Excerpt from Fortune on CNN money.com, this year's "100 Best Companies to Work For" showed that the best aspect of what makes a company great is still its culture. The methods used to choose the 100 Best Companies to Work For is:
"Methodology: To choose the 100 Best Companies to Work for, we conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America. More than 81,000 employees from 353 companies responded to a 57-question survey created by the Great Place to Work Institute. Two-thirds of the score is based on the survey, which is sent to a minimum of 400 randomly selected employees. The remaining third is based on our Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about demographics, pay and benefits, and open-ended questions on philosophy, communication, etc. Any company that is at least seven years old with more than 1,000 U.S. employees is eligible."
Here are the Top Ten List of Best Companies to Work For in 2009
1. NetApp(Network Appliance). A data storage and management company
formed by Dave Hitz, James Lau and Michael Malcolm in 1992. Its egalitarian culture made it this year's no. 1, says one employee:It feels like "a small startup company instead of a 7,000-plus corporation." Its headquarter is in 495 East Java Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94089 and its 2007 Revenue in Million Dollar is 3,303.
2. Edward Jones. Despite the collapse of stock market, Jim Weddle, who heads the brokerage, assured associates the firm had no exposure to high-risk mortgages or financial derivatives and no plans for layoffs. Jones hired 698 new financial
advisors in the first ten months of 2008 and is building an addition to its St. Louis headquarters for 500 new employees. Its headquarter is in 12555 Manchester Road St. Louis, MO 63131 with 2007 Revenue of 4,147 ($ Million).
3. Boston Consulting Group. Management consultant has increased recruitment of minorities (25% of staff, up from 19% in 2004). Offers first-class health insurance: $5 co-pay for doctor visits, 100% fertility treatment coverage. Its Headquarters is in 53 State Street Boston, MA 2109, with 2007 revenue of 2,300 ($Millions.)
4. Google. Tech powerhouse marked tenth birthday in 2008. Hiring has slowed
down,while it still attracts 777,000 applicants a year. Its headquarter is in
1600 Ampitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, its 2007 revenue is 16,594 ($ Million).
5. Wegman Food Markets. A family owned Supermarket chains offers its employees to
buy gift cards of up to $250 at a 10% discount to help with food costs; Wegmans is also rolling out free yoga classes at each of its stores. Its Headquarters is in 1500 Brooks Avenue Rochester, NY 14603, 2007 Revenue is 4,511 ($ Millions).
6. Cisco Systems. Giving employees more say in decision making is what CEO John Chambers is focusing now. Cisco is poised to ride out the business slowdown and has about 500 job openings, mostly across engineering disciplines and in "customer advocacy."
Headquarters: 170 West Tasman Drive San Jose, CA 95134
2007 Revenue ($ Millions): 34,900
7. Genentech. The biotech leader continued to resist a takeover by shareholder
Roche; Anyone terminated after the merger has retention bonuses and severance
ranging from 18 to 52 weeks pay.
Headquarters: 1 DNA Way South San Francisco, CA 94080
2007 Revenue ($ Millions): 11,724
8.Methodist Hospital System. Methodist broke ground on $2 billion in construction in
2008, filled 300 new jobs, and awarded merit pay raises of 3%. Salaried employees who worked long hours after Hurricane Ike got $250 Kroger gift cards.
Headquarters: 6565 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77030
2007 Revenue ($ Millions): 1,742
9. Goldman Sachs. A Wall Street survivor turned itself into a bank holding company in September and laid off some 3,000 people across the globe by year-end. Top seven officers agreed to forgo bonuses, but rest of staff was in line to receive performance bonuses, albeit at a lower rate.
Headquarters: 85 Broad Street New York, NY 10004
2007 Revenue ($ Millions): 45,987
10. Nugget Market. Sales have yet to slump at this crazy-fun supermarket chain, which in 81 years has never had a layoff.
Headquarters: 168 Court St.Woodland, CA 95695
2007 Revenue ($ Millions): 273
The rest of the 100 Best Places to Work for click here.