CEO: Larry Page
Website: www.google.com
No. of Employees: 34,311
Industry: Media – Online Internet Services
Ownership: Publicly quoted/held
Headquarters: Mountain View, California
Rank: 1
What makes is so great?
The Internet juggernaut takes the Best Companies crown for the fourth time, and not just for the 100,000 hours of subsidized massages it doled out in 2012. New this year are three wellness centers and a seven-acre sports complex, which includes a roller hockey rink; courts for basketball, bocce, and shuffle ball and horseshoe pits.
SAS
CEO: James Goodnight
Website: www.sas.com
No. of Employees: 6373
Industry: Information Technology – Software
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: North Carolina
Rank: 2
What makes it so great?
With two artists in residence on staff, the perk-friendly, privately held data analytics’ firm takes creativity seriously. One employee cities SAS’s “creative anarchy” as conducive to innovation.
New this year: An organic farm for SAS’s four cafeterias.
CHG HEALTHCARE SERVICES
CEO: Michael Weiholtz
Website: www.chghealthcare.com
No. of Employees: 1378
Industry: Professional Services – Staffing & Recruitment
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: Salt Lake City, Utah
Rank: 3
What makes it so great?
Employees of this medical staffing firm compete in talent shows, trivia contests and activities like a Dress As Your Favorite President competition. Extra paid time off is given to sales teams that meet their goals.
New this year: Two on-site health centers.
THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP
CEO: Hans-Paul Bürkner
Website: www.bcg.com
No. of Employees: 2314
Industry: Professional Services – Consulting – Management
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Rank: 4
What makes it so great?
The elite management consulting firm maintains work-life balance by issuing a “red zone report” to flag when individuals are working too many long weeks. New consultants can delay their start date by six months and receive $10,000 to volunteer at a nonprofit.
WEGMANS FOOD MARKETS
CEO: Danny Wegman
Website: www.wegmans.com
No. of Employees: 43927
Industry: Retail – Food/Grocery
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: Rochester, New York
Rank: 5
What makes it so great?
Turnover is an exceptionally low 3.6% at the North-eastern grocery chain, which lets employees reward one another with gift cards for good service. Many workers like it there so much they bring in relatives – one in five employees are related.
NETAPP
CEO: Tom Georgens
Website: www.netapp.com
No. of Employees: 7426
Industry: Information Technology-Storage/Data Management
Ownership: Publicly quoted/held
Headquarters: Sunnyvale, California
Rank: 6
What makes it so great?
Employees at the data storage company often get a chance to receive special recognition. Vice chairman Tom Mendoza asks managers to notify him when they “catch someone doing something right,” and then calls 10 to 20 employees every day to thank them.
HILCORP ENERGY COMPANY
CEO: Jeff Hildebrand
Website: www.hilcorp.com
No. of Employees: 1012
Industry: Manufacturing & Production
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Rank: 7
What makes it so great?
This oil and gas producer, a newcomer to the list, promised staff in 2010 that if the company doubles its production rate and reserves by 2015, every employee will get a check for $100,000. An earlier, met goal rewarded 400 employees with $50,000 toward a new car.
Recommended – One Big Idea Can Make You a Successful Entrepreneur
EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS
CEO: Carolyn Ann Parmer
Website: www.edwardjones.com
No. of Employees: 35118
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance – Investments
Ownership: Private
Headquarters: St. Louis, Missouri
Rank: 8
What makes it so great?
The privately held securities firm maintains some 11,000 small offices and a close-knit culture with regular regional gatherings for ice skating, fishing tournaments, and more. Forty four percent of new hires come from employee referrals.
ULTIMATE SOFTWARE GROUP, INC.
CEO: Scott Scherr
Website: www.ultimatesoftware.com
No. of Employees: 1440
Industry: Information Technology – Software
Ownership: Publicly quoted/held
Headquarters: Weston, Florida
Rank: 9
What makes it so great?
The developer of people-management software-customers include Google, Quicken Loans, and the New York Yankees-covers 100% of health care premiums for employees and dependents and treats workers to a free vacation every 2 years.
CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST
CEO: Richard J Campo
Website: www.camdenliving.com
No. of Employees: 1896
Industry: Construction & Real Estate – Property Management
Ownership: Publicly quoted/held
Headquarters: Houston, Texas
Rank: 10
What makes it so great?
Good times are built into the business at apartment-manager Camden, whose founders are known for practical jokes and impersonations. Other benefits include discounted rentals for employees and a 401(k) that matches at least 50% for up to 7% of pay.
These are the certified and fastest growing companies which offer good work-life balance & flexible work set-ups. Great Places to Work.
