Firstup customers win top honors at Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communication Awards

Each year, the Ragan Employee Communication Awards recognizes the top professionals in employee communications. The pandemic demonstrated more than ever how internal communication is vital to business success. Employee communication became the primary vehicle to share critical job information, company updates and promote crucial team comradery during a time of physical distancing.

We at Firstup are proud to support these best-in-class internal communicators as they excel in creating exceptional communication campaigns that keep their workforce — remote and in-person — engaged and informed during unprecedented times. We’re excited to see so many Firstup customers as winners and honorable mentions across more than a dozen categories! 

Grand Prize

Employee Communications Team of the Year
Ford Motor Company

Ford team battles COVID-19 with virus-related communications

The company’s 12-member employee communications team reached out to hundreds of thousands of employees and retirees with a ‘hive’ approach, winning a Grand Prize for ‘Employee Communications Team of the Year’ in Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Winners

Employee Engagement & Virtual Employee Engagement Categories
Southern Company Gas | FUEL – Employee Engagement Reimagined

Adding FUEL to the employee experience

Southern Company Gas put together a new mobile app for employees, driving adoption with a digital café launch and giveaways. It’s earned the company the award in the ‘Employee Engagement’ Category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards as well as in the ‘Virtual Employee Engagement’ category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Instructional or Education Content (intranet)
Ford Motor Company | COVID Communications

Ford Motor Company taps video, town halls to guide employees through the COVID crisis

The automaker has leaned on instructional videos and candid global town halls to keep workers engaged during the pandemic—landing a well-earned win in the Instructional or Educational Content (Intranet) category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Rebranding campaign
Bristol Meyers Squibb | Rebrand Campaign

Pharmaceutical company launches rebrand in the midst of a pandemic

Bristol Myers Squibb wanted to show off its new identity, and it didn’t let COVID-19 get in the way. It wins the ‘Rebranding Campaign’ category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Return to Workplace Communications
ADM | COVID-19 Rapid Response Communications

Two-phase program kept agribusiness employees informed and safe

ADM sought to maintain continuity while communicating important health and safety news to its worldwide workforce. It’s won the prize in the ‘Return to Workplace Communication’ category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Virtual Events & Celebrations
Bristol Myers Squibb | Global Patient Week

Global Patient Week remains essential part of Bristol Myers’ culture as virtual event

Bristol Myers Squibb’s longstanding Global Patient Week event faced the challenge of bringing people together in the midst of the pandemic. Meeting that challenge has earned the company an award in the ‘Virtual Events/Celebrations’ category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards. 

In addition, Bristol Myers Squibb wanted to show off its new identity, and it didn’t let COVID-19 get in the way. It wins the ‘Rebranding Campaign’ category of Ragan’s 2021 Employee Communications Awards.

---

Honorable Mentions

Best Employee App	Love’s Travel Stops Southern Company Gas Fuel
Change Communications	Ford Motor Company
COVID-19 Communication (Government/Nonprofit)	Atrium Health
COVID-19 Communication (Corporate)	ADM  Extreme Networks  Ford Motor Company
Employee Engagement	Bristol Myers Squibb
Feature Article	Ford Motor Company
Informational Video	Atrium Health
Instructional or Educational Content (intranet)	Ford Motor Company
Internal Event Strategy	Bristol Myers Squibb
Intranet Launch/Relaunch	Love’s Travel Stop and Country Store
Virtual Employee Engagement	Ford Motor Company
Virtual Town Hall	Ford Motor Company
Grand Prize – Employee Communication Campaign of the Year	Bristol Myers Squibb

Congratulations to all of these outstanding companies who worked to keep employees inspired during these difficult times and champion diverse workplaces while delivering unique and powerful brand stories.