Making it to Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list even once is a huge accomplishment in and of itself – but making it ten times in a row? That’s downright extraordinary.
2018 marked a full decade of Glassdoor’s Employees’ Choice Awards, honoring the Best Places to Work. And in that time, an elite few employers have made the list each year: Apple, Bain & Company and Google.
You might be wondering: What’s their secret? What do employees love about working there, and how do they maintain a consistently excellent company culture year after year? We dug in a little deeper to find out.
Apple
2018 BPTW Rating: 4.3
2018 BPTW Ranking: #84
With its cutting edge tech, breathtaking stores and iconic brand, employees can’t help but take pride in working at Apple. “Working at apple means you are working at one of the best companies in the world,” said one former employee. Employees also praise Apple’s culture of innovation. “We create innovative products that thrill our customers and create new product categories – who else can say that?” a current employee pointed out. And with over a billion active Apple devices in use, it’s easy for employees to feel the impact of their contributions. And of course, the people creating those devices have to be pretty brilliant. “We work with geniuses – in every department,” the current employee said. Add to that an incredible benefits package that includes 401(k) matching, comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance, an employee stock purchase plan and paid parental leave, and it’s no wonder that Apple has made Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list for all ten years.
Bain & Company
2018 BPTW Rating: 4.6
2018 BPTW Ranking: 2
The bar is set high for employees at consulting firm Bain & Company, but that doesn’t mean they don’t place an emphasis on company culture. “The company values are practiced and seen everyday,” says a current Manager Assistant. Employees enjoy the opportunity to solve interesting and challenge problems – “we work with change oriented executives to drive transformational change throughout organizations in the toughest areas. We work collaboratively with our clients and enable the organization from top to bottom to own and drive change,” says a current Manager. And at Bain, you’ll be able to grow your skills as well as your career. “Amazing culture of professional development. Everyone focuses on real time coaching and truly wants to see everyone succeed and get better,” says another current Manager. And perhaps most importantly, there’s an incredible culture of collaboration and support from your colleagues – they take the saying “a Bainie never lets another Bainie fail” seriously. “For me, it's the people that make Bain such a special place to work. Every day, I come into the office and I learn from people above, below, and at the same level as me,” a third current Manager says.
2018 BPTW Rating: 4.6
2018 BPTW Ranking: 5
There are few companies that have as much impact on our day-to-day lives as Google. “You feel like you're at a company that is actively shaping what the world will be like in the future,” says a current Sales Manager. There’s also a wide variety of projects for employees to work on, and often mobility to transfer between teams and offices. “Inside google, it very very easy to change projects for whatever reason as long as you have been in the current team for more than one year and got no performance ratings of ‘need improvement,’” says a current employee. Not to mention, you get to work with some of the best and the brightest people. “Working with some very smart, driven and effective colleagues is very engaging,” says a former employee. And, of course, the perks are legendary. Besides the standard 401(k) plans and comprehensive healthcare, Google offers free meals, cooking classes, a shuttle service, gyms and great company parties and offsites.
Culture codes of best places to work
Building and maintaining a great company culture is key to becoming a contender for Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list. Discover the secrets of winning companies in our eBook, Culture Codes of Best Places to Work.
