Top Workplaces 2021: Check out which Knoxville area companies won top culture awards

Congratulations to Knoxville's 2021 Top Workplaces!

This is the fifth year Knox News and Knox.Biz have partnered with survey firm Energage, which surveys employees to measure company cultures.

A record 50 businesses qualified for the Top Workplaces recognition this year. Thirty-five businesses made the cut in 2020. 

In the Knoxville area, five businesses employing 500 or more qualified; 15 businesses that employ 100 to 499 people qualified; and 30 small businesses with 99 or fewer employees made the cut. 

You can read more about all our Top Workplaces recipients in the special publication appearing in the June 27 edition of the Knoxville News Sentinel. 

Meet the first-place Top Workplaces winners in the large, midsize and small categories. 

Top Workplaces large company: First Horizon

First Horizon, which has achieved the Top Workplaces designation each of the five years Knox News has awarded it, placed first in the large businesses category this year.  First Horizon employees said the last 18 months have been challenging but rewarding as they put in extra hours to help their clients through the pandemic.

They made sure clients received Paycheck Protection Program loans as the COVID-19 pandemic decimated industries. That meant thousands of people in our community could continue to get paid.

READ MORE ABOUT TOP WORKPLACES:Large category winner First Horizon puts employees first, and it pays

Top Workplaces midsize company: Pinnacle Financial Partners

Pinnacle Financial Partners has won the Top Workplaces designation five years in a row and placed first in the midsize category four of the five years. 

Pinnacle, which offers banking, investment, trust and insurance services for businesses and individuals, has more than $35 billion in assets, and the money is multiplying. 

READ MORE ABOUT TOP WORKPLACES:Midsize winner Pinnacle Financial Partners lets employees peak

Top Workplaces small company: Maple Hall / Babalu

Maple Hall and Babalu restaurants made the Top Workplaces list for the first time this year, sprinting all the way to the top of the small business category. 

Employers and managers at the downtown restaurants work and play together. The team often camps together, enjoys book clubs and bonds over brainstorming sessions. 

READ MORE ABOUT TOP WORKPLACES:Maple Hall and Babalu recruit for potential, win small category

Full Top Workplaces winners list

Large Category Top Workplaces

First Place: First Horizon

Second Place: Oak Ridge Schools

Third Place: Ensemble Health Partners

OrthoTennessee

The Dollywood Company

Midsize Category Top Workplaces

First Place: Pinnacle Financial Partners

Second Place: First Utility District of Knox County

Third Place: Axle Logistics

PYA, P.C.

Master Services

Mortgage Investors Group

TDS Telecommunications

Harper Auto Square

Edfinancial Services

U.S. Cellular

SmartBank

World Acceptance Corporation

Tennessee Cancer Specialists, PLLC

BenchMark Physical Therapy

Aldi

Small Category Top Workplaces

First Place: Maple Hall / Babalu

Second Place: Realty Executive Associates

Third Place: Kramer Rayson LLP

ERISA Services Inc.

Alliant

Coulter & Justus, PC

Lirio

Executive Building Solutions Inc.

London Amburn

GEM Technologies Inc.

RCN Technologies

Total Quality Logistics - TQL

Management Solutions, LLC

The Trust Company of Tennessee

58 Foundations

Rand Commercial Real Estate

BB Industries LLC

Arrow Exterminators Inc.

Choice Spine

Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury

Pipe Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Inc.

PCS Inc.

LBMC

Freeman Webb Inc.

Kendall Electric Inc.

Denark Construction Inc.

SHADES of Development

Waste Connections

Pioneer Heating and Air Conditioning Inc.

Graybar

How Top Workplaces are decided

To compile these lists of outstanding small, midsize and large businesses, Energage conducted an employee satisfaction survey with more than 12,927 employees and received responses from 8,842 people at 73 companies in the Knoxville area. Respondents answered questions about company leadership, workplace culture and more. 

Five-time recipients

Nine companies deserve special attention for winning the Top Workplaces designation all five years. Congratulations to First Horizon, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Harper Auto Square, SmartBank, Kramer Rayson LLP, Coulter & Justus PC, The Trust Company of Tennessee, LBMC and Denark Construction for creating meaningful company cultures that last. 

Congratulations to our 50 Knoxville-area Top Workplaces! 

Interested in finding out if your business has an outstanding company culture? Visit knoxnews.com in February 2022 for nomination information.