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I wrote about the best companies for corporate culture last year, and at that time, we hadn't entirely made the shift. Now we have. The Business Roundtable, a group of nearly 200 CEOs from the world's biggest brands, recently said that shareholders were no longer the central purpose of today's companies. Employees are now the focus, which means corporate culture is too.
So, what really defines corporate culture? Fancy perks and a pretty office alone do not build culture and cause employees to do their best work. Culture needs to go beyond the superficial. A Glassdoor study found that great cultures are formed when there's:
- A workplace with a clear mission connecting employees' daily work to a broader social purpose and positive change.
- High-quality senior leaders who are inspiring, empathetic and competent.
- A set of clearly-defined pathways for career advancement, making job roles a journey rather than a dead-end.
The values that help achieve these are what Glassdoor calls the Big 9 Cultural Values, and they're cited the most by leading companies and have the greatest impact on results.
- Agility
- Collaboration
- Customer
- Diversity
- Execution
- Innovation
- Integrity
- Performance
- Respect
As a career coach and speaker working with high-achievers, I've seen many talented employees leaving cultures this year because of a lack of one or all of these critical components. Individuals need to enjoy both their day-to-day tasks and the work environment to be happy in a role and avoid burnout. It's the same thing when changing careers. Clarity on a job role and industry aren't enough – the choice of company is crucial too.
This year's top companies for Corporate Culture were derived from sentiment ratings provided by employees who anonymously rated their employers on Comparably.com. Winners were determined based on a series of 50 questions across nearly 20 core culture metrics.
What are employees saying at the top 5 large companies?
1-Culture_Microsoft_LinkedIn
“There is a consistent effort to be transparent and have a diverse work culture. People are encouraged to speak up and solve problems.” – Microsoft
2-Culture_Zoom_
"Literally, every single person you come in contact with on a daily basis LOVES working at Zoom. It's a culture that you can not only see but one you can feel." – Zoom
3-Culture_ADP_ADP-min
"There is great work-life balance and recognition that life happens both inside and outside of work. Diversity is definitely embraced and appreciated and there is a spirit of charity and acceptance." – ADP
4-Culture_Google
"Intangibles are great. People are cool; opportunities are around, quality of life, in general, is high." – Google
5-Culture_HubSpot_Comparably-min
"We believe in the company, in the team and you can see that reflected in everyone's day-to-day activities." – HubSpot
What employees have to say at the top 5 mid-small companies?
1-Culture_WeaveHQ_LinkedIn
"I love how they are always looking for a way to help make employees feel comfortable and welcome at work. They give fun swag and provide snacks every day." – Weave HQ
2-Culture_Highspot_Comparably
"Everyone at Highspot is excited about the direction of the product, the feedbackfrom our customers, and the challenges we solve." – HighSpot
3-Culture_Seismic
"We all have a 'go get em' attitude. We look for opportunities and strive to find a realistic and effective solution for every challenge." – Seismic
4-Culture Salesloft__Comparably
"Coworkers are vulnerable, don't fear conflict, commit to doing things and follow-through, have high standards, and are focused on results." – Salesloft
5-Culture_GreenhouseSoftware_Comparably
"I can't imagine a more collaborative place to work, and it's my favorite part of being at Greenhouse." - Greenhouse Software, Inc.
Best Company Culture (Top 50 Ranked Large Companies)
1 Microsoft
2 Zoom Video Communications
3 ADP
4 Google
5 HubSpot
6 Insight Global
7 Smile Brands
8 Costco
9 Qualtrics
10 T-Mobile
11 GitLab
12 LinkedIn
13 KeepTruckin
14 Workfront
15 Sunrun
16 Southwest Airlines
17 H E B
18 LogMeIn
19 Sage
20 Confluent
21 Trimble
22 BambooHR
23 Vector Marketing
24 TaskUs
25 Northside Hospital
26 Ultimate Software
27 Stryker
28 Phenom People
29 Globant
30 Centric Consulting
31 Facebook
32 Sport Clips
33 Emser Tile
34 UiPath
35 BCD Travel
36 Deloitte (US)
37 Nordic Consulting Partners
38 Shipt
39 Smartsheet
40 Dynatrace
41 Stanley Black & Decker
42 Apple
43 Capital One
44 Chipotle
45 Pipedrive
46 Coupa Software
47 GoDaddy
48 Wells Fargo
49 Starbucks
50 Geico
Best Company Culture (Top 50 Ranked Small/Mid-Size Companies)
1 Weave HQ
2 Highspot
3 Seismic
4 SalesLoft
5 Greenhouse Software, Inc.
6 CultureIQ
7 Upgrade
8 Automation Group
9 CollabNet
10 Culture Amp
11 Better Place Forests
12 Vokal
13 RingDNA
14 Drift
15 Malouf
16 Assurance
17 InnovateMR
18 InvestCloud
19 Salsify
20 Periscope Data By Sisense
21 The Connor Group
22 Disruptive Advertising, Inc.
23 Scoop Technologies
24 Overtime
25 OJO Labs
26 Finicity
27 Big Leap
28 Centrical (formerly GamEffective)
29 Blend
30 Awake Security
31 BlueConic
32 Next Caller
33 Eversight
34 Veracity Engineering
35 Who What Wear
36 KRT Marketing (acquired by Recruitics)
37 Mixpanel
38 Sauce Labs
39 Lurn
40 Branch
41 Snapdocs
42 Hawke Media
43 GoSite
44 Asana
45 TaxJar
46 Alkami Technology
47 Ocular Therapeutix
48 Globality
49 Events.com
50 League
To add to the corporate culture conversation, I touched base with Jason Nazar, the CEO of Comparably.
Rachel Montanez: Did anything shock you in this year's findings?
Jason Nazar: 2019 was one of the most competitive years we have seen with a more diverse set of companies outside of the traditional tech sector focused on creating positive workplace environments.
Montanez: In your opinion, what part does career development play in corporate culture?
Nazar: Employees and job seekers are looking for the most meaningful opportunities for career growth. Grooming and mentoring the future leaders of tomorrow with professional development programs keeps them engaged with and loyal to their employers because of it.
Montanez: Moving into 2020, what should companies do if they want their culture to be a positive experience?
Nazar: Workplace culture is an important metric that should be used when determining who we want to work for and how we want to work. Companies who provide their workforce with the total package, from competitive compensation and benefits to strong leadership and positive environments, will see this pay off in recruiting and retaining the best talent. Employers who put their people first and invest in this type of “employee care” motivate and incentivize teams to bring their best selves to work.
