Workers have a slew of priorities when it comes to the parameters of their jobs. About a third, 29% want more flexible work hours, according to Monster's 2024 Work Watch Report. About a fifth, 22%, want more remote work flexibility, 20% want more paid vacation time and 21% want more fitness stipends and mental health services.
Some companies are already doing right by their employees. Job search site Glassdoor recently released its Best Places to Work report, including a list of the 100 best large companies to work for based on current and previous employee reviews.
Among the top 100, some industries were represented more than others. Glassdoor looked at which came up the most to decipher the best industries to work for as well. Here are their top four industries, including examples of jobs and how much they pay.
Tech
There were 31 tech companies on the list, crowning the industry as the best one to work for overall.
"Tech has historically invested in the employee experience and it's a job that generally pays well," says Daniel Zhao, lead economist at Glassdoor. It "has good work life balance and also offers the ability to work on interesting products that are very salient today."
The industry has dropped in popularity — last year 41 tech companies showed up on the list. That could be because the industry isn't "swimming in money the way that it was 5, 10 years ago," says Zhao, and perhaps because so many tech companies have had significant layoffs in the last few years.
Still, "STEM professions continue to be in high demand, with significant growth projected between 2022 and 2032," says Cassandra Happe, analyst at WalletHub.
Companies on the list: NVIDIA, Procore Technologies, VMWare
A senior fullstack engineer at NVIDIA makes $144,000-$224,250 per year, according to a recent listing.
Consulting
Consultants advise organizations on the best course of action for their businesses. There were 12 consulting companies on Glassdoor's list, including its No. 1 organization to work for overall, Bain & Company.
Companies in this industry "tend to offer really good career opportunities," says Zhao. "They are a great stepping stone for people looking to start their careers."
Companies on the list: McKinsey & Company, Booz Allen Hamilton, Huron Consulting Group
An expert consultant position at Bain & Company is currently offering $108,500-$127,500.
Finance
Jobs in finance include those at banks, insurance companies, mortgage lenders and so on. There were 11 finance companies on Glassdoor's list.
Employees of these kinds of companies "talk about great compensation packages, from base pay all the way down through benefits and perks," says Zhao, "as well as really strong career opportunities." Jobs can also be "fairly stable and secure," he says.
Companies on the list: Fidelity Investments, Mastercard, Fannie Mae
A data science associate at Fidelity Investments can make $85,000-$179,000 per year.
Retail
There were 10 retail companies on Glassdoor's list. That may be surprising as retail companies are not always known for their stellar pay and benefits, especially when it comes to entry-level jobs.
"I would say that the standout companies in retail really excel," says Zhao about those on the list. One valued component that retail companies can offer is flexibility like letting workers "take certain shifts so that they can go home or go and pick up their kids from school."
Companies on the list: Trader Joe's, Nike, Lululemon
A community specialist at Lululemon makes $20.50-$23.58 per hour.
If you're interested in making a switch to a new industry, remember that "your skills tend to be more transferable than you might think," says Zhao.
Do some research on job descriptions in your intended industry and see where there are overlaps with your current gig. "Communication, project management and leadership are all valuable in every job that you're going to do," says Zhao. "So those are always great skills to spend time and energy on improving."
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