100 Best Companies to Work For 2009
What do you think of this year’s Best Companies to Work For list? Which are your favorite companies? What makes them great? Have you worked for one of them? Would you like to? What do you think is most important when considering where to work — pay, benefits, company culture, bosses, location? Tell us what you think. The best replies will be published here, and possibly in a future story on CNNMoney.com.
I totally disagree with KL from GA,, Publix is a great company to work for.
We have really great benefits, 2 weeks paid vacation, sick time, 6 paid holidays, inventory bonuses and dont forget christmas bonuses!
Publix also buys us stock at publix w/o us having to spend a dime! another thing we do not have to pay for is my $50,000 life insurance policy they have on me.
so yea,,I DO think they deserve to be on the list again and many more years to come! good job!
-where shopping is a pleasure..
Stay away from CB Richard Ellis on Brickell – The manager there is a bi-polar control freak who does nothing but spend all day on “conference calls” or “meetings”, while she gets everyone to do her work for her!
Not much manufacturing in this list. The best companies to work for are in the service industry? What a shame.
whoever wrote this list must be on drugs!! Most of the companies on here had massive layoffs, bad business practices, store closings etc.. this list is ridiculous..
Publix, where to begin.
Yes they take care of people, yes they give holiday bonuses, yes they give you stock.
The corporate atmosphere outside corp office is to yell and berate hourly workers as much as you can. If you know someone, or are related to a manager you are fine, otherwise forget about getting promoted. Nepotism runs rampant. Saw it many times, I love it when I see an hourly employee training their manager after they get promoted.
Their benefits are great, but working for the majority of the managers is a less than stellar experience.
Ebay is NOT a great place to work. Is it that hard to figure it out given the way they treat ebay customers and paypal users?
Intel is NOT a great place to work.
-current intel employee
To see Publix make the list yet again only proves to me that this is a list of companies to AVOID!
You would think that a company with a nondiscrimination policy (because of HUGE past discrimination lawsuits) would be more careful of their practices. However I have been on the receiving end of age discrimination practices three times with Publix.
Fortune combines both corporate structure and store level in this ranking, which makes the results inaccurate. On one hand the “most common job” is a grocery clerk (store level). Yet the survey also says that Publix offers:
**Onsite childcare-NOT AT STORE LEVEL
**Subsidized gym membership-NOT AT STORE LEVEL
**Job sharing program-NOT AT STORE LEVEL
**Compressed Workweek-Unless that means not getting paid your OT hours-NOT AT STORE LEVEL
**Telecommuting-Obviously NOT AT STORE LEVEL
So yes, Publix MAY make the list for corporate employees. But I can assure you, for the hourly wage store employee, working at Publix was NOT a pleasure!
Combining the corporate environment with the store is like comparing apples and broccoli. Store employees would NEVER rate this in the top 100, or even the top 1,000!
QuikTrip is an amazing company to work for and should be higher that 27th!
Where are IBM and Intel?
Maybe the survey was not good enough for them to participate.
Price Waterhouse Coopers, at least in Tampa, sucks. I have never come across a more arrogant bunch of soulless people in my life. Their hidden motto is “IT SHALL PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSES HIS SOUL”. Stay away from this place at all costs.
Where is Agilent’s name…… I would definately like to say as Agilent to be one of the best place to work in.
Agilent Technologies Rocks!!!!!!!!
CarMax is firing a lot of it’s employees because of a Drivetime lawsuit. Can’t be such a good place to work after all.
So much for The Container Store not having layoffs. I know of two people last week that were let go and had been with the company for over ten years, with more long time employees to be let go shortly. No more loyalty there.
As you may or may not already know, Plante & Moran PLLC, in a recent unprecedented strategic move has decided to lay off staff members due to difficult economic times. In the course of its 80 year history, the firm has resisted this temptation. The firm, known for its culture, people and caring attitude may never be the same. It is rumored, while unsubstantiated, that as many as 100 staff members were let go Thursday April the 30th as the firms performance year came to an end.
Upon starting with the firm each staff member receives a golden ruler with the words “we care” written on the face. Interestingly enough, if you were to ask any staff member, or associate where theirs was they wouldn’t even have to stop to think about it. Some carry it with them in their pocket or audit bag. Others have it prominently displayed in their offices. It is this ruler that governs day to day decision making for all members of the firm. Some at the firm however have misplaced their rulers. Some at the firm have lost their compass. This piece of metal given to staff members, represents the key driving principal of the firm. This is symbolic (unfortunately in these times only symbolic) of the golden rule. To do on to others as you would have them do on to you. Simply put, to care. To care about community, clients, and fellow members of the firm. The firm I am afraid, has become too big to act as a family. Too large to pain share. Too political to act in a manner which is in alignment with its one guiding principal. Maintaining monthly partner draws and capital accounts has become more important than the concept of family and the concept of caring. The ethical concept of reciprocity for both current employees and those that were escorted to the door, has been shattered. For many of us, our lives have been irrevocably changed.
The point you might ask? I am not sure there is one. One typically ends a communication with an action item. A deadline, a due date or a request. Today I have no action items. No due dates. No deadlines. Just spare time. Spare time and disappointment. Something beautiful has been broken.
