BWP | Frequently Asked Questions & Application Guide

  • What are the important dates for the Inc. Best Workplaces application?
      
    Application Deadlines: 
    Early-Rate Deadline: Friday, December 13, 2024 ($345) 
    Preferred-Rate Deadline: Friday, February 7, 2025 ($395) 
    Application Deadline: Friday, March 7, 2025 ($495)
    Extended Application Deadline: Friday, March 14, 2025 ($495)
    Employee Survey Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025

    Refund Policy: If you need to cancel your application, just get in touch with us by replying to your registration confirmation email or emailing us at bestworkplaces@inc.com. All sales are final. Refunds are not available, but you can receive a credit to the 2026 Best Workplaces Application.  

    Employee Survey: 
    Survey Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025*  
    *The employee survey will open the week of December 2, 2024. *Once the employee survey opens, the employee survey setup instructions are sent to new applicants on a weekly basis—i.e., applicants will receive instructions on how to set up the employee survey within 7 business days of submitting an application.
    **The employee survey is run through Quantum Workplace.  

    • Why should my company apply?  
    Visibility & Media Exposure – Be featured on Inc.com, get a dedicated company profile on Inc.com, and receive national and local coverage. Select honorees will be featured in the Summer issue of Inc. magazine.
    Invaluable Insights – All applicants will receive a company- overview report filled with valuable, actionable information. Learn what your employees are really thinking and improve your day-to-day operations and workplace environment.  
    National Recognition – Be honored as an employer of choice, and elevate your firm’s employer brand nationwide.  
    Greater Productivity – Drive engagement and enthusiasm of current employees while sending a clear message that your company’s culture is a primary strategic priority. Improve recruiting opportunities with prospective employees. 

    • What will my company receive?  If your company is rated one of the Best Workplaces, you will be featured on Inc.com. The honor will be highlighted on your Inc.com company profile. Make the list or not, you'll receive an Overview Report, based on your employee survey, which will show your company's score on key measurements. If your company is not honored on the list, your participation remains 100 percent confidential. For honorees, selected answers could be used in editorial content. You would likely be contacted by Inc. writers or fact checkers. 

    • Is there a cost to participate?  Identifying the best workplaces in the U.S. is an enormous editorial project that, among other things, raises awareness of entrepreneurship as a valuable force in our economy. The processing fee covers only a portion of the operational costs of this undertaking. 
    Please find the rate schedule below: 
    Early-Rate Deadline: Friday, December 13, 2024 ($345) 
    Preferred-Rate Deadline: Friday, February 7, 2025 ($395)
    Regular-Rate Deadline: Friday, March 7, 2025 ($495)
    Extended-Rate Deadline: Friday, March 14, 2025 ($495)

    Reminder, the employee survey deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT.

    • How are the Inc. Best Workplaces honorees determined?  The Best Workplaces honorees are determined by the company audit (benefits score) and employee survey (engagement score) through Quantum Workplace. Companies must meet a minimum score on both the audit and survey to be an honoree. The minimum scores needed will be based on outcomes and size category from applicants for 2025. Click here for more information on this.  

    • What if my company does not make Inc.'s Best Workplaces list? You will still receive access to your Survey Overview Report, which is filled with valuable, actionable information. You'll learn what your employees are really thinking and improve your day-to-day operations and workplace environment. 

    • How will I know if my company made the list? When will I be contacted?  Companies will be contacted regarding their status as a finalist or non-finalist in Spring 2025. Remember, companies must meet the employee survey participation minimum level to be considered (the participation goal is determined by the size of your company).
     
    • When will the list of honorees be published?  The list will be published on Inc.com in late June 2025. Select honorees will be featured in the Summer issue of Inc. magazine.

Employee Survey Deadline: Friday, March 28, 2025
Applications for the 2025 Best Workplaces List are now closed. Please sign up to be notified when applications reopen here!
Have any questions or concerns? Email us at bestworkplaces@inc.com