The 8 Best Companies to Work For
The best company to work for is, by consensus, a high-tech firm called Google. You might have heard of them. But they are not the only company with high rankings as employers. When you're feeling disgruntled about being chained to your desk or being turned down for a raise, here's a list to drool over. Maybe print a copy and pin it up where your employer can see it, and see if they get the hint.
1. Google
At Google, the perks go on and on and include a famous climbing wall, on-site dry cleaning, and free food for employees, one of whom said typical fare was prime rib for lunch and giant prawns for dinner. "I eat three meals a day here, because it can't be beat," the employee told Great Places to Work Institute, the company that helps Fortune Magazine put out its annual list of 100 best employers.
With 42,162 employees and counting, job growth is at 20.1% and median pay is $127,000 after five years.
Motley Fool says Google "holds up remarkably well to its corporate motto: "Don't be evil!'" It's on or near the top of many lists, but curiously missing from the Top 100 list put out by Working Mothers, which ranks companies largely by opportunities and advancements offered to women.
2. Celgene Corporation
You likely have not heard of them, but this New Jersey company has been called the best employer in America. It has only 5,500 employees, but it, too lives up to its motto, and that, specifically, is "Do well by doing good."
Celgene was ranked high for its work-schedule flexibility satisfaction level, which hit 97%, a "job meaning" satisfaction level of 93% (their workers like what they do) and a median pay of $116,000 per year.
One interesting perk is the opportunity Celgene provides employees to visit with the patients who use the company's medicines. As you might imagine, those visits have a profound effect on employees in terms of job meaning and satisfaction. "Do well by doing good," indeed.
3. Abbott Laboratories
Biotechnology giant Abbott Laboratories has been cited as family and women friendly for its flexible work schedules, its tolerance of telecommuting, and the fact that 45% of its managers and executives are women.
4. National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health is a huge medical research agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It has been cited as the best employer for workers over 50 by AARP, which appreciated the agency's workplace culture, opportunities for advancement, and health and financial benefits. There's no climbing wall in the employee lounge, but the company does have good retirement options and retention of older workers — you know, the bread and butter stuff.
5. Amazon.com
If reputation matters to you, go with Amazon.com. The company is given high marks in customer satisfaction and reliability polls. According to 24/7 Wall Street, Amazon scored an 83.87 in a company reputation index. As for reputation inside the company, Amazon consistently ranks near the top in several satisfaction measures.
6. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
What, pray tell, is so exciting about working for pharmaceutical behemoth Novartis? Well, in a survey of 1,215 companies, Novartis topped the list in a ranking of employee diversity.
The annual poll looks for diversity in four areas: Talent Pipeline (workforce breakdown and recruitment), Equitable Talent Development (employee resource groups, mentoring and other factors), CEO/Leadership commitment, and Supplier Diversity.
7. Quicken Loans
Computer World calls Quicken Loans the No. 1 cutting edge company in Information Technology, pointing to the Detroit-based finance company's 200 hours of training each year, which includes 40 hours of training at industry conferences, guest speakers, and skills development programs. They also have a casual dress code, which is not typical of many finance firms. They give spot bonuses that include free trips to events, like concerts, sporting events, and NASCAR races.
8. URS
San Francisco engineering firm URS is at the top of the FlexJobs lists 100 best companies for "flexible green jobs," which focuses on part-time, freelance, and telecommuting options for employees, which improves the company's carbon footprint by reducing commuting time spent in cars, and the time spent in the office during peak hours of energy consumption.
Should your company be on this list? Tell us why in comments!
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