EDWARD JONES IS A HORRIBLE COMPANY TO WORK FOR…THE BRANCH OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS ARE PAID LOW HOURLY WAGES AND THEY DO ALL THE WORK, WHILE THE FINANCIAL ADVISORS GET ALL THE REWARDS AND MAKE ALL THE MONEY…IT’S A SHAME, WITHOUT THE B.O.A’S, EVERYTHING WOULD FALL APART IN THE BRANCH! RAYMOND JAMES OR ANY OTHER INVESTMENT FIRM WOULD BE MUCH BETTER TO WORK FOR IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A DECENT HOURLY WAGE/SALARY AND BE APPRECIATED AND RESPECTED…
I would definitely not include Kimley-Horn on your list. They jusy laid off 20% of entire staff….a lot of people who were actually doing their job.
KPMG also would lay off staff with under 5 years of service because they are not fully vested in their 401 K’s and Pension Plans. They did do a great job of spending alot of the firms funds on undeserved executive bonuses and 1st class executive travel
KPMG had across the board layoffs in Feb 2009. Minimal severence. You might as well remover them from your top 400 Companies.
This lists are usually no more than a marketing gimmick that the companies listed jump through a lot of hoops to get. Many times they create programs simply to look good on paper, when the reality is something truly different. For larger companies, an employee’s experience may be entirely dependent on their particular business unit, some of which may be downright dysfunctional. For instance, at E&Y, there’s a vast difference in quality between how the Chicago office is run and how the financial services office (based in NY) is run.
The Container Store may boast that they aren’t doing layoffs, but they are quietly firing long-term, top earning hourly employees to meet forecasts. Then they are denying them unemployment insurance. Not top 100 worthy.
PwC says they don’t plan layoffs, but their is a soft freeze on hirings, and in certain divisions, consultants are going around to see if anything can be outsourced.
Texas Instruments??? You have/are being grossly misinformed.
I worked as an engineer for TI for 25 years and was RIF’d Jan. 2009 at the age 52.
I received no “generous early retirement package”. And, in fact, was offered only 5 weeks of severance and healthcare — sub-standard by any industry norm.
I would warn others to steer clear of this company.
Publix is a wonderful company were the associates care about the costumers and so does the company, and it is no surprise it has been voted one of the best companys to work for the past 10 plus years. Keep up the good work!!
Nordstrom? You’re kidding, right? 100% commission, no management support (customer is always right, we have customers with 100% returns – and 6K in sales!), managers take the top hours, ‘the economy is not an excuse’. 100% health care coverage? Why is money coming out of my pay check? On-site child care? where? 20% discount and a business professional dress code.
Promotions by who likes you, not your numbers. The #1 person in the dept next to me was fired – nobody knows why. Probably because she helped people out.
No IBM ? maybe because its now referred to as India Business Machines
I wonder why one of these companies make the list year after year when they employ incompetent managers that bully their employees. What’s worse is that the Human Resource department does nothing to prevent the harrassment that goes on. They seem to advocate it.
you are showing a lot of job availibilty for the state of Wisconsin in the Northeastern and Central part but the truth of the matter there is no jobs only professional ones but none for the average worker I have been looking since Sept of 08 when I was working as a temp medical records filer and was only given an hours notice that i didn’t need to go in. Before that I looked for over 5 months and 18 months before that . There also strong age discrimination and businesses are able to hide this. Worksites do not update there jobs listings so they are not always accucarate.
You need to check these companies…many of these are laying off when they are saying they are not.
Don’t believe the hype a senior level person feeds you. The Captains don’t want to admit they’ve already hit an iceburg!
Look at all the financial companies that were saying the same thing for the past two years!
Ask for their current payroll numbers and their payroll numbers from a year ago. Bet there’s a difference on the negative side!
Allen and Pete have it right, after many years with IBM which was routinely in the top 5 companies when I joined, is nowhere to be found. Having been a top contributor throughout my career, upon hitting 50 and 6 figures, I became a target given reduced performance ratings for no rational reason and forced out as were many of my peers. Truly sad to see what this company has become and while the execs get rich short term, they are sowing the seeds for the demise of this company. Respect for the individual used to be the mantra…no more.
Now they are forcing employees to move to ‘low cost’ delivery centers in the US to make it appear they are keeping jobs in the US when in reality they are forcing people to leave with no severance if they choose not to relocate…At their own expense…
I have a hard time believing that T-Mobile made this list. This is the most micro-managed top heavy company I have ever worked for. And telecommuting or compressed work week is a laugh, unless you consider once a year.
I agree with Allen regarding IBM. After working for them for several years, I figured out that they had little to no regard for their employees. They expected you to be an IBM’r 24/7 (including lost weekends, days off, holidays, and vacations) but forgot that they had done away with their premium benefits a number of years ago. In the old days, being an IBM’r meant that they expected their employees to do anything and everything for IBM, but they took good care of you and your family. That changed about 15+ years ago when they decided to change the pension and health care benefits for all employees with less than 15 years of service. They broke their promise to their long-time employees and Wall Street has not forgotten how this once venerable firm did their people ‘dirty’. Lastly, when IBM took over PwC Consulting, they lost over 40% of their PwC brethren within 18 months. Very telling indeed.
Woohoo Juniper is on the list! Excellent company to work for, the company culture really is excellent. Proud we are on here.
