Great Place To Work® has determined the Fortune Best Small & Medium Workplaces™ 2021, based on confidential employee opinions representing over 280,000 employees at companies in more than 18 industries across the US.
Two tech-based personal finance companies came out on top this year, with You Need A Budget holding onto its first place ranking on the Small list for the second year in a row, and NerdWallet claiming top spot on the Medium list, jumping from #17 last year.
Another financial firm, Nationwide Mortgage Bankers, was also a notable standout, as the biggest mover on the Medium list—leaping from #72 last year to #6 this year.
It was a strong year for new entries, with 85 companies joining the list for the first time, and several of those breaking into the top 10. On the Small list, newcomers InfoTrust, a digital analytics consultant, and Mediavine, a digital ad agency, claimed the fourth and fifth spots, respectively. And on the Medium list, tech training and consulting firm Bitwise Industries debuted at #9.
“These companies may be small in size, but their impact and commitment to improving employee experience stacks up against some of the world’s largest corporations,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “Their ability to scale business while maintaining a high level of employee care is nothing short of amazing. A job well done to the Best Small & Medium Workplaces.”
In the survey that determined the rankings, employees were asked to rate how much they agreed with statements that measure company culture dimensions including equity, collaboration, camaraderie, fairness, pride, innovation and leadership effectiveness.
After a year of upheaval and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s no surprise that companies that demonstrate strong leadership and a commitment to employee experience are among the top-ranking workplaces in the US.
On average, 87% of employees at the Best Small & Medium Workplaces said they have a great deal of confidence in leadership and 66% said they have “a lot” of meaningful innovation opportunities to develop new and better ways of doing things.
This is a stark contrast to data collected by Great Place To Work for the average U.S. workforce. At other organizations, just 18.1% say they have a lot of meaningful innovation opportunities, while 14.1% say they have none.
Such factors are particularly important for businesses looking to recruit and retain talent right now, as the US undergoes what some economists are calling the Great Resignation.
Frustrated, burnt-out workers are re-assessing their priorities in a post-pandemic world, whether that’s the flexibility to continue working from home, a farewell to the standard 9-to-5 or pursuing a new career path altogether
Companies that supported employees’ mental health and wellness during the pandemic are well-poised to survive—and even thrive—during the current hiring crunch.
Some notable initiatives include Better.com’s free virtual therapy and professional development programs, and NerdWallet’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ Wednesdays, in which employees can use their time however they like—whether that’s taking a walk, focusing on a personal project, or playing with their children.
And Bitwise made the dramatic move of putting every employee at 60% time while still paying their regular full-time pay, so that staff could prioritize their mental health and take time for themselves and their families.
See the full list of the Best Small & Medium Workplaces 2021.
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