The news is out!
We're incredibly proud to announce that TaxValet been awarded 2nd place for the Best Remote Workplace in America for 2026. This is the third year in a row that we’ve been on this list, and it’s our highest ranking so far.
People often look at our perks to explain this success. They see 43 days of paid time off, flexible schedules, or our home office budgets. But these perks are just a reflection of our culture.
The real driver is much simpler.
We listen with intent.
The Architecture of Listening
In a traditional office, culture often happens by accident. You bump into a manager in the hallway, or you vent to a colleague in the breakroom. Those micro-interactions build trust.
But in a fully remote environment, we don't have the luxury of accidental connection. And if you don't design these touchpoints into your operational model, the real connection doesn't happen.
That’s why we’ve stopped being standard “managers” and become intentional listeners. We use daily huddles and weekly one-on-ones where feedback flows both ways, not just top-down.
When people know there's a set time and place for them to be heard:
- They stop holding things back
- They have opportunities for micro-interactions
- They trust their team
- They feel safe enough to fail and safe enough to thrive
- And much more.
Beyond the meetings, we run ongoing pulse surveys that help us spot trends early.
We also invite every single employee to voice their opinions on what our quarterly and annual priorities should be. Plus, they all create their own Rocks (quarterly goals/projects) that help them grow along with the company.
All this empowers them to think like entrepreneurs, to voice ideas, and to innovate by creating solutions they're truly proud of.
Introducing You Matter Meetings
For 2026, we're taking intentional listening a step further with something called You Matter meetings. Think of this as our version of a Stay Interview. In it, we ask team members what truly motivates them right now and what we can do to improve their experience before frustration ever sets in.
The Foundation: Our Values in Action
Of course, all these meetings and surveys would just be administrative noise if we didn’t have a value system that supported them. Three of our five core values, Feel It, Question It, and Shape It, are the basis behind our feedback loops:
- Feel It means we value connecting with real emotions, which is why a You Matter meeting isn't awkward for us. It’s expected.
- Question It creates a culture of fearless inquiry, meaning traditional hierarchy norms don't stifle teammates from challenging their teammates or supervisors with ideas.
- Shape It reminds us that we’re all responsible for the future of the company.
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These are some of the rules of engagement that make our architecture of listening actually work. Without the values, the meetings are just calendar clutter. With the values, they're the heartbeat of the company.
About the Best Remote Workplaces Award
Here’s some context on the award itself.
The Best Companies Group manages the Best Remote and Hybrid Workplaces in America Award. They survey our American employees directly to get the raw truth. They ask about everything from leadership and planning, to role satisfaction, training, pay, and overall engagement. And their answers are what keep landing us on this list.
Christine Pope, our CEO, summed up why this win feels different this year:
“Winning this award is special because it recognizes something we've always believed, which is that part of creating an awesome remote culture is by making sure our people feel cared for and heard. When you do this, people thrive, and I'm so proud to say TaxValet cherishes this.”
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Don't Just Win, Build.
Being recognized as the 2nd best remote workplace in America is a tremendous honor, and we owe a massive thank you to our team for trusting us enough to be honest with us. But if there's one takeaway we want to offer you, it’s that culture is something you continuously build on. It's not a one and done action.
People deserve to feel seen, heard, and supported before they ever think about leaving. So, if you're thinking of ways to grow and strengthen your culture this year, we recommend creating more intentional touchpoints for listening, and then acting on what you hear.
It doesn't have to be complicated. It needs to be consistent.
If you’re interested in joining a team where your voice matters, visit our Careers page to see our open positions. Or, stay connected with us on LinkedIn to see how we continue to evolve our culture in 2026.