Glassdoor Announces the Best Places to Work in 2021

Glassdoor's Annual Employees' Choice Awards Recognizes the Best Places to Work in Five Countries

On Jan. 12, 2021, Glassdoor, the worldwide leader on insights about jobs and companies, announced the winners of its 13th annual Employees' Choice Awards recognizing the Best Places to Work in 2021. This year, Glassdoor honored top companies, according to employee feedback, across five countries, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, and Germany. In the U.S., Glassdoor has revealed the 100 Best Places to Work (with 1,000 or more employees) and 50 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work For (with less than 1,000 employees). Unlike other workplace awards, winners of Glassdoor's Employees' Choice Awards are based on voluntary and anonymous feedback from past and current employees.^*1

The Ranking Amidst COVID-19

Over half of the reviews considered in this year's Best Places to Work category were submitted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and COVID-19-related keywords appear in reviews of 97 of the 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. Interestingly, six biotech and pharmaceutical employers joined this year's list, including Johnson & Johnson (No. 24), Pfizer (No. 39), and Eli Lilly and Company (No. 87).
The most drastic change many employers and employees faced all over the world was the shift to "working from home." Although this workstyle transition did not apply to most essential workers and certain industries, everyone experienced and adjusted to some type of disruption to their day-to-day lives-from juggling the schooling needs of young children to coping with feelings of isolation. In response to employees' evolving personal challenges, two employers on the U.S. list, Zoom Video Communications (No. 22) and Salesforce (No. 17), implemented enhanced benefits, programs, and initiatives:

• Flexible Benefits to Help Employees Find Work-Life Balance

  Zoom expanded its employee wellness benefits to include almost anything that supports employees working from home, including the purchase of home office equipment, home gym equipment, groceries, and food delivery services. Salesforce introduced designated days off, weekly "no-meeting" days, lunch and dinner reimbursements, and more.
  

• New Well-Being Programs to Tackle Rising Mental Health Issues

  Salesforce rolled out new well-being policies and services, including a half-hour weekly broadcast, a meditation app available for all employees, and a global benefit program to help employees and their families strengthen their psychological and emotional health. Zoom offers a mental health benefit through an external provider that has proven to be an excellent source of support for employees during the pandemic.
  

• Initiatives to Ensure Employees Feel Like Part of the Team

  Zoom redesigned its virtual onboarding process, which uses breakout rooms to create interactive activities that allow new employees to get to know one another virtually. To encourage employees to recognize their colleagues' hard work or positive work presence, Zoom also distributes coworker-nominated rewards.

Putting People First Has Always Been the Key to Success

Being an exceptional workplace means putting people first-even during uncertain and volatile times.

"This year's winning employers have proven, according to employees, that even during extraordinary times, they'll rise to the challenge to support their people," said Christian Sutherland-Wong, Glassdoor's CEO. "A mission-driven culture, transparent leadership and career opportunities are always hallmarks of Best Places to Work winners. This year, we also see exceptional employers who have prioritized the health, safety and well-being of their employees."

For over a decade, Glassdoor has taken great pride in honoring companies that people love working for. Since winners are based on employee feedback-no nomination process, no employee surveys or questionnaires, and certainly no costs or fees involved-making it onto Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list is truly an honor. Glassdoor will continue to work toward recognizing transparent and supportive workplaces.