How Friendly Workplace Works

Friendly Workplace is an editorial award recognising employers for their approach to people and the working environment they create. Employers describe their practices in a questionnaire covering five areas of workplace life.

Who assesses
employers?

Friendly Workplace is an editorial award programme developed by MarkaPracodawcy.pl, a Polish publication specialising in employer branding and workplace culture.

Assessments are conducted by members of its editorial team — employer branding experts with over 25 years of experience in the field. The team independently reviews employer submissions against the programme’s criteria and makes the final award decisions.

Learn about the publisher →

What we look at

We consider five areas of workplace life. Employers are invited to describe their approach and give examples of the practices they have put in place.

Employee relationships

How the organisation builds its culture, puts its values into practice and develops relationships based on openness and respect.

Employee development

How employees are supported in building skills and progressing professionally.

Work–life balance

How the employer helps people balance their work
with life outside it.

A healthy workplace

How the organisation approaches health, safety and the working environment, including prevention and employee education.

Benefits

What additional support and benefits the employer
offers its people.

From enquiry
to editorial assessment

1.
Request the prospectus

Receive the information for the 2027 edition, including participation terms, fees and the employer questionnaire.

2.
Tell us about your workplace

Agree a submission timeline with the editorial team and complete the questionnaire with examples of your organisation’s practices.

3.
Editorial review and decision

The editorial team reviews the submitted questionnaire against the programme’s criteria and informs the employer of the outcome and next steps.

How decisions are made

Friendly Workplace is awarded following an editorial assessment of the information submitted by the employer. Employers that qualify for the distinction may receive the edition’s award mark. A special statuette distinction is selected separately through an editorial vote.

The assessment is based on the employer’s questionnaire. Employer profiles give visitors an opportunity to explore the practices described by participating organisations.

Friendly Workplace is an initiative of MarkaPracodawcy.pl 

Learn about the publisher →

Could your workplace be
recognised?

A friendly workplace is built through everyday decisions. Tell us what your organisation does for its people. We’ll review your submission against the Friendly Workplace criteria.

Request the 2027 prospectus

Before You Apply

Find answers to common questions about participation, the assessment process, and what recognized employers receive.

Can our organization participate?

Friendly Workplace welcomes applications from companies and institutions with workplace practices across the programme's five assessment areas: Employee Relationships, Employee Development, Work–Life Balance, A Healthy Workplace and Benefits.

The assessment is based on the practices described in the employer questionnaire. To explore whether the programme is right for your organisation, request the prospectus for the criteria and full participation terms.

What information should we prepare for the assessment?

Employers complete a questionnaire covering their organization and its practices across the five assessment areas. Describe specific initiatives, explain which employee groups they serve, and show how they work in practice. Useful information includes examples of development programs, workplace initiatives, and employee benefits, along with results where these are measured. The questionnaire also asks about previous HR awards and involvement in educational and community initiatives.

What does a recognized employer receive?

Recognized employers receive a trophy, a certificate, and a roll-up banner featuring the Friendly Workplace award mark and their organization’s logo. The package also includes digital versions of the award mark and materials for internal communications, recruitment, and employer branding.

We also present the organization and its employee initiatives through an employer profile and editorial coverage. This provides an opportunity to celebrate the team’s contributions and show candidates the specific practices that help create a friendly workplace.

The prospectus provides full details of the package and the terms for using the award mark.

Is there a participation fee, and when is payment due?

Yes, there is a participation fee. Payment is requested only after the questionnaire has received a positive assessment and the organization has been approved for recognition, so employers know the assessment outcome before paying. Submitting a questionnaire does not guarantee recognition. Full details of the fee, payment terms, and what is included in the program are provided in the prospectus.

How are participation and award presentation dates arranged?

The deadline for preparing and submitting the questionnaire is agreed upon individually with each employer, within the schedule for the relevant edition. Following approval for recognition, we coordinate the date and format of the award presentation with the employer. To learn about the current schedule and plan your organization’s participation, contact us using the form below.

Does requesting the prospectus commit us to participating?

No. Submitting the form is simply a request for information. It is not an application to the program and creates no obligation to pay. You will receive a prospectus outlining the criteria, assessment process, participation terms, and fees. You can then decide whether to apply on behalf of your organization.

FRIENDLY WORKPLACE · 2027

Request the 2027 Prospectus

Explore the 10th edition of Friendly Workplace and discover how your organisation can take part.

Receive the assessment criteria, participation terms and fees. Requesting the prospectus is free and does not commit your organisation to participating.

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