Top Midsize Workplaces: No. 1 is Shift Digital

Most readers may not know the name Shift Digital but if they've shopped for a car or truck in recent years they may have found that experience easier thanks to the company.

Shift Digital, the winner in the Free Press Top Workplaces midsize firm category, offers car dealerships, automotive manufacturers, and other clients cutting-edge help developing websites and other digital marketing solutions.

Based in Birmingham, Shift Digital now employs about 375 staffers in a variety of locations and continues to grow rapidly, as it has since its founding as "part dorm room, part start-up" in July 2008.

The company creates websites and other digital tools for auto dealerships and other clients. The roster of clients includes such household names as Mercedes-Benz, Jeep, Fiat Chrysler, BMW, and Volkswagen.

"I think the thing that is really important to note about our culture is that it's very organic," said Anders Johnson, employee relations counselor. "It all comes down to the employees. We have some really great people that work here and it wouldn't be a great place if it weren't for them."

In the firm's "work hard, play hard" culture, Shift Digital nurtures that employee culture with a clutch of benefits and goodies that include fully paid health care premiums, 401(k) accounts, on-site food and beverages, wellness programs, gym memberships, every other Friday off in the summer, and more.

The goal is to create a company culture with limited structure that let's smart people solve problems. The company prides itself in being something to be part of, not just a place to work.

"We can throw all the fun parties and events that we want but it all comes down to the employees really loving being here, really loving to hang out with the people that work here," Johnson said. "And that makes it a  really great place to work."

Shift Digital

Industry: Digital marketing services for clients

CEO: Steve St. Andre 

Home: Birmingham

Employees: 375

Popular employee benefit: gym memberships, fully paid health care premiums