Best Companies To Work For in 2017,
and What Makes Them Great
By Michael T. Robinson
Founder and Chief Career Coach
www.CareerPlanner.com
This month (Dec 2016), GlassDoor.com released their list of the best companies to work for and they also included an astute analysis of why the employees liked those companies so much. In other words, what made these companies great places to work.
Why should you care? According to GlassDoor's CEO and co-founder, Robert Hohman, "Choosing where to work is one of the most important decisions in one's life. So choose carefully." How many people actually take time to do this?
I don't know if you follow GlassDoor.com at all. I stumbled onto them at an Human Resource (SHRM) conference in San Diego back around 2010 or 2011. They allow you to peek inside of companies, by allowing the employees of those companies to anonymously share stories, salaries, etc.
I found their list interesting, with several surprises. There were a few companies I had never heard of. But even more interesting to me, is what made these great companies great, in the eyes of the people who worked there.
The Top Ten Best Companies To Work For in 2017
But first, here is their list of best companies to work for, based on what the employees said: (for the complete list, please visit GlassDoor.com).
- Bain and Company
- Boston Consulting
- World Wide Technology
- Fast Enterprises
- In-N-Out Burger
- Adobe
- Power Home Remodeling
Bain has been on the list for nine years straight and they have been number one for the last three years. Check out the video clip below. It looks like a very exciting place to work.
You may remember that Mitt Romney, presidential candidate from 2012 ran a company called Bain Capital that specialized in buying companies, shipping the jobs off shore, and then taking most of the company's money by taking out loans on their assets and then declaring bankruptcy. That operation was a small part of Bain. Their main business is consulting.
Apple is not in the top ten. They have been sinking slowly and hit 36 this year. I hope they can get back on track.
Big Names Not In The Top Ten, But Still On The List
- 15) SAP
- 17) Sales Force
- 20) Intuit
- 33) Trader Joe's
- 34) Costco
- 35) Airbnb
- 36) Apple
What Makes These Great Places To Work - According To Employees
Shown below are my notes on what GlassDoor's CEO and co-founder, Robert Hohman said these great companies had in common.
- Strong, iconic, unique, inspirational leader
- Transparent senior leadership with great communication
- Smart, passionate, collaborative co-workers
- Employees feel valued - "People matter here"
- Meritocracy - it's what you accomplish that counts
- Company culture aligns with the mission and that aligns with the values of employees
- Proud of the product or service
- Competitive pay and best-in-class benefits
- Career advancement opportunities
Does Employee Satisfaction Pay Off
In the interview, CEO Robert Hohman revealed data showing that the stock appreciation in these companies was nearly 3x that of other companies. So having great management and a great place to work pays off for investors too.