The Best Places to Work and What They Have in Common
No matter the size of your organization, you’ve probably noticed that the professional landscape is becoming more challenging and increasingly competitive in recent years.
The rise in remote work has opened up a literal world of possibilities for employees, putting an onus on businesses and leaders to find ways to retain their existing staff and to make themselves more attractive to prospects.
It’s in that spirit that we took a look at Glassdoor’s employee-nominated best places to work in 2021 to see if we could find common threads between the world’s best organizations.
Here’s what we found.
1. Strong communication
Communication is important and clear communication is more important. Many of the top companies were praised by their employees for their leadership’s clear and open communication practices. For many, this was specific to COVID-19 protocols.
Clear communication gives employees peace of mind and a sense of security. During an uncertain season, the best workplaces provide clarity to their employees.
They communicate:
- The situation and what’s going on
- The company’s response to the situation
- Implications and expectations for employees
2. Employee wellbeing
Another common theme among the best places to work is that they put their employees first. Leadership can show this kind of care in a few ways, including:
- Focusing on creating an inclusive workplace culture
- Investing in professional development for employees such as training or tuition reimbursement
- Prioritizing the human element in the workplace for connection and community
3. Innovation and creativity
Five of the top ten companies on Glassdoor’s list are tech companies. This industry is known for innovation and creativity, and it’s something that employees love about their workplaces.
One review of the company NVIDIA (#2 on the list) highlights the company’s core values of innovation, excellence, and intellectual honesty. These factors in a company help employees to be engaged in their work.
4. Established team environments
No matter where you fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum, we all need connection and community. The best places to work create a team environment where employees enjoy working together.
A strong team environment can include features like:
- A welcoming and friendly environment, particularly when modeled by senior leadership
- Opportunities for networking and professional growth
- Team bonding opportunities and events
- Social activities for employees
And as remote employment rises and companies continue to decentralize, this might involve finding new ways to maintain this environment, such as setting up satellite offices for employees.
5. Excellent perks and benefits
The best places to work get creative with offering the best employee perks and benefits. From Glassdoor’s list, some examples are:
- WFH reimbursement (HubSpot)
- Product discount (Vans)
- Tuition reimbursement (Massachusetts General Hospital).
Companies can show they appreciate their employees by offering perks and benefits that are fun, creative, and value-driven.
6. Strong compensation
In reality, perks and benefits don’t mean that much if the base salary is lacklusterlacklustre–that’s why they’re called perks. So many companies on Glassdoor’s list of top workplaces mention providing good salaries because it’s something that’s valued by employees.
Everything on this list is important. But a fair and competitive salary is often the foundation of a good workplace. It signals value to employees: the company is willing to pay for their time, knowledge, and expertise.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg—there are so many reasons why a workplace is considered “the best.” But given the changes in work over the last few years, Glassdoor’s round-up of top companies as voted by employees gives us some insight. These factors are what matter to employees and should matter to employers looking to build a team!
If you’re looking for an innovative workspace that supports better company culture and supports the wellbeing of your employees, book a tour of your local Launch Workplace today.
