Uncovering the Best Franchises to Work For
What It Means to Win an FBR Employee Satisfaction Award (and Why You Should Apply)
In 2018, Franchise Business Review (FBR) launched the Franchising at WORK study—a first-of-its-kind survey measuring employee engagement across the franchise sector. For the first time ever, we had real benchmark data. And with that data, we could do something meaningful: identify and celebrate the companies rising above the rest through standout culture and employee engagement.
We call them the Employee Satisfaction Awards.
FBR conducted the second study in 2021 and again in 2022 when the very definition of “workplace” was being turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. And we’ve continued every year since then. Through it all, we’ve consistently recognized the franchise companies and suppliers that stepped up, embraced change, and made employee well-being a priority.
Today, being named a top franchise workplace means more than ever. With retention challenges mounting—from wage inflation to burnout to “job hugging”—culture isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s everything.
Soooo Many Awards Lists… Here’s Why FBR’s Is Different
There’s no shortage of “best places to work” lists out there. But most of them lump together companies from completely different sectors making it nearly impossible to draw meaningful comparisons. For example, Glassdoor’s annual list has companies ranging from technology to healthcare to manufacturing to insurance. Many also let companies put their best foot forward through polished applications and hand-picked employee interviews.
FBR’s Employee Satisfaction Awards are different.
- They’re exclusively focused on the franchise sector. The data and awards are an apples to apples comparison—every time.
- The list is based entirely on direct employee feedback, with every employee in the organization invited to participate. No cherry-picking.
Register Now and Qualify for an FBR Employee Satisfaction Award
How the List Is Compiled
FBR’s confidential employee engagement survey is open to:
- Franchisors: both corporate staff and unit-level employees
- Franchise suppliers: company employees
- Individual franchisees: employees of multi-unit owners
To be considered, your company must have at least 10 full-time employees and gross annual revenue of $1M or more.
The survey covers 32 benchmark questions across eight key areas: satisfaction, self-assessment, alignment, team, manager, leadership, culture, and core values.
Employees rate each question on a scale from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. Responses are scored on a weighted scale, with the most positive answers carrying the most weight. Each of the eight areas produces a score from 0–100, which rolls up into an overall benchmark score.
The top-scoring companies are named finalists. The three highest scorers in each size category earn Gold, Silver, or Bronze. Finalists and winners are also recognized in the Supplier category.
If you’re named a finalist or award winner, you’ll be recognizing your team for their teamwork and contributions to making your company a great place to work. Publicizing your award can bolster your employee recruitment efforts and position you as an employer of choice—something vitally important in today’s competitive job market.
Beyond the Awards: Why the Data Is Even More Valuable Than the Recognition
Recognition is great, but the data is where things get really powerful. Ultimately, our goal is to produce aggregate research so that franchise leaders have the information and insights they need to hire and retain top talent, create a positive workplace culture in franchising, and support the growth of franchising overall.
As part of that, all participating companies receive a snapshot of their results and their benchmark score. They also have the opportunity to purchase more detailed data from their system. With that data in hand, you’ll have a roadmap to guide you: you’ll know exactly where to focus your efforts to:
- Integrate employee engagement metrics into your company-wide strategy
- Measure and track your corporate culture over time
- Align engagement priorities with business priorities
- Strengthen your recruitment and retention efforts
And if you choose to purchase the detailed data package, you’ll also get:
- Custom reporting with full company data and industry benchmarks
- Department and location scorecards
- An employee insights report with full verbatim feedback
- Online access to your data
- A personal results review with the FBR management team
In today’s competitive hiring market, this kind of intelligence isn’t a bonus—it’s a competitive advantage.
How to Get On the Awards List
Getting started is simple.
- Fill out a quick registration form
- Pay the $795 registration fee
- Send us your employee contact list—FBR handles the rest
That’s it. No lengthy applications. No hand-selecting who gets surveyed. Just real feedback, real data, and real recognition.
Enter your company today to qualify for an FBR Employee Satisfaction Award recognizing the best franchise companies to work for. Register Now!
Still have questions? We’d love to walk you through it. Schedule a 10-minute demo with the FBR team and see exactly how our employee engagement benchmarking works.
Photo courtesy of: Hounds Town USA, 2025 Employee Satisfaction Award Winner
Related Content:
Employee Satisfaction Awards Entry Kit
Ready to show the world why you’re an award-winning franchise employer? Download the official Employee Satisfaction Awards Entry Kit to find out how to qualify.
- Eligibility
- Award categories
- Deadlines
- Perks of winning
Download Now
About the Author: Michelle Rowan
