Editor's Note: LoriAnn Boyer, SHRM-CP, executive director of human resources at Wray Ward, was recently named a HR Standout Winner at the 2025 Carolina HR Summit & Awards sponsored by Business North Carolina and Search Solution Group. With her extensive experience driving organizational health, LoriAnn shares insights on why a strong culture is critical to performance and employee engagement.

At Wray Ward, we specialize in the home and building category, where every strong structure begins with a solid foundation. For us, that foundation is our culture.

It’s not something we just put on a poster or tuck into a handbook. It’s something we live and breathe every day. Because in our world, ideas are our currency — and ideas only thrive when people do.

According to research from McKinsey & Company, healthy organizations deliver three times the shareholder returns of unhealthy organizations, regardless of industry. These results underscore a simple truth: Organizational health is rooted in the strength of its culture. And healthier cultures succeed when they reduce internal friction and build high-trust environments.

In a creative agency like ours, that means happier, more connected people producing their most inventive work — work that helps clients win. When teammates feel supported and valued, they take bold risks and share unconventional ideas. Those sparks of courage become the breakthrough campaigns clients remember.

A thriving culture doesn’t happen by accident, so we invest in it intentionally and often.

The Wray Ward Way

Walk through our creative playground and you’ll see it everywhere: spontaneous brainstorms in cozy corners, laughter echoing across open aisles and foosball rivalries as spirited as our creative debates.

You’ll find teammates cheering one another on, lending a hand and celebrating both the big wins and the small moments in between. And of course moments of great fun, such as our Pup of the Week — because really, how can you have a bad day when a 70-pound lab drops by your office for a hello and a few tummy rubs?

Our culture also comes to life through community service projects — such as the volunteer event with Nourish Up pictured in the hero image above —spearheaded by our Joy Committee and the ongoing work of our Diversity and Inclusion Coalition to help team members be more intentional, thoughtful and cognizant of others.

Culture fuels engagement, collaboration and retention. And in times of uncertainty — whether global, national or within our own walls — culture becomes the constant that steadies us. It’s what keeps us grounded when the world shifts around us.

I saw our culture firsthand when my father became ill and I moved him and my mom from Rhode Island to South Carolina. When I arrived home, my pantry and fridge were stocked with food, graciously provided by colleagues. When he passed away, senior leaders and teammates were at my door within hours offering comfort and care. You won’t find that at every company, but you do at Wray Ward.

Putting Our People First

Agencies move fast. Deadlines are demanding, and expectations are high. What brings people back each day isn’t just the work; it’s the people beside them.

Thoughtful training and development opportunities keep curiosity alive, while ideation sessions invite everyone to share ideas and shape what’s next. Our performance review process is designed with care and collaboration in mind, offering space for open dialogue, reflection and goal setting.

Our hybrid work schedule and Summer Fridays support a work/life balance that ensures our clients’ needs are satisfied and our team is supported. Through our annual end-of-summer celebration, monthly birthday gatherings and agency-wide Town Hall celebrations, we pause to celebrate, connect and recharge together. We honor milestones — personal and professional — because the people behind the work matter just as much as the work itself.

The right tools and technology also make a difference in how we work and how we connect. From onboarding that warmly welcomes new team members to an offboarding process that honors each next chapter, every touch point reflects the same empathy, respect and authenticity that define us.

Fueling an Open and Collaborative Culture

Every idea, innovation and last-minute edit connects back to that shared purpose — our cultural blueprint for building something lasting together. It all stems from our core values of:

• WE, NOT ME: Checking egos at the door to foster a collaborative atmosphere.

• ASK “WHAT IF?”: Always going beyond what is to create unexpected possibilities.

• BE FEARLESS: Mutually supporting each other in taking risks and contributing unconventional ideas.

• NAIL IT: Focusing on results, continually exceeding expectations and sharing individual responsibility for success.

At Wray Ward, our culture gives us that unmistakable glow and an undeniable advantage. It’s the spark that ignites creativity, the framework that supports growth and the foundation that keeps us standing tall together.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I’m especially grateful for not only the traditions that bring us together but also the privilege of my role as a human resources leader at Wray Ward, fostering a culture and community where people can truly thrive.

Head to our Careers page to learn more about what it’s like to work at Wray Ward.