So you have that god awful place fedex in the top 100 best. I see you have the stats, but you don’t have how many people they fired instead of laying off! They only let the ones who have been brainwashed to fill out surveys of “how great” it is to work there. Kinko’s has gone down hill ever since FedEx took over. Just when you think your compliant with the new changes, they go and make changes again and now your penalized because they made the changes 2 weeks ago, only 4 weeks after the last change, yet you have only got the update that morning. They suck and should be knocked out of the top 100, heck, they need to be knocked out of the top 500. Shoot, they just need to be closed down all together. They are horrible employers. Even if I could go back, I wouldn’t. You can’t pay me enough to degrade myself like that again. I got more respect working at McDonalds.
IBM is a horrible place to work. IBM treats employees like dirt. Check this out on the internet — IBM has been firing Americans, and is suggesting that the fired employees take jobs in LOW=WAGE countries like India and Nigeria. That is extremely cruel.
??? “Wal-Mart is a GREAT company to work for. Over 1 million US associates and growing. Save Money, Live Better!!!!”
Have you not read or heard the news lately? Many Wal-Mart Associates are underpaid and can barely pay for groceries, rent, healthcare, and transportation to and from work. Bargains, yes, but at what cost to its own employees?
Yeah! I’m so happy to see my company made it! With the economic slump, my company made it their goal to make sure layoffs were minimal if at all. They even pay you holiday pay on your birthday!
I have worked at Mayo Clinic for 26 years and have seen many changes. But the one thing that never changes is our mission … Mayo cares for people and we do it very, very well. I truly feel that no matter what level the position … nurse, doctor, environmental staff, desk attendants, etc. … we all have responsibility to the care our patients receive. I am proud to work at Mayo Clinic … they are an excellent employer and have cared for members of my family over the years, so I have experienced Mayo from both sides. In today’s economy businesses are needing to make shifts to survive … we as part of the Mayo Clinic family need to be supportive, flexible and willing to work differently … we are all responsible for our future. I feel very blessed to have a job at Mayo Clinic. Congratulations to us all for making this list!
What about Bank of America??? Hmmm can you say oops Merrill Lynch?
FlightSafety in Hazelwood Missouri is also one of the best. They care about their people.
I am so proud that Mayo Clinic is on the list. This is one of the enduring organizations of our time, founded on and staying true to strong values, integrity, and unwavering commitment to help people. Employees are treated with dignity and respect. Mayo’s concensus style of management gives a wide voice to decision-making. We are all partners in an international treasure, an icon of humble greatness.
Monster.com is the worlds # 1 and they don’t figure in your list? Are you sure you took the right companies in the list?
Your reason for Herman Miller being a great place to work: ‘Layoffs at the furniture maker were minimized by generous voluntary separation packages: 3 weeks pay for every year of service.’ is disingenuous. I can only assume you got the information from the Herman Miller HR department. Yes, they did offer 3 weeks pay for every year but it was capped at 36 weeks. While generous the cap is very important. I saw FedEx was at number 90 and the reasons for it being great are: ‘CEO Fred Smith announced sweeping cost reductions in December. 401(k) matches were frozen, exec pay was cut 10% and his own pay was docked 20%. But he didn’t cut hourly wages or announce layoffs.’ Ask Herman Miller how many pay cuts their exec’s took before letting 1000 people go.
I work for Mayo Clinic as well and have had an etirely differnt experience than those others who have written in… Mayo Clinic is the best. Other organizaitons I have worked for are consumed with making thier department or section look goood at the expense of other… This place is about the needs of the patients coming first, its not just a slogan, regardless of where they come from. And Mayo has helped me grow through education reimbursement, probabaly saved my son during a difficult birth, and pretty much keeps our local economy stable… It woudl likely surpirse folks how much this companies does for folks if they ever took a moment to try and take it all in…
SAS does not allow telecommuting if you work at it World Headquarters in Cary. N.C. Telecommuting is only allowed in special circumstances. There is a waiting list for onsite child care.
Oh please! NI sucks. I can’t believe we’re on the list again.
Iam Happy to see that Erickson is on the list again this year, and moved up to 54. It is truly a great place to work, a happy employee. 
Lovely to see that Louisiana has NO good jobs. Then again, I could have told you that, I live here after all.
Texas Instruments? They just laid off 20% of their DFW workforce (2,000 jobs).
So if laying off 20% of your workforce still gets you on the “best” list, what in the world is the criteria being used to decide “best”? Best for whom?
What about Intel? Very frustrating that one of the most profitable companies is not on there.
I still can’t believe Mayo Clinic makes this list. They are very difficult to work for. To get anything done you have to fill out a form, navigate a huge system, and go through the heirarchy that could care less about you.
You may get cheap healthcare here, but do they tell you that it is near impossible to see your doctor? And the only doctors that you get assigned to are residents who don’t know what they are doing?
I’d rather be working at a smaller hospital that actually cares about its employees rather than the rich patients from the middle east that bring in all of the revenue.
In addition, the education system here is a joke. No counseling for students. No one cares that you are a student, you are treated like an employee. The teachers here don’t care about teaching either, they only care about writing their grants!
I’m surprised to see SRA still on the list. Unrealistic management expectations, constant management change, a following of “yes-men”, very few (if any are left) high ranking women or people of color, and dwindling health coverage.
