the website category and “Best Customer Service” in the social division.

5. The Shorty Awards

shorty

Application Deadline: Not yet announced
Cost: $399-$699

If your company has a killer social strategy, consider this award. With separate categories for individuals and brands, the Shorty Awards recognize the best real-time, short form content posted to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube, Instagram and Vine. Winners not only receive tons of press and bragging rights, but they get to attend a star-studded awards ceremony in New York City.

This list is by no means exhaustive; there are hundreds of other awards and lists out there that recognize great companies and individuals (including us!).

Is your company part of any “Best Of” lists?