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From Culture to CNBC: Turn Your Workplace Story Into Real Visibility
First Watch used its people-first culture to earn the #1 spot on the Most Loved Workplaces® list and a national feature on CNBC. If you believe your company belongs in that conversation, your next step is certification and an interview.
Certification
As Seen On
What You Get When You Raise Your Hand
When you pursue Most Loved Workplace® certification, you’re not just buying a badge. You’re entering a process designed to surface your real culture story and put it in front of the right people.
Certification Based on Real Data
We use our research-based Love of Workplace Index® to analyze employee sentiment, comments, and core culture drivers—so your recognition is grounded in evidence, not a popularity contest.
Culture Interview & Story Development
We sit down with your CEO and key leaders—just like we did with First Watch—to understand what truly sets your workplace apart.
Eligibility for Top Most Loved Workplaces® Lists
Certified companies are eligible for our Top Most Loved Workplaces® and themed lists (industry, diversity, wellness, leadership, and more).
Positioning for Broadcast & Media Features
When your story is a strong fit, we work with media partners (like CNBC Business Minute) to create segments that highlight your culture and growth.
Employer Brand Assets You Can Use
You walk away with certification, badges, quotes, and stories you can use across careers pages, social, recruiting, and investor communications.
How to Go From 'We Have the Best Culture' to 'We Can Prove It'
1
Apply for Certification
Share basic information about your company and people strategy. We’ll confirm if you’re a fit for the Most Loved Workplace® certification process.
2
Employee Feedback & Analysis
We gather and analyze employee sentiment using our Love of Workplace Index® and machine-learning comment analysis. You see where you’re strongest and where you can improve.
3
Leadership Interview & Story
We interview your leaders to understand the ‘why’ behind your culture—similar to the conversation CNBC filmed with First Watch. This becomes the backbone of your story.
4
Certification & Lists Eligibility
If you meet our criteria, you become a certified Most Loved Workplace® and are eligible for inclusion in our Top Most Loved Workplaces® lists.
5
Media & Visibility Opportunities
For select companies whose stories fit what our media partners are seeking, we collaborate on potential broadcast and digital features, using First Watch as a model for what’s possible.
Watch How First Watch Turned Culture Into a National News Covered Story
The story hits different for each news outlet. Reporter Hillary Lane visits First Watch—’the fastest growing full-service restaurant company in America’—to see why it’s ranked the #1 Most Loved Workplace® for the second year in a row.
You’ll hear how they built a no-nights culture, 40+ years of growth, and a simple rule that started with their founders: ‘We’ll teach you how to flip eggs and do inventory and do schedules, but when it comes down to it, we just need to be kind to each other and our customers.’
This is the kind of story we want to tell about you—grounded in real culture, backed by data, and credible enough for national media.
We're on Deadline to Select Our Next Interview Lineup
We’re currently scheduling a limited number of culture interviews for upcoming Most Loved Workplaces® lists and media features.
If you believe your company has the following attributes then we’d love to work with you.
Time Remaining Until Deadline
June 18, 2026
Application Deadline
If You Believe Your Company
…then now is the time to step forward.
Tell Us Who You Are
First Watch used its people-first culture to earn the #1 spot on the Most Loved Workplaces® list and a national feature on CNBC. If you believe your company belongs in that conversation, your next step is certification and an interview.
Straight Answers to Common Questions
No. Certification is the first step. We use it to identify strong culture stories. From there, we work with media partners to select companies whose stories fit their programming needs.
You will receive a URL in your account dashboard for your Love of Workplace Index™ Pulse Validation survey to distribute to your employees.
A minimum of 33% or 1,000 employees must complete the Pulse Validation to be eligible for certification. Upon completion, the Most Loved Workplace® team will review the complete certification application. You will receive a decision within two weeks of the final submission.
Typically a CHRO, Head of People, Head of Communications, CMO, or CEO. We can involve others as needed.
Most companies move from initial interest to a certification decision within a few weeks, depending on how quickly we can gather and review data.
We’ll walk you through pricing on a brief call once we know your size, markets, and goals. There’s no obligation to continue if it’s not the right fit.