CH2M Hill – working from home allowed. Well not here in Alaska where we supposedly got treated so great with the buyout. We still have legacy managers calling the shots with no tele-commuting or flextime allowed…
I was surprised Nationwide Insurance wasn’t on the list. Financially secure, stable, good benefit plans to choose from, offers domestic partner benefits, offers a compressed workweek, values diversity, and competitive salaries. They still offer pensions as well as 401K matching. I’ll receive a total of $260 this year just for getting my lab work done and completing a 6 week 10K steps a day program. If you smoke, they’ll pay you $300 to quit. They actually care about their employees and if you’re willing to work hard and if you’re mobile, there’s no limit to the success you can have here. Definitely one of the best companies I’ve worked for.
AS a manager in public service, I have followed the Top 100 since its inception. I look for tips that can work in my environment.
Years ago I attended a charity event and some FEDEX employees were there. I taunted them a little about their high ranking in the Top 100, implying they had no input. They looked at me and said, “We are not Top 100, we are number one!” They said it was because of a clear mission and values which resulted in them being individually empowered to do their jobs.
Whole foods???? really??? I worked at a store in Michigan and couldn’t wait to get the heck out of there. It seems like they are only interested in finding different ways to get rid of you. I was lucky to be able to leave by choice and not forced out. Their system of employee happiness is non existant…Brainwashing????
Not sure how you put any of the Big 4 accounting firms on this list. Do you even attempt to talk to ppl that either work or used to work for these places? You might want to spend less time talking to HR departments and more time talking to employees.
How could Publix make the list? The company recently raised the health benefits eligibility level from 1000 hours to 1500. That in effect means that all part time workers are denied benefits as they will have to work 30 hours a week for 50 weeks to qualify. Don’t you guys at Fortune check your info?
Where is x? y? z? Many companies choose not to participate in this competition. Southwest Airlines, for example, was always in the top 5. After 9/11 they decided to stop participating (even though they decided not to lay off anyone and would have surely been near the top again).
I have worked both in the field for Build-A-Bear Workshop and at the Bearquarters. It is THE BEST PLACE TO WORK! We take care of each other in good times and bad. I am proud to be a bear.
Where does work/life balance fit into these assessments? I work for one of the top-10 companies and all the benefits in the world pale when having to choose between advancement and being available to help my kids grow up.
Working for Build-A-Bear in the corporate headquarters is not good. Everybody is overworked and now that people have been laid off, we are working nearly every day and long hours with no pay increase.
I would love to know how the best companies are chosen. I can almost assure you that the common everyday working class people that work for these so called “best companies” have zero imput what so ever!
I am proud to work for such a great company; where you enjoy going to work every day at Methodist Hospital.
I have been with Booz Allen Hamilton for just over a year and it truly is a fantastic firm and a pleasure to work for.
I’m very happy to see Accenture being part of the 100 best company to work with. I find it sad, however, that Accenture is being haunted by the US Financial Crisis as well (who ain’t anyway?). Nevertheless, Accenture has still been doing its best to survive this turmoil.
Just kind of curious how companies are screened/ picked for this. I work part-time for a large rural telcomm company that gives a lot of the perks offered by in the top 50 and hasn’t laid anyone off, but not a mention. Interesting.
You did not mention anything about our new Cancer Center at Griffin Hospital.
Not only is it beautiful and state of the art,it is close to home for all of our Naugatuck Valley Patients.And staffed with the best of the best doctors and technicians.
I’m surprised State Farm insurance is not on the list. It’s the best place I’ve ever worked — stable, secure, cares a lot about its employees. One of the few companies around that still has a pension plan and one of the only ones in our area that is still hiring.
I highly recommend working for Quiktrip as asst store manager if:
1) You just love working 9 hour shifts without a sit down break. Sit down breaks do NOT exist for quiktrip store workers period. This is a fact.
2) You enjoy a job with absolutely zero flexability in weekly work schedules. You work the same exact hours & days every single week as asst manager including turn-around shifts (graveyard one night to 5am shift the next day) weekly. Oh and don’t forget they expect you to be at 8am meetings frequently the same day you have to work the graveyard shift!! What a great company ya!!!
On a side note one of the reasons quiktrip asst manager yearly pay looks so good on paper is you are working 6 hours of overtime weekly. It amazes me fortune magazine doesn’t take these factors into account and they simply look at what the annual pay is and give it thumbs up. Quiktrip was the worst job I ever had in my life and I voluntarily quit after several weeks. The hectic stores, no sit down breaks & weekly turn-around shifts made it completely miserable. Thankfully I have found a different job I really like but no thanks to fortune magazine!!
Maya, Netapp is probably better off without you and your “me first” attitude. Just sayin.
I hope you’ve found happiness.
It’s interesting that there seems to be a correlation between companies on the 100 best list, and those with either a mission centric focus or a formal program of corporate social responsibility/sustainability.
Might it be true that people are more engaged when they align their personal values with those of the company they work for in a way that enables them to work for more than a paycheck?
To whomever asked about IBM,IBM does NOT deserve to be on this list. It is a horrible place to work, employee morale is in the toilet, and the senior management doesn’t care.
IBM is exactly where it belongs, somewhere after the top 100. Trust me.
