Secrets from the Bay Area’s Best Places to Work

What’s the secret to building an award-winning workplace? That’s the question we posed to some of the winners from our recent Best Places to Work awards.

With AI, inflation and supply chain issues among the challenges confronting companies, it’s a difficult time for employers. Yet some firms are winning in the race for talent.

We canvassed some of the top rated companies in our Best Places to Work rankings for the secrets behind building a winning workplace culture.

TMC Financing

  • Ranking: 8
  • Category: 25-49 employees
  • What it does: SBA 504-specialist lender
  • HQ: Oakland
  • Bay Area employees: 30

Barbara Morrison, President:

What’s your policy around office, work-from-home and hybrid arrangements? TMC recognizes that, in many cases, telecommuting arrangements can provide a beneficial option for employees. We let employees work from home or work a hybrid schedule from home/in office except in cases where the position requires a staff member to be in the office some or all of the time.

What tools or strategies do you use to encourage staff to communicate with company leaders? Our senior leaders are proactive in seeking input and feedback from staff, assigning challenging projects, and recognizing achievements. This approach ensures a fun and interactive workplace that encourages idea sharing and collaboration. TMC is dedicated to ongoing training and development, with a strong preference for promoting from within the company.

What is the secret to a happy and engaged work culture? We are a dedicated and dynamic team committed to excellence and camaraderie. Our offices, located in Uptown Oakland, are pet-friendly. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable, fostering a positive and engaging workplace. TMC offers flexible schedules, comprehensive benefits, and numerous perks. These include weekly catered lunches, complimentary snacks and beverages, gym reimbursement, company-paid commuter checks, frequent celebratory events, matching charity donations and generous vacation and holiday packages.