The global advisory firm operationalizes its culture through a CEO who models its values, a systematic listening program, and deeply embedded principles of boldness and empathy.
Research from the 2026 Most Loved Workplaces® Top 100 reveals a clear set of practices that separate the best from the rest. This year’s leading companies build trust through accessible leadership and systematic employee listening. They operationalize their culture with co-created values and scaled investments in manager-as-coach training. These are not just posters on a wall; they are the gears of a high-performing, deeply engaged organization. In certified organizations, these practices contribute to 4× higher performance and 48% lower turnover.
APCO, a global advisory and advocacy firm and a multi-year Most Loved Workplace honoree, stands out for its embodiment of several of these core trends. The firm demonstrates how integrating values into leadership, listening, and daily operations creates a culture where employees feel respected and aligned with the company’s mission.
How APCO Does This: The Accessible, Culture-Setting CEO
The 2026 Top 100 data shows that an actively engaged CEO is critical for an authentic culture. At APCO, the firm’s values are not just corporate statements; they are actively modeled from the top. The company’s enrichment data highlights that CEO Brad Staples embodies the core principles of boldness, inclusivity, curiosity, and empathy in his own work.
This practice, visible in over 20 of the Top 100 companies, ensures the tone set at the top permeates the entire organization. By actively seeking input from employees, Staples demonstrates that leadership is a collaborative, not a directive, function. This approach builds the trust and psychological safety necessary for a workplace to be not just productive, but loved.
How APCO Does This: Systematic Employee Listening & Action
Another foundational element for more than 30 of the Top 100 companies is moving beyond a single annual survey to create a continuous feedback loop. APCO has embedded this practice into its operating rhythm by using a well-established, systematic tool to gather feedback at scale.
The company deploys an annual Gallup survey specifically to measure employee engagement. This isn't a check-the-box exercise. According to company data, APCO uses the insights from this survey to understand how and where it needs to innovate and improve. This creates a "speak-up" culture where employees see that their feedback leads to meaningful organizational change, reinforcing that their voices are heard and valued.
How APCO Does This: Operationalized Values
For over 40 of the Top 100 workplaces, values are embedded into the entire employee lifecycle. APCO exemplifies this practice by grounding its entire operation in four key principles: boldness, inclusivity, curiosity, and empathy. These aren't just words in a handbook; they are the lens through which the company solves client challenges and cultivates its internal culture.
As an independent, majority women-owned firm, APCO’s commitment to inclusivity is structurally embedded. The firm’s mission is to build the "un/common ground where progress is made," a goal it achieves by bringing diverse people and ideas together. By living its values daily, APCO ensures they are a guide for behavior and decisions, creating a deep sense of alignment and shared purpose that is a hallmark of a Most Loved Workplace.
What This Signals
APCO's consistent recognition as a Most Loved Workplace is a direct result of its intentional approach to culture. By ensuring leadership models the company's values, systematically listening to employee feedback through its annual Gallup survey, and operationalizing its principles of boldness, curiosity, inclusivity, and empathy, APCO has built a framework for sustained success. It is a clear example of how the practices of the Top 100—when genuinely implemented—create an environment where both people and business thrive.