Our spring 2026 employee survey confirmed something we already feel in our day-to-day: people genuinely enjoy working at VALOR. Eight out of ten VALOR employees said they would definitely or quite likely recommend VALOR as an employer to a friend or colleague, and no respondent said they wouldn’t.
The survey highlighted three areas where VALOR shines as an employer: work atmosphere, company culture, and the feeling that the work itself is meaningful and impactful. Every single respondent described the VALOR community as enjoyable and inspiring. 94% found their work interesting and meaningful, and 84% felt their projects aligned well with their own interests and career goals.
Employees also strongly highlighted VALOR’s low-hierarchy culture, entrepreneurial mindset, and the way responsibility and freedom go hand in hand. In their own words:
“A relaxed and solution-oriented, agile and flexible entrepreneurial culture with minimal bureaucracy.”
“Low hierarchy, freedom and responsibility, and flexible ways of working.”
“A relaxed atmosphere with down-to-earth colleagues who respect one another.”
Many employees pointed to work-life balance, the company’s flexibility, and the ability to do challenging, meaningful advisory work without being constantly overloaded.
“It matters to us that people truly enjoy working at VALOR and genuinely thrive here, not just on paper. Employee surveys and the conversations they spark give us a chance to pause, listen, and talk openly together about what’s working and what we can improve. At the same time, we believe that if the employee survey results come as a big surprise, something has already gone wrong. Day-to-day work and ongoing conversation are at the heart of everything.” –Susanna Alakotila, HR Specialist at VALOR. “It’s especially heartening to see that our culture and sense of community have remained key strengths even as we’ve grown.”
The survey was conducted in April 2026. 31 VALOR employees responded, giving a response rate of 80%.