Basis Technologies, the digital ad platform, is keeping work hours flexible without a mandate to return to the office, but it is making creative use of its downtown Chicago headquarters.

“It’s a great layout, a great space, with very clean, crisp areas for collaboration,” said Emily Barron, the company's executive VP of talent and development.

That’s why it would be a shame to let the Chicago headquarters go to waste, even if Basis will not follow so many tech companies in requiring back-to-office days, Barron said.

However, Basis is adjusting to changing workforce dynamics by holding in-person onboarding sessions to acclimate new hires to the corporate culture. During the pandemic’s peak, new employees all joined virtually—but that is changing, Barron said.

The company expects to keep hiring in the coming year despite the foreboding economic winds that have rattled the ad industry. Basis is looking at expanding its product and engineering teams, Barron said.

Basis has partnerships with Ginger for mental health services. It offers access to Headspace for mindfulness and Maven for new parents.

“We’re putting a lot more attention on health and wellness,” Barron said.

Basis also offers what it calls “You Bucks,” giving workers $700 a year toward personal development programs. “You can use it for things like gym equipment [and] gym memberships,” Barron said. “It also would include any kind of personal development, so if you’re dying to learn to cook or bake, you could take classes with that. You could use it to go to conferences and seminars that are specific to your areas in your job.”

Meanwhile, in one of the more creative uses of the office, the product team held an improv class in Chicago last year, Barron said. That was an example of how staffers are being encouraged to participate and build relationships. The improv session was hosted by Second City, the famous Chicago comedy troupe, Barron said.

This year, Basis is “working more on our leadership and manager development programs,” Barron said. “So, really, how do you continue to build that culture in a remote workforce and give our managers a lot more tools and resources.”

What will set apart Basis Technologies as a Best Place to Work amid the challenges of 2023?

Emily Barron, executive VP of talent and development: “Because we are still focused on the aspects that help people grow professionally—still funding benefits, still doing annual Sales Summit, continuing hiring and developing our product—our team sees that we are still moving forward despite uncertain times. They are going to be happy in a place where they feel they are growing, which energizes them to give more, which further feeds into their optimism about what’s to come.”