The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a historic quitting spree, and along with it, a re-evaluation among managers and workers of what makes a good workplace.
Some "green flags" remain unchanged — people will always seek out jobs with fair salaries, tolerable co-workers and low quitting rates — but other benefits, including flexible work environments and employee mental health resources, have become more salient.
2022 might have brought "extreme highs and lows" for workers, with hiring freezes and mass job cuts hitting several industries, but in 2023, companies will continue to double down on improving the employee experience to attract and retain talent, Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong says.
On Wednesday, Glassdoor released its annual 100 Best Places to Work list for 2023, ranking companies with at least 1,000 employees and 75 reviews on the jobs site. Each organization was rated on a 5-point scale for its career opportunities, compensation, culture, management, work-life balance and other factors.
Glassdoor's researchers scoured millions of employee reviews and insights about companies submitted on the site between October 2021 and October 2022 to compile the report.
Companies with higher ratings offer ample opportunities for career advancement, robust health care benefits, remote or hybrid work opportunities and clear, transparent communication between senior leadership and employees among other benefits, the report notes.
Here are the top 10 best places to work in 2023, according to Glassdoor:
1. Gainsight
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.7
2. Box
Headquarters: Redwood City, California
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.6
3. Bain & Company
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Industry: Consulting
Rating: 4.6
4. McKinsey & Company
Headquarters: New York, New York
Industry: Consulting
Rating: 4.6
5. NVIDIA
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.6
6. MathWorks
Headquarters: Natick, Massachusetts
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.6
7. Boston Consulting Group
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Industry: Consulting
Rating: 4.6
8. Google
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.6
9. ServiceNow
Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
Industry: Technology
Rating: 4.6
10. In-N-Out Burger
Headquarters: Irvine, California
Industry: Restaurants
Rating: 4.6
Although nine companies on the list appear to have the same average rating of 4.6, their actual ratings extend beyond the thousandth place, hence the difference in ranking — Glassdoor just limits the average rating to one decimal place in their published report.
Technology, finance and consulting had the most winners on the top 100 companies list, although six of the top 10 highest-ranked employers were tech companies.
The tech sector might have had a tumultuous year of supply chain issues, layoffs, stock plummets and other challenges, but the industry's widespread adoption of flexible work and unique job opportunities still make tech companies desirable places to work, Daniel Zhao, lead economist at Glassdoor, says.
"In Glassdoor reviews, a lot of employees at tech companies talk about the sense of pride and purpose they feel working on these various innovative products," he adds. "The opportunity to design and build products that could change people's lives, as well as tech companies' inspirational, charismatic leaders, continue to draw people to these jobs."
Another trait employees and job seekers are paying closer attention to is how companies approach layoffs. Companies with higher ratings had a clear track record, per employee reviews, being transparent about how and why layoffs are happening, offering strong severance packages and communicating job cuts in a timely, respectful manner.
"It's not impossible for a company to go through a crisis and still be a 'best place to work,'" Zhao says. "In times of crisis, it becomes even more important for employees to feel supported — and the companies that prioritize transparency, communication and employees' well-being are the ones who will benefit in the long run."
Check out:
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The 10 best U.S. jobs of 2023, according to new research—many pay over $100,000
10 'recession-proof' jobs that will be in demand even during a potential economic downturn in 2023
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