Nominated Again! Lakeside HR Group in the Running for Best Place to Work

We’re thrilled to share that Lakeside HR Group has been nominated as one of the Best Places to Work in Minneapolis/St. Paul by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal—for the second year in a row!

While we’re still waiting to hear the final results, this nomination alone is incredibly meaningful because it’s based on feedback from the people who matter most: our team. As a people-first HR consultancy, we don’t just advise organizations on culture, we live it every day.

Reflecting on the journey, Lakeside Founder and President Kristin Nordling shared, “It’s hard to put into words just how much this means. Four years ago, Lakeside HR Group was an idea—I had no idea it would be where it is now. It was just me, building relationships and selling my consulting and recruiting services directly.

Fast forward to today, we have a team of nearly 20 employees and several contract resources, I’m no longer in the day-to-day, and we have a leadership team that is empowered and accountable. I get to watch an incredible team deliver on the mission, vision, and values we built. We know the team is aligned not just with what we do, but with why and how we do it and quite honestly, this is one of the greatest honors of my career.”

What Makes Lakeside Different?

At Lakeside, culture isn’t just a buzzword. It’s baked into how we work—with our clients, with each other, and with the communities we serve. From the beginning, our leadership has been intentional about building a team rooted in trust, shared values, and a deep commitment to doing great work.

Kristin added,

“What I see now is a team that shows up with more confidence, more authenticity, and a sense of psychological safety that allows them to take smart risks and challenge themselves.”

Growth, On Purpose

Over the past year, we’ve grown in more ways than one. We’ve added new consultants, expanded our services, and supported more organizations through change—but we’ve also doubled down on what makes us Lakeside: staying nimble, human, and values-driven.

“We’ve grown from a scrappy startup into a company with real structure and deeper intention,” Kristin said. “Don’t get me wrong, we still have that same scrappy spirit—we are not too proud to roll up our sleeves and get work done! We’re still scrappy but now it’s scrappy with purpose and clear direction. This past year, we implemented a new business operating system, clarified our accountabilities, and leaned into celebrating our values not just occasionally, but consistently.”

Why This Matters for Our Clients

We believe great workplaces don’t happen by accident—they happen by design. That’s true for our own team, and it’s true for the organizations we support.

Being nominated as a Best Place to Work isn’t just recognition on paper. It reflects how we show up for our clients—bringing empathy, strategy, and heart to every engagement.

“Culture isn’t just an internal thing for us, it’s the foundation for us and how we serve,” Kristin said. “When our team feels supported, seen, and empowered, they bring that same energy to our clients.

At Lakeside, our mission is to help strengthen small to midsize businesses through personalized recruiting and HR consulting solutions, and we do that by being an extension of our clients’ teams. Authentic relationships, deep trust, and a spirit of curiosity and creativity are what set us apart. Our clients feel the difference because our people are different—they’re engaged, values-driven, and committed to creating lasting impact.”

Looking Ahead

We’re incredibly proud of this nomination, but we’re even more excited about what’s next. From deepening our impact with existing clients to launching new initiatives in leadership coaching, recruiting, and culture-building, the future is bright. While we await the final results, we’re focused on what got us here: continuing to build a workplace where our team can thrive, grow, and do their best work—because when they succeed, our clients succeed too.

Thank You

To our team: thank you for making Lakeside the kind of workplace people want to show up to every day. And to our clients: thank you for trusting us to help build stronger workplaces with you.

Here’s to continuing the work—together.