As a former GE Employee, I can understand that it is wonderful for “working mothers, and paid time off, award compensation.” The paid time off seemed only to be for working mothers, and the rest of us had to pull harder because of it. Yes, the pay was reasonably good, but as an independent consultant, I now make almost twice what I made at GE.
I’m An IT consultant, BCG uses H1B visa holders. How did they increased their diversity, they replaced American workers with cheap imported H1B labor.
Any company that uses the H1B indentured servant program is not a company I will do business with.
I am wondering why with so many incoming baby boomers and senior citizens now presently embattled by their limited income status on SSI do not have a slot in these producing named companies, even as interns. These are usefull members of the communities that can be harnessed, even as a minority workforce within the confines of open jobs in the market today.
Why does these retired or veteran senior citizens have to sit down when their potential can be used, just what these companies are hiring younger workforce roster?
Any company that isn’t giving 5 weeks vacation for every worker from the date of hire is 8-up.
We saw how corporate America vaporized trillions of dollars and other resources with their greed.
Watch now as they vaporize our people with 40 hour weeks (mimimum) and then tack onto that, 2 – 3 hour round trip commutes and a laughable 1 or 2 weeks vacation per year and wages that are so out of wack with the cost of living that one has to spend their entire working lives to even think of paying for a (shoddily built cracker-box) home and you can see, that like Japan and Europe, USA will not have replacement workers for us because we won’t have produced them.
However, those at the top will have proved their superiority to all others by killing the goose that laid the golden egg. Hollywood should take note too.
Enjoy.
Where is Fidelity Investments? They have on site gyms, supplement any outside membership, match dollar for dollar up to 7% on the 401k, and have for many years (including 2008) contributed 10% of ee’s salarys into their 401ks as a profit sharing contribution. They have domestic partner health ins coverage. Oh, and they have had minimal layoffs in this environment. They are a company that truly values it’s employees!
Hard to believe cleanacarpet.com didn’t make the list in Atlanta. great service to its clients and plenty of perks for employees.
so sad, Hewlett Packard was once one of the best loved, and now doesn’t even make the list.
My son starting working for Wegman’s six years ago, part time, when he was in college. I agree, it is one of the best places to work, but I think part of its success is that it is family owned. No BoD’s sticking their noses in and demanding that costs be cut.
He hasn’t found a job in his field, and this economy like many of his friends, so he continues to work there. At the age of 24, he works “part time” read that 32 hours, and then extra if they need him, he has Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance for $10 a week, and this week, got his retirement statement. In addition to the 10% discounted gift card through the holidays, they also send an employee flyer with coupons for free items.
More than that, Wegman’s really gives women an opportunity, does lots for the community, and environment; they have a “green team” to think of ways to eliminate waste, and they are the largest distributor of organics in the northeast.
From a customer standpoint, I feel as though I have my own butcher, and fish monger. They treat, and are trained to treat their customers as though we matter. It shows. We all keep going back.
I find it odd that companies with 20-25% voluntary turnover can be considered in the top 100. If you work for a place with 25% voluntary turnover, in a year, 1 in 4 people you know will be gone. In four years, chances are you will be gone as well. People don’t just quit good jobs like that. There has to be a reason. Voluntary turnover over 5-10% should disqualify any company from this list.
You should be specific about the fact that your selected companies are the best companies to work for in the US… For example, SAS being selected, is a disastrous company to work for outside US with very poor HR policies… I am sure many companies including SAS would not be selected if the listing was about best employers to work for World Wide!!!
I love working for McDonald’s! Flipping burgers is the BEST!
childrens healthcare of atlanta is absolutely number one in my eyes.
There are many small business start ups who are really nice with their employees. They might not be able to provide benefits, but they provide high pay and great appreciation for those who help building the company bigger.
Is this only US limited? I see most of the companies are international, I wonder if this list shouldn’t be international as well? At least would be nice to see also international one
Monsanto ranked #2 behind Genentech in Science Magazine. They’ve probably outdone Google’s stock run over the past 5 years too. And they actually bring new products to market. Why aren’t they on the list??
100 top companies out of 343 doesn’t sound like that big of an honor.
Mayo system is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be. I feel as though it’s grown too big for it’s employees and doesn’t take interest in the individuals who are responsible for the great care that they give. The benefits are not better than any other competitive hospital of it’s size.
Starbucks? I beg to differ. It used to be a great company to work for…now, baristas struggle for hours while being understaffed and having to work harder than ever. There is hardly time in the week to keep a store clean, or for a manager to write the schedule without fear of going over their allotted labor amount. There is no consistency in the standards employees are asked to uphold. No 401K match anymore, either. I just left the company, and it couldn’t have been at a better time.
If Howard figured out how to achieve what he wants to see happen in this company (instead of jerking baristas around month-to-month) and communicate it effectively, as well as providing employees with enough hours to actually pay their bills or to make the quarterly requirements for benefits, this company would see a lot more happy and passionate baristas.
It seems like this was based on Starbucks headquarters, not employees in-store, which makes up most of the workforce. I’d agree with past years’ placement of Starbucks on this list, but not this year.
I don’t know why Liberty Mutual didn’t make this list, they still offer a Pension for god’s sakes!!!
Just remember that Enron was for three years in the 90’s the best place to work on Fortunes list.
Wal-Mart is a GREAT company to work for. Over 1 million US associates and growing. Save Money, Live Better!!!!
