Working at Walker Sands
At Walker Sands, people like coming to work each day. That’s not accidental. We strive to create a vibrant and rewarding workplace that allows our employees to grow both personally and professionally.
We value hard work.
“At Walker Sands there are no weak links. Imagine an entire agency full of smart, motivated, driven experts working toward a common goal… Imagine what that can do for a brand. That’s Walker Sands.” – Matt Brown, Vice President of Branding and Web Services
Walker Sands hires smart workers who not only know what it takes to get the job done, but figure out the most effective way to do it. We recognize our employees’ hard work by providing tailored opportunities for advancement and prioritize promoting from within the agency. From our internal training program to sending employees to industry conferences and seminars, knowledge and professional development are hard-wired into our agency culture.
We have fun.
“Our employees live full lives, both in and outside of work. We don’t have ping pong tables or get dinner catered in every night, because at Walker Sands, you get to have a life outside of the office!” – Holly Stehlin, HR Manager
At Walker Sands, we work hard to promote a healthy work-life balance and ensure that we provide opportunities both inside and outside of the office for employees to have fun with their coworkers. This isn’t the kind of place where employees stay late because they don’t want to be the first one to leave. We understand the importance of having a life outside of work and actively encourage our employees to follow their passions.
Our culture and office environment also offer plenty of opportunities for fun and games. We regularly host after-work happy hours and social events (trivia, anyone?), and our team has become a formidable force on the recreational flag football circuit. Movies in the park more your speed? We do them, too. And our employees rave about the annual Chicago Cubs outing.
We offer great benefits.
“The family leave policy at Walker Sands is a great benefit for new parents. Especially as a new father, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of time I was granted, and there was nothing but total support to take it – no strings attached. It was a true blessing to be able to spend quality time with my newborn son and then come back to work like nothing had changed.” – John Everette, Senior Account Manager
In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a variety of competitive benefits to our employees. From basics like health and dental insurance to some of our more creative options (think Walker Sands funding your Netflix habit), we understand the importance of doing right by our employees. Check out some of our benefits below:
- Health, Dental and Vision Coverage.
- Employer-matched 401k.
- Life and Long Term Disability Coverage.
- Public Transportation, and Health and Wellness stipends.
- Unlimited Paid Time Off.
- Benefit Options for Senior Level Employees.
- Flexible Work-from-home and Family Leave Policies.
- Continuing Education and Tuition Reimbursement.
We strive for diversity, equity and inclusion.
“As an agency, we’ve dedicated ourselves to the development of our DEI initiatives and we’re proud of the progress we’ve achieved. Is Walker Sands the gold standard in diversity and inclusion? No, we have plenty of room to improve. But we’re excellent listeners, we admit when we have an opportunity to learn, and we’re committed to growth. We still have work to do, but we’re making Walker Sands a place where all people can feel welcome and do the best work of their careers.” – Ellen Hanson, COO
Walker Sands believes that a workforce drawing from a diverse range of experiences, perspectives and backgrounds is the backbone of an innovative and creative agency culture. Our culture empowers individuals to voice their unique perspectives, and we encourage employees to consistently practice mutual respect and inclusion. Learn more about our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
We give back.
“Having the opportunity to lend my PR expertise to spread the creed of a good cause makes me feel fulfilled in my career at Walker Sands.” – Brittany Martin, Senior Media Relations Strategist
Each year, Walker Sands takes on a variety of pro-bono clients, aiming to help elevate the amazing local organizations doing their best to give back to the cities we call home. We also collaborate on a number of charitable activities outside of the office. Whether it’s making dinner for the Ronald McDonald House, attending a rooftop Cubs’ event that benefits the Little Giraffe Foundation or attending the Chicago Cares Serve-a-thon, we’re happy doing our part to give back to local communities.