The Starr Conspiracy website
Fort Worth-based The Starr Conspiracy has been named to the prestigious Best Workplaces for Innovators list by Fast Company, one of only 11 small businesses worldwide to be recognized alongside the likes of Google, Microsoft, SAP, and many other global technology companies.
The winner among those companies with fewer than 100 employees that “foster exceptionally innovative environments?” BBVA AI Factory in Madrid.
The Fast Company Innovators list honors organizations that foster a culture of innovation. The Starr Conspiracy dubs its winning approach the “Reverse Mullet — party in the front and business in the back.”
Who doesn’t love — or at least appreciate — a mullet?
“Or, put another way, putting the employee experience first to impact the customer experience,” according to the company.
“Invest in your people first because the employee and customer experience cannot be separated,” says Ashley Bernard, vice president of client services at The Starr Conspiracy, in a statement. “We've designed a work culture that supports our people and focuses on defining moments in the employee and, by extension, the customer experience.”
The Starr Conspiracy describes itself as an experience agency for brands that put employees first to build business value.
According to a press release, “The Starr Conspiracy invests first in its employees' needs — in their safety, finances, and emotional and physical well-being through things like unlimited PTO, flexible work schedules, a decentralized system of opting into work, blocked quiet time for focused work, three-day weekends, and a digital-by-default/remote work structure.”
The company also gave profit-sharing bonuses for the first time in 2021, company officials add.
The Starr Conspiracy is focusing on the future of work by helping its HR and work technology clients understand the connection between the user experience, customer experience, and employee experience, the company says.
“Experiences are not siloed, and they are often specific, defining moments that are critical to brand loyalty, whether you're talking about employees or customers,” says Bret Starr, CEO of The Starr Conspiracy. “Our goal is to create a decentralized autonomous organization that supports people, so they are better able to focus and create a great experience for our customers.”
Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2022 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, consumer products, and services. Fast Company editors and Accenture researchers worked together to score nearly 1,500 applications, and a panel of eight judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies and 11 small businesses.
“This year's list of the Best Workplaces for Innovators recognizes organizations that have demonstrated a deep commitment to cultivating creativity across the board,” says Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “In the face of powerful headwinds, these leaders and teams continue to spur innovation.”