Best Places to Work Contests

Information on National and Regional Best Places to Work contests.

In this article: 

• Qualifying Questions for Quantum Workplace Customers
• National Contests
• National & Industry-Specific Contests
• Employee Requirements
• Regional Contests
  
  

 

Note: With the exception of the Inc Magazine contest, for current Quantum Workplace customers (Limited Support excluded), the fees associated with entering a BPTW contest are waived, and the nomination process is not required.

Qualifying Questions for Quantum Workplace Customers

For organizations using Quantum Workplace to survey their employees, the recommended Engagement survey template includes questions to qualify interested organizations for their respective Best Places to Work contest(s). Learn more about the Best Places to Work qualifying questions included in Quantum Workplace's Engagement survey template.

National Contests

Inc. Magazine

Program & Partner: Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces via Inc. Magazine

Contest Area: The US

Minimum Employee Count: 5 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Fee: $295- $495, nomination fee goes up as the deadline approaches

Employee Requirements: Full and Part-Time, Permanent, working for 30 days

Company Guidelines:  Companies must meet each of the following qualifications

.- Be Independent (not a subsidiary or division of another company)

- Be Based in the United States

- Have at least 5 employees

- Been in business at least 2 years

- Have total annual revenue less than $1 Billion

NOTE: For the Inc. Magazine contest only, Quantum platform clients transferring data from a QW survey must complete the application.

Contest Dates: Inc Magazine Timeline

National & Industry-Specific Contests

Staffing (SIA)

Program & Partner: Best Staffing Firms to Work For via Staffing Industry Analysts

Contest Area: North America

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Employee Requirements:

• Main Staffing Award: Full/Part-Time, permanent, internal, working for 30 days
• Option TEMP Award: All recent temporary/contract workers, i.e. those placed on assignment after June 30 must be invited

Contest Dates: Staffing North American Timeline 

Staffing UK & IRE (SIA)

Program & Partner: Best Staffing Firms to Work For via Staffing Industry Analysts

Contest Area: United Kingdom and Ireland

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Employee Requirements: Full/Part-Time, permanent, internal, working for 30 days

Note: UK/IRE does not offer a TEMP Staffing award

Contest Dates: Staffing UK & IRE Timeline

Sports (SBJ)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Sports via Sports Business Journal

Contest Area: North America

Minimum Employee Count: 7 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Employee Requirements: Full and Part-Time, Permanent, working for 30 days

Contest Dates: Sports Magazine Timeline

Regional Contest Employee Requirements

For every regional contest in this list, unless otherwise specified, the employee requirements are:

• Full and Part-Time
• Permanent
• Have been working for a minimum of 30 days
• If Remote: works close to or reports to the contest city 
  • Can only participate in one regional program
  • Check region guidelines for specifics regarding remote employees

Regional Contests

Albany, New York (ALB)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in the Capital Region via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Montgomery, Fulton, Warren, Washington and Schoharie counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners 

Contest Dates:   Albany  Timeline

Alburquerque, New Mexico (ALQ)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in New Mexico via American City Business Journal

Contest Area: State of New Mexico 

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners 

Contest Dates: Albuquerque Timeline

Atlanta, Georgia (ATL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Atlanta via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, and Rockdale counties; You may also include Barrow, Carroll, Coweta, Forsyth, Newton, Paulding, and Spalding counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Atlanta Timeline

Austin, Texas (AUS)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Central Texas via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Bastrop, Burnet, and Caldwell counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Austin Timeline

Baltimore, Maryland (BAL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Baltimore via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Howard, and Carroll counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Baltimore Timeline

Birmingham, Alabama (BIR)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Birmingham via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker, Bibb, Chilton, and Blount counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Birmingham Timeline

Boston, Massachusetts (BOS)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Boston via American City Business Journal

Contest Area: State of Massachusetts

Minimum Employee Count: 20 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Boston Timeline

Buffalo, New York (BUF)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Western New York via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Bufallo Timeline

Charlotte, North Carolina (CHA)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Charlotte via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• North Carolina: Alexander, Anson, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, and Union counties
• South Carolina: Chester, Chesterfield, Lancaster, and York counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Charlotte Timeline

Cincinnati, Ohio (CIN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Cincinnati via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Ohio: Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland, and Warren counties
• Kentucky: Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, and Pendleton counties
• Indiana: Dearborn, Franklin, and Ohio counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Cincinnati Timeline

Columbus, Ohio (COL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Central Ohio via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Franklin, Delaware, Union, Madison, Pickaway, Fairfield, Licking, Morrow, Perry, and Hocking counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Columbus Timeline

Dallas, Texas (DAL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Dallas via American City Business Journal 

Contest Areas: Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, Rockwall, Ellis, and Kaufman counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Dallas Timeline

Dayton, Ohio (DAY)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Dayton via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Montgomery, Miami, Clark, Darke, Greene, Preble, Shelby, Butler, and Warren counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Dayton Timeline

Denver, Colorado (DEN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Denver via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Denver Timeline