What makes you think Google is such a great company to work for? I sought, a job with Google based in part by your having rated it as the best company to work for, got a job with them, and found it to be the WORST company I have EVER worked for. Aside from the free food, Googlers (employees) are on the most part elitist and extremely arrogant. Most people seem to think if they were smart enough to get a job there they are very special indeed. On top of that, their pay scales are “on the low end of the industry,” in their own words. Food, Gyms, and Child care do not make a great company. Leadership, teamwork, and vision (and other attributes) DO… which are all greatly lacking at Google.
So again, what about Google makes you rate them so highly?
I am surprised NIKE does not figure on this list. It is one of the best employers. Period.
I’m surprised that Precision Castparts Co. wasn’t on the list. As someone who became an employee with them after nearly twenty years self-employed, I was pleasantly surprised to discover they are a relatively large corporation that seems to share the same views regarding employees that I did with my two businesses. In addition to a competitive salary, we enjoy quarterly bonuses that average about 15% of gross pay, excellent health insurance benefits with low co-pay, stock options and a 100% match on 401k contributions up to 5%. Continuing education is strongly supported with company-paid tuition for any classes related to any part of the operation.
How was SRA Intl able to stay on the list? They’ve been dropping 20 spots a year and haven’t changed a thing. No training or internal development programs. Salaries are not commensurate with the contract billables (you don’t get a raise when promoted to a more demanding and higher paying contract). The company is a joke, and I for one am ecstatic that I was able to get a job directly with federal government
These lists always crack me up! The reason nordstrom wages didn’t go down is quite simple – at 100% commission, they don’t have fixed wages. Additionally, commission payment is based on department you are tied to: so, 3 people could sell the same item and earn a different ‘wage’. Fair, eh? And the dwindling sales numbers are Nordstrom employees fault. We haven’t done the work: never mind, they don’t do advertising, promotions or things to bring people into the store. Thank GOD for my grad school acceptance letter and a job that pays a livable wage in the same week.
Congratulations to The Methodist Hospital Systems once again. They actually gave us more than what was mentioned like quarterly patient satisfaction bonuses. During hurricaine Ike they gave 8 hrs. paid time off to all employees and provided temporary shelter to employees’ families and even their pets and much, much more. I’m proud to be a part of this family.
Congratulations to all the Big Four accounting and consulting firms (Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Accenture) for moving up in rankings from previous year!
http://www.Big4.com
Big Four Alumni Network
I work for Nordstrom and I love it! They pay me well, I take advantage of their small work out room at our online contact center, and the subsidized gym membership. Everyone I work with is great at their job and really care about our customers. The store employees I talk to are also wonderful! Nordstrom is DEFINITELY a great company!
Where is Mckinsey, Bain or AT Kearney – only BCG makes it, sounds very suspicious !
Why dont you do a story about the 100 WORST companys to work for? That would really do a lot of good. Thanks Gary.
If you haven’t heard of Hyland Software, it’s the Google of Ohio…and we’re hiring, not laying off this year. As a new-hire in 2008, I enjoy on-campus haircuts, massages, manicures, daycare, drycleaning, diner service, free trips to Cedar Point, an iPod touch for Christmas…I could go on and on. And none of this changed because of the bad economy. Take a look at this growing engine that can!
Where is the A-List of the “worst” companies to work for – I have several candidates – unfortunately I have had the displeasure of working for them.
Wal-mart #1 company in the world.
Not even in top 100. Shame on WAL-MART.
My thoughts exactly… Where IS IBM in this list? What about the companies it has acquired, and the opportunity to take market share in this economy and new government initiatives? I cannot believe that Microsoft made this list.
Wegman’s is not the best company to work for! At least not at my store. I have worked there for 2 1/2 years and for the past few weeks they have given me zero hours, even after repeated trips to HR. They still tell me its because they are cutting hours, yet many of my fellow employees, who have not been with the company as long as I have, get plenty of hours.
Wegmans would be a great place to work if they actually offered W-stretch, yoga and an on-site gym at my store; alas, they do not.
I own Chesapeake Energy and I don’t know of any company more open it the information it provides users. The monthly corporate presentation puts most other companies’ disclosure to shame.
I have worked for Wegmans for 13 years and LOVE everything about it! I have two teenage sons and they tell me that this is going to be their first workplace!! What a great way to build an employee base!! They see how happy I am about going to work and can’t wait to join me! Yeah for Wegmans!!
At first I was surprised that Walmart was not on the list AT ALL. Then I read how the list was put together, by interviewing employees. AS a 15 yr employee of Walmart/Sams Club I’ve seen it from the inside. It makes perfect sense that they aren’t on the list. It’s still a bit suprising given their influence in the market, the number of employees, and job openings and the number of people who apply, (this would also include opprtunities to move up in the company). However, I know that morale is down for whatever reason. Hence, there are a lot of disgruntled Walmart associates out there. I am not one of them but I know many.
I am so lucky to be working for Johnson Financial Group, I love my job and look forward to coming every day!
I am still in awe that Southwest Airlines is not on a list of your top 100. Really makes me wonder how accurate your list really is and what it takes to get on it.
Your list is Flawed. Nordstrom Employees are extremely unhappy. The Town Hall meetings are done anyway and all for show.
Where is Wal-Mart? I’ve been working for them for close to nine years now and have been treated great.
