The Top 10 Companies to Work For in 2015 A positive work environment, intelligent co-workers and great benefits make these 10 companies the most exciting places to work for in 2015, as rated by the employees themselves.
By Laura Entis
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Google, Facebook, Apple and Twitter may duke it out for Silicon Valley supremacy, but in one aspect, Google reigns supreme.
The search giant tops the list of companies with 1,000 or more employees in the U.S. for best place to work in 2015, according to social jobs and careers community Glassdoor, which ranks businesses based on employee reviews.
For its seventh annual Employees' Choice Awards, Glassdoor asked its members for their opinions on some of the best reasons to work for their employer, and some of the downsides. To be considered, the employers on this list had to have at least 50 approved company reviews in the past year. The overall ranking of a company (on a five-point scale) was determined based on the quantity, quality and consistency of employee reviews.
This is the first time Google nabbed the top spot, although its position isn't that big of a surprise: The tech company is famous – even parodied – for its extensive, cushy, at times downright crazy seeming benefits, along with its talented, passionate workforce. ( Last year's winner, Bain & Company, slipped just one spot to the runner-up position.)
Related: The 25 Best Companies for Employee Compensation and Benefits
But while tech companies in general are known for their over-the-top perks, that doesn't automatically endear them to their employees. Although Google has consistently received high marks, other high-profile tech companies haven't cracked Glassdoor's annual top 50. This is the first year, for example, that Apple (#22) made the cut. And Twitter, last year's runner-up for best place to work, is nowhere to be found on this year's list.
All of which is to say that the tech industry by no means dominates the top 50, or even top 10, where it claimed just two spots. Instead, companies on this year's list represent diverse industries, from Nestle Purina PetCare (#3), to In-N-Out (#8), the Mayo Clinic (#10), Southwest (#15), Nike (#29), Ford Motor Company (#35) and ESPN (#45).
Check out a countdown of Glassdoor's 10 best places to work in 2015, followed by a chart of all 50 top companies.
Related: You Need a Real Vacation (And So Do Your Employees)
10. Mayo Clinic
4.2 out of 5, Health Care
Employees at the Mayo Clinic, a nonprofit medical practice and medical research center, appreciate the company's "extremely professional work environment," as well as its "state-of-the-art facilities." In general, the company was touted for promoting a good work/life balance, giving employees "ample time off."
9. McKinsey & Company
4.2 out of 5, Accounting & Legal
McKinsey & Company, a multinational management consulting firm, was praised by employees for championing professional development. The company's management team was singled out – "leadership inspires its employees to work hard and drive impact for clients," wrote a senior associate – particularly CEO Dominic Barton, who enjoys an approval rating of 98 percent. As a whole, employees also appreciated their co-workers. "Really amazing set of people – caring, challenging and whip smart," wrote one reviewer.
Glassdoor 8) In-N-Out Burger
4.2 out of 5, Restaurants, Bars and Food Services
Perhaps you're surprised to see a fast-food chain on the list, but In-N-Out's employees express near-universal praise for their employer. "Great pay rates, fantastic hours, calm and comfortable atmosphere, plenty of benefits, full of opportunity friendly coworkers, overall very happy with the experience I gained here," gushed an In-N-Out Burger associate. Other employees pointed to the company's values, atmosphere, vacation policy as factors that make the company a great place to work.
Glassdoor 7. H-E-B
4.2 out of 5, Retail
H-E-B, a privately held Texas-based grocery chain, is given high-marks by employees for creating a warm environment. "Great pay. Great benefits. Ability to move up," wrote one reviewer. "One of the few companies that actually cares about its employees."
The sentiment was echoed by a H-E-B customer service representative, who praised the company for its competitive pay, great benefits, a management that "really cares about you," as well as "friendly co-workers or partners" and a "positive environment."
Glassdoor 6. Chevron
4.2 out of 5, Oil, Gas, Energy & Utilities
Chevron is an energy corporation with "above average pay" and "great benefits," such as the "excellent retirement program." Employees also appreciated the emphasis on work-life balance, including a nine/eighty work week, and the convivial, "supportive company culture."
Glassdoor 5. Boston Consulting Group
4.3 out of 5, Business Services
Employees at this management consulting firm were blown-away by the quality of their co-workers. "Outstanding colleagues," wrote one reviewer. "Best and brightest from all fields/backgrounds (think Rhodes scholars) create a really rich intellectual atmosphere."
Agreed another: "We have a lot of inspiring people within the company, who work on many topics that matter not only for the business, but also society."
Glassdoor 4. F5 Networks
4.3 out of 5, Information Technology
On top of "great pay and benefits" F5 Networks -- an information technology company headquartered in Seattle