GREENVILLE, S.C., Nov. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United Community has once again been named one of the Best Banks to Work For in 2024 by American Banker and Best Companies Group. This recognition is based on employee satisfaction, along with a thorough review of benefits and other 'perks' offered to employees. This is the eighth consecutive year the bank has been selected for this list, which can be seen here. United is proud to be one of only three banks on the list with more than $25 billion in assets, which reinforces its goal to 'stay small as we grow.'

"We believe creating an environment where our team members can thrive is a large part of our success. Being recognized as a great place for great people to work validates that we're building a culture that empowers our team to do their best work," said CEO and Chairman Lynn Harton.

United is a bank that is focused on maintaining its people-first culture. This year, United revamped and expanded its Power of U council – an initiative that encourages open communication and collaboration between management and employees. The council helps address the diverse needs and aspirations of United's workforce while driving employee engagement, accountability and retention. Additionally, the bank offers benefits such as sick time donation, paid time off to volunteer at an organization of an employees' choosing and an internal assistance fund that supports teammates who may need extra help. Most recently, this fund was activated when more than a dozen employees were devastated by Hurricane Helene.

"Our employees' compassion and commitment to each other is what set us apart," said Chief Human Resources Officer Holly Berry. "Our culture of caring was front-and-center recently in the wake of Hurricane Helene and I have never been more proud to be part of a team that took care of each other."

United's internal recognition platform, URock, allows teammates to recognize each other with a note of encouragement that goes to both the employee and their manager. Employees enjoy the perk of an extra 'holiyay' to give teammates time off to celebrate a holiday or personal event that is special to them.

Since 2013, the Best Banks to Work For program by American Banker and Best Companies Group has identified, recognized and honored U.S. banks for outstanding employee satisfaction. Full results of this year's program are available online at American Banker and in the November issue of American Banker Magazine.

Determining the Best Banks to Work For is a two-step process. The first step involves an evaluation of participating companies' workplace policies, practices and demographics. In the second step, employee surveys are conducted to directly assess the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. The combined scores determine the top banks and the final ranking.

Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking. The program is open to commercial banks, thrifts, savings banks and other chartered retail financial institutions with at least 50 employees in the United States. For more information on eligibility or other questions related to the Best Banks to Work For program, visit .

About United Community Banks, Inc.

United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) is the financial holding company for United Community, a top 100 U.S. financial institution that is committed to improving the financial health and well-being of its customers and the communities it serves. United Community provides a full range of banking, wealth management and mortgage services. As of September 30, 2024, United Community Banks, Inc. had $27.4 billion in assets, 202 offices across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as a national SBA lending franchise and a national equipment lending subsidiary. In 2024, United Community became a 10- time winner of J.D. Power's award for the best customer satisfaction among consumer banks in the Southeast region and was recognized as the most trusted bank in the Southeast. In 2023, United was named by American Banker as one of the "Best Banks to Work For" for the seventh consecutive year and was recognized in the Greenwich Excellence and Best Brands Awards, receiving 15 awards that included national honors for overall satisfaction in small business banking and middle market banking. Forbes has also consistently listed United Community as one of the World's Best Banks and one of America's Best Banks. Additional information about United can be found at ucbi.com.

SOURCE United Community Bank