Ignition, an exhibition, events and experiences company based in Indianapolis, has been named as an MM&M Best Place to Work 2019 in its Small Agency category, covering companies with up to 50 staff.
The awards initiative, designed to delve deep into the US’s best places to work, was set up to uncover the critical markers of the best workplaces within the healthcare marketing sector.
MM&M, which stands for Medical, Marketing & Media, is a highly-respected publication within the healthcare sector, first published in 1966, which covers “timely, balanced, original editorial content for an executive audience of leaders and thinkers in pharmaceutical and healthcare marketing.”
Ignition, part of UK-based creative business collective Istoria Group, is a specialist in the pharmaceutical and healthcare field, with clients including Eli Lilly, Roche, Samumed, Perfect Ward and C8 Medisensors.
“We are absolutely delighted to have been recognized in this way,” says Carrie Logie, VP of client services at Ignition. “We have an amazing group of individuals at Ignition, who come together as a high-performing team. It thrills me to watch how the team works to ensure every project’s success, solves problems collaboratively and always picks anyone up who’s falling behind. The office culture gets even better with each person who joins and contributes their experiences to our collective bank of skill sets. It’s a privilege to be able to lead and develop an already talented team and find ways to help them balance their workload while taking on new professional challenges.”
The award considers components employees feel matter most to a building an award-winning culture, including diversity and inclusion; employee vacation and personal time; family and medical plans; office hours and flex time and employee learning and mentorship.
MM&M’s inaugural Best Places to Work initiative, which launched in July 2018, invited participating agencies to distribute a survey questionnaire to their employees. Scores were collated and narrowed down to form a shortlist, with winners selected by convening a panel of MM&M staff and external judges—all experts in talent recruitment within the healthcare marketing sector.
Some of the benefits offered to staff at Ignition include: 25 vacation days; full coverage of employee health insurance premiums; flexible hours; annual bonus plan of up to 10 percent of salary; monthly team lunches (First Fridays); four days of work from home per month; and an extra charity day to support a cause close to each employee’s heart.
There’s also a quarterly award plan where employees nominate a colleague that epitomizes the company’s values—entrepreneurial spirit, personable approach, intelligent thinking and collaborative working. The rewards range from $300 gift equivalent or personalized experience. The annual winner gets the equivalent of $1,300 prize and is inducted in the company’s Hall of Fame, the highest honor bestowed on an employee.
“What I love about working with Ignition is the collaborative environment and office culture here,” says Samuel Alderfer, project manager. “Ignition’s positive organizational culture is key to feeling motivated and inspired at work. Everyone on our staff truly gets along and pitches in to get the job done for clients, even if it’s not written in their job description. This creates a family environment where everybody is there for each other.”
Janelle Gearries, project manager, adds: “Between the amazing colleagues and spirit of teamwork, Ignition has created a culture where the success of the group for the benefit of clients is the focus. When one team, business unit, or the entire staff succeeds, everyone celebrates. Additionally, the office and work culture is conducive to everyone’s success. The flexibility of hours, work from home days and vacation time, are encouraged to ensure staff work hard but also achieve balance.”
Indianapolis-based Ignition specializes in the design and management of national and international exhibitions, from one-off, bespoke exhibits to modular global programs. For more info, visit www.ignitiondg.com
