Bath-based content marketing agency M2 Bespoke has been named among the finalists in a unique competition to find the region’s happiest workplace.
M2, based in the beautiful surroundings of Stokewood House at Limpley Stoke, will now line up against four other firms – three from Bristol and one from Swindon – in the final of the contest, staged by workplace and interior design consultancy Wylde IA. 
M2 is a global pioneer in online news and publishing and has been supplying content to leading brands and information providers for more than 20 years.
Founder Ben Hollom provides the 17 staff with a ‘Google-style’ lunch every Friday, including a barbecue when it’s sunny. All staff can work from home one day a week – not surprisingly it has low levels of sickness and absenteeism and strong employee retention.
Content manager Toni Waterfall said: “The M2 Bespoke team are thrilled to hear that we’ve been shortlisted for the South West’s happiest workplace; in fact, we’re beaming even more than usual.
“As a business that prides itself on making our clients happy, it’s also so important to us that we are all happy here at work – good team morale is the number one way to ensure maximum productivity… plus it’s pretty cool when you actually look forward to coming into work in the morning.”
The awards, now in their second year, aim to champion organisations that go the extra mile to make their staff’s working lives happier and showcase best practice.
This year’s winner will be announced at an awards ceremony on July 20 at the Chippenham head office of Herman Miller, the furniture manufacturer and pioneer of the modern workplace.
Since the competition closed at the end of April, the team at Wylde IA has thrown themselves into the judging process to find out exactly what makes South West employees so happy.
Bristol-based Wylde IA director Maxine Bennett said: “Yet again, we’ve had a fantastic selection of different organisations enter our competition. We’ve had a real mix of large institutions and smaller boutique companies.
“We’re delighted companies have engaged with our competition and the response pays testament to the fact the South West is a hotbed of happy workplaces.”
The Happiest Workplace competition was launched last year to celebrate Wylde IA’s 18 years in the business. The company wanted to find out exactly what makes a great workplace and, therefore, happy staff. Due to its success the competition has been staged again this year, widening it along the M4 to include companies in Swindon and down the M5 to Devon and Cornwall.
The competition is being supported by Bath Business News, whose editor Robert Buckland is on the judging panel with Herman Miller workplace specialist Bertie Van Wyk.
Wylde IA is an award-winning independent interior design consultancy, trading for nearly 20 years. The company specialises in creative design, working directly with clients throughout the UK and Europe in partnership with external suppliers, architects and fit-out companies to create inspiring places.
M2 is competing against Bristol firms Rethink Recruitment, social enterprise Paper, which provides creatives with a place to grow their entrepreneurial ideas and to make a living from their artistic talents, and last year’s winner, specialist distribution firm Shiner along with IT firm Excalibur from Swindon.
