The top 10 best companies to work for
According to the survey:
- 1. Google
- 2. SAS
- 3. Boston Consulting Group
- 4. Edward Jones
- 5. Quicken Loans
- 6. Genentech
- 7. Salesforce.com
- 8. Intuit
- 9. Robert W. Baird & Co.
- 10. DPR Construction
At Marietta-based WellStar Health Systems, employees have access to a concierge service that will take an employee’s vehicle in for an oil change.
Forgot to feed the pet? The service will arrange for someone to go to an employee’s home to fill Fido’s bowl. Need to run an errand? The service will step in and do that, too.
“It keeps the employees committed to work and allows them to focus on taking care of our patients versus having to worry about all of the other issues that we all have to think about in our lives,” David Anderson, executive vice president for human resources at WellStar, said of the perks for more than 19,000 employees.
The benefit, which is also available to patients, helped WellStar land for the first time on this year’s Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list. WellStar, which ranks No. 39, joined three other Georgia companies making the list: the Atlanta-based law firm Alston & Bird (40); Atlanta-based Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (43); and Columbus-based insurer Aflac (58).
Alston & Bird, which ranked No. 23 last year, said the firm’s reputation for employee volunteerism and its promotion of a healthy work-life balance and collaborative working environment help to keep it on the list.
Fortune specifically singled out an Alston & Bird social committee that plans monthly events, a Friday Bar and get-togethers where employees win prizes.
“We pride ourselves on creating an environment where people can do their best and most productive work,” said Cathy Benton, chief human resources officer.
Atlanta-based Children’s Healthcare, which kept its No. 43 ranking from last year, received kudos for nurses’ pay. The health care provider pays an annual average salary of $77,000 to registered nurses, while salaried nurse managers take home an average of $111,000 in pay and bonuses.
Chief Administration Officer Linda Matzigkeit, however, said pay is not the only reason Children’s Healthcare has ranked high among employees.
“We work hard to offer unique, relevant programs to our employees,” Matzigkeit said. “Our people, however, are truly what makes Children’s a great place to work and a great place for kids.”
Aflac had the largest jump in ranking from last year, when it was No. 84. The insurer was singled out for offering grants toward closing costs for employees who are first-time homebuyers below a certain income level and who participate in financial counseling.
“Aflac was founded on the principle that if you treat the employees right, they will take care of the business and we believe these ideals lift our company to the highest levels of customer service and value,” Aflac Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dan Amos said.
To come up with its ranking, Fortune and the Great Place to Work Institute, a global consulting firm, surveyed more than 277,000 employees at 259 companies. Employees were questioned in two general areas, trust and culture. Trust dealt with attitudes about job satisfaction, camaraderie and whether management was credible. They were also asked about pay and benefit programs, diversity efforts and training, among other culture-related areas.
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