I absoulutely love working for MARRIOTT. I can honestly say that I love my job and my company
I have worked for T-Mobile for 12 years and they have great benefits. The healthcare is low cost and very comprehensive. They pay a quarterly bonus based on performance, and you know how you are being rated and what you need to do to achieve. I applaud T-Mobile for those efforts.
On the other side T-Mobile has the most toxic corporate culture I have ever been in. The Directors and VP’s do not live the company values. The rules are for the little people. Ideas are brought repetitively to management without success. They are solely there for their own career and bonuses. The management is full of management sheep, to scared to bring anything up that might upset thier agenda.
What about Costco? I have been there over 10 years and it’s the best company I have ever worked for
You have GOT to be kidding about Publix. I know of NO grocery employee making the $28,000 a year that Fortune claims. I have been with the company less than 4 months and am planning to quit due to the crappy hours and poor management of my store. Not everyone gets the stock-you have to work a minimum number of hours per year and part-time employees due to their hours do not qualify.
Where is HP? Aren’t they growing, but not great place to work?
I’ve been in retail for over 20 years and thisis by far the best company I have ever worked for! Not only are the people from the top to the bottom wonderful but the every day experience at wrok is rewarding and fun. I can’t think of anywhere I would rather work!
I am blown away that united parcel service did not make the list. It is a great company to work for. The pay, insurance, pension, and to many other things to mention make it number one in my book.
How can a company like Quicken with 45% turnover be listed as a top 100 company to work for? Apparently employees don’t see it that way.
This explains why Wegmans employees are so friendly and courteous and also why it is the best grocery story chain in the world, bare none. I would not work in a city without one.
Edward Jones – a financial company in a year of absolute crisis. Interesting. They were #1 in 2002 when he has our last recession. There might be something to this Edward Jones company.
All of the top 100 USA companies to work for on this list have benefits that are so minimal they would be illegal in all of the EU (European Union). 8 weeks paid maternity leave! Wow. When that is considered a good benefit we really are in a terrible state here in the USA. Why doesn’t CNN compare the USA companies’ benefits to the minimum available in an easily comparable market like the UK, where 6 months paid maternity leave is the minimum for professionals and 1 year is considered standard at the big law firms, banks and consultancies. Most other EU countries provide multiple years maternity leave by law. Why can’t the USA do this?
“9% voluntary turnover” and you rank NetApp at #1? What is your criteria? Many Silicon Valley companies offer many more perks that what NetApp offers even today – Jan 23, 2009!
Deloitte? Really? You have lost credibility with this reader.
what is the criteria for a company to make this list?
You don’t want to work for Google if you are over 32. Not really friendly then.
Blue Cross/Blue Sheild of tennessee is by far one of the best.
Four of the top five highest paying companies are law firms. Is that telling us something?
Sorry, I cannot take this list seriously. Where are names like Apple that scored top positiones in past years?
This might not be the best day to say this, but still : Where is Sun microsystems?
I find it ironic that Idaho has zero best companies to work for. It’s true. There aren’t any. The wages are also terrible here. College grads make $7 or $8 an hour. Also, ID law does require your employer to give breaks. Most companies are just laying people off.
I absolutely love working for Build-A-Bear. It is a great company and a lot of fun!
NetApp as #1 is such a joke. I used to work there, and I left after 2 months. Everybody I knew there hated it. It was intensely hierarchical, and very sterile. They spend countless hours working on this campaign to prove that they’re a good company to work for instead of spending time actually making themselves a good company to work for. Nobody even says “hello” as they pass in the halls…
Where is General Electric? Not sure why we’re not on this list, but as far as working mothers, and paid time off, award compensation, I cant think of a better place to work.
Edward Jones is a fantastic company who’s advisor’s truely care about the customer!!! The offer conservative investment advice and are in great locations.
I’m really delighted to see NetApp ranking as #1.
I’m a Senior Consultant at Deloitte in NYC and I don’t make nearly what they say we make on here!
Why has Johnson and Johnson dropped off the map for the past two years? What is holding them back from being one of the best companies to work for?
Where or where is Vision Service Plan? Surely, there must be some mistake. – Terri Tolosko, Palm Springs, CA.
I’m a relatively new hire at Shared Technologies (#18). I have to say, it is a great company to work for,and it’s great to have an employer who not only gives lip service about the importance of people, but acts on what they say. Unfortunately, it truly is a rarity these days. Thank you Tony for going against the grain and doing the right thing in these hard economic times.
I just got a job at Oracle in Redwood City, CA. The people are smart and cool, they’re very profitable even in the down market, and the benefits are outstanding.
Great to have Camden make the cut again this year. Consistency from the top down and the bottom up. Great people great culture!
ADP?
Someone please tell me why ADP is not on this list? I could go on for days: expanding not laying off, stock purchase plan, retirment match, pension, benefits, great management, etc. etc. etc.
Working for The Container Store changed my life and made me a better employee. I was surrounded by brilliant, creative, fun co-workers and caring upper management, and nothing is more motivating than a culture like that.
TO: disgrunteled at EdJ, St Louis
If you are disgruntled…maybe you need to LEAVE. Obviously with all the market turmoil, maybe you need to be grateful that you still have a job and have not been laid off as MANY in the securities industry have. I love working at Edward Jones, and I know that they belong on this list…period.
