SPA earns WTOP Top Workplace honor for 13th straight year

Systems Planning & Analysis has been named a WTOP Top Workplace for the 13th consecutive year, with employees citing culture, leadership and development as strengths. The Alexandria-based defense analytics firm also picked up eight Culture Excellence awards, including first-time recognition for professional development, employee appreciation and employee well-being.

Why it matters: - The recognition suggests SPA’s workplace culture is helping the firm retain and support employees during a period of growth. - Employee feedback drives the award, making the result a direct signal on leadership, development and day-to-day experience. - The new Culture Excellence wins in development, appreciation and well-being point to areas where SPA says it has made targeted investments.

What happened: - Systems Planning & Analysis, based in Alexandria, Virginia, was named a WTOP Top Workplace for the 13th consecutive year. - The honor was announced June 23, 2026. - WTOP Top Workplace recognition reflects employee feedback on culture, leadership, professional development and the overall employee experience. - SPA also earned eight Culture Excellence awards in innovation, leadership, work-life flexibility, compensation and benefits, purpose and values, professional development, employee appreciation and employee well-being.

The details: - SPA received first-time Culture Excellence recognition in professional development, employee appreciation and employee well-being. - The company linked those new awards to targeted investments made after employee feedback identified those areas as priorities. - CEO Rich Sawchak said the recognition belongs to employees and reflects the environment they have built together. - Sawchak also said the award comes during a period of significant growth for SPA. - Chief People Officer Michelle Howell said the company listened to employee feedback and invested time and resources in its people. - The WTOP designation is determined through an anonymous survey administered by an independent research partner. - SPA describes itself as a global, independent provider of data-driven analytical insights for national security programs and defense priorities. - The company did not disclose additional details on headcount, growth metrics or the size of the employee survey sample.

Between the lines: - Repeated recognition can help reinforce SPA’s employer brand in a competitive defense and analytics labor market. - The first-time awards suggest SPA is using survey results as a management tool, not just a public relations metric. - The emphasis on well-being and flexibility signals that employee experience remains a business issue, not only a human resources issue.

What's next: - SPA will likely use the recognition to support recruiting and retention as it continues to grow. - Future WTOP survey results will show whether the recent investments in development, appreciation and well-being continue to resonate with employees. - The company’s next priority appears to be sustaining the culture that produced 13 straight years of recognition.