Greensboro, North Carolina (GRN)

Program & Partner: Triad's Best Places to Work via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Alamance, Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Greensboro Timeline

Oahu, Hawaii (HAW)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Hawaii via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Oahu and all neighboring islands

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Hawaii Timeline

Houston, Texas (HOU)

Program & Partner: Houston, Texas via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Walle counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Houston Timeline

Huntsville, Alabama (HUN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Huntsville/Madison County via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Huntsville and Madison counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Huntsville Timeline

Jacksonville, Florida (JAX)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Jacksonville via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Duval, St. Johns, Clay, Nassau, Baker, Flagler, and Putnam counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Jacksonville Timeline

Kansas City, Missouri (KC)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Kansas City via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Missouri: Ray, Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte counties
• Kansas: Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte counties 

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Kansas City Timeline

Lincoln, Nebraska (LIN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Lincoln via Woods Aitken

Contest Area: Lancaster County

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Lincoln Timeline

Louisville, Kentucky (LOU)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Louisville via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Kentucky: Jefferson, Bullitt, Oldham, and Shelby counties
• Indiana: Floyd, Clark, and Harrison counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Louisville Timeline

Madison, Wisconsin (MAD)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Madison via Madison Magazine

Contest Areas: Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, and Sauk counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Madison Timeline

Memphis, Tennessee (MEM)

Program & Partner:  Best Places to work in Memphis via American City Business Journals

Contest Areas:  Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton, counties in TN, Crittenden, Cross, Lee, Mississippi, Poinsett, and St. Francis counties in AR, and Benton, Coahoma, De Soto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate, Tippah, Tunica and Quitman counties in MS.

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Memphis Timeline

Milwaukee, Wisconsin (MIL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Milwaukee via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners
Contest Dates: Milwaukee Timeline

Minneapolis, Minnesota (MIN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Minnesota via American City Business Journal

Contest Area: Minnesota

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Minneapolis Timeline

Nashville, Tennessee (NAS)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Nashville via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Nashville Timeline

Omaha, Nebraska (OMA)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Omaha via Baird Holm

Contest Areas: 

• Nebraska: Cass, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders, and Washington counties
• Iowa: Harrison, Mills, and Pottawattamie counties

Minimum Employee Count: 25 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Omaha Timeline

Orlando, Florida (ORL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Orlando via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, and Lake counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Orlando Timeline

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHI)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Philadelphia via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Pennsylvania: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties
• New Jersey: Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties
• Delaware: Kent and New Castle counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Philadelphia Timeline

Phoenix, Arizona (PHO)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in the Valley via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Maricopa and Pinal counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Phoenix Timeline

Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania (PIT)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Western Pennsylvania via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Beaver, Butler, Washington, Westmoreland, Fayette, Allegheny, Lawrence, and Armstrong counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Pittsburgh Timeline

Portland, Oregon (POR)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Oregon and Southwest Washington via American City Business Journal 

Contest Areas: 

• State of Oregon
• Washington: Clark County

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Portland Timeline

Puget Sound Region, Washington (PUG)

Program & Partner: Washington's Best Workplaces via American City Business Journal

Contest Area: Washington

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Puget Sound Timeline

Raleigh, North Carolina (RAL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in the Triangle via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Chatham, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Nash, Orange, Person, Vance, Wake, Warren and Wilson.

If Remote:  The location of the remote employee must be in the contest area counties listed above.

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Raleigh Timeline

Reno, Nevada (RNO)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Reno/Tahoe via Northern Nevada Human Resources Association

Contest Areas: Reno, Tahoe, Carson City, and Sparks metro region

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Reno Timeline

Sacramento, California (SAC)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Sacramento via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Sacremento Timeline

San Francisco, California (SAN)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in the Bay Area via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, and Marin counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: San Francisco Timeline

San Antonio, Texas (SANA)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in San Antonio via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Bexar, Comal, Gonzalez, Kendall, Guadalupe, Wilson, Medina, Atascosa, and Bandera counties

Minimum Employee Count: 25 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: San Antonio Timeline

Miami & South Florida, Florida (SFL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in South Florida via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: South Florida Timeline

St. Louis, Missouri (STL)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in St. Louis via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Missouri: St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson, and Franklin counties
• Illinois: Madison, St. Clair, and Monroe counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: St. Louis Timeline

Tampa, Florida (TAM)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Tampa Bay via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Sarasota, Polk, and Hernando counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Tampa Timeline

Washington D.C., District of Columbia (WAS)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Washington, D.C. via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas:

• Virginia: Washington D.C., City of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties
• Maryland: Montgomery and Prince George counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners

Contest Dates: Washington, D.C. Timeline

Wichita, Kansas (WIC)

Program & Partner: Best Places to Work in Wichita via American City Business Journal

Contest Areas: Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, Sumner, and Kingman counties

Minimum Employee Count: 10 eligible employees, cannot include partners or owners
Contest Dates: Wichita Timeline