Johnson Financial Group is my #1 choice to work! I am a long time dedicated employee who is very satisfied with my employer, and glad we made the list…again! WE’RE # 25!!!!
Men’s Wearhouse ROCKS!! Great company with great leadership. Thanks George.
PCL is far and away the best company I have ever worked for. The best part is that no matter how much we grow, I never feel like my voice is being ignored. It’s things like that that get a person out of bed every morning.
Where’s Apple? They are an incredible employer.
Vanderbilt made the list two days after I decide to go to Princeton University.
Where is ING??? 4 weeks vacation your first year of employment, 40 hours of volunteer time, pension, 100% 401k match up to 6% of contributions. What’s not to love?
Where is McKinsey&Co? Certainly better than Deloitte or KPMG!
NetApp is a fantastic place to work.
Management demonstrates their common sense and raw intelligence in their day-to-day operations. No pointy-haired bosses here!
As a five year employee of FedEx I strongly agree that it is a great place to work but, Fortune’s choice to indicate that the company offers domestic partner benefits is a disservice to its readers. Outside of the Office (Kinko’s) division, FedEx only offers domestic partner benefits where it is compelled to do so by law. To see Fortune give an unequivocal ‘YES’ for covering less than 10% of their workforce is frustrating.
I am a customer of Quiktrip…from Tulsa, Oklahoma and it IS a fabulous company. Tulsa is SOOOOOO lucky to have their corporate office here!
REALLY??? Where is Abbott Labs? Not sure you got these right!
Umpqua Bank is an awesome place to work, and should be higher on the list. It’s a larger, regional bank with a small-town feel and unique, resilient culture.
T-Mobile’s benefits, and employees are great! We should be ranked higher!!
Are you going to have a “worst companies to work for” list? We’ll have a lot more to say about that
T-Mobile Rocks!
I have worked for several companies since joining the workforce over 30 years ago and I have listened to a lot of “company speak” about employees having a voice and truly making a difference or how, we take care of our employees. I have worked for companies that post their company values on walls like a badge for all to see but never really follow them when it comes down to it. I have worked for companies that make big promises but fall short when it comes time to deliver.
Well, I have worked for T-Mobile for over three years now, and I can honestly say that this is without question, the best company I have ever worked for.
Employees truly do have a voice and make a difference if they chose to.
They care about their employees and understand that it’s the people who make a difference.
No company is perfect, but in my career, this is as close as I have ever come.
It is exciting to see Atlantic Health on the list. They are the best place I have ever worked at. They treat their employees with great respect and continue to grow and stay a leader by continuing to bring in state of the art technology and Magent status patient care.
Interesting AT&T is not on the list…oh wait that’s because they aren’t a good place to work!!
Please check your facts! Kimley-Horn and Associates do not really belong here in my opinion. My old office on the west coast had a 50-60% layoff just before the yearly bonuses were paid off.
I’ve been working for Aflac for almost one year now, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the way Aflac treats its employees. From company culture to employee benefits, Aflac does it right.
This April will mark my 30th anniversary working for Wegmans. I started in the stores, working at the Chase-Pitkin Home Center chain owned by Wegmans from 1974 until they were closed in 2006. I’ve had the opportunity to work in various departments at store level, and to learn new skills (like designing kitchens) new careers, like being a stand-up trainer, Instructional Designer, and now a multimedia developer for e-learning courses. I also hosted a radio call-in show for 10 years and was the on-screen talent for a series of TV spots that ran back in the 90’s. In all of this, my interactions with managers, directors, VP’s, and each member of the Wegman family have been an opportunity for me to learn what leadership is all about. After 9/11, my boss insisted that I take time off so my wife and I could visit our son and his family before he had to return to his overseas deployment with the US Air Force. One of our newer employees, who has had a number of careers before coming to Wegmans, told me that what he finds amazing at Wegmans is that he routinely sees managers doing things to help employees that in other companies would have gotten them fired. And even when my career hasn’t taken the turn I had hoped for or a position hasn’t worked out, Wegmans has always found a place where I can use my talents and contribute to a great organization. I’m a 30 year Wegmans employee, and while many folks my age are looking forward to retirement, I’m hoping to work 30 more for, despite what your list says, the BEST Company to Work for in America, Wegmans Food Markets.
REI rocks! I try to buy most of my outdoor gear there because they are so friendly and knowledgable. I have yet to meet an unhappy employee. If a store were close to me I would certainly love to work at REI myself.
I am so excited to see Wegmans listed on the top 100 list again this year and to be in the top 10 yet again! I was a Wegmans employee for over 5 years, and left to move to Florida to work in what I thought would be a dream job, in tourism. Being here has made me appreciate Wegmans. It is very true that “you don’t know what you have till it’s gone” Congratulations to Wegmans!
Chase Paymentech was the best company I have ever worked for…Where does that stand in the list?
All I can say about this list is, it seems a bit out of touch with the current economic situation. How can we call companies a “best place to work” if the industry that company operates in is suffering, and those employees could feasibly be laid off in 2009?
Have you worked for one of them? Would you like to?
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Drivelineretail Merchandising is not a good place to work. They dont pay you on time nor do they pay you for drivetime mileage and dts. Its based in Plymouth, MN. I wouldnt advise anyone to work for them cause you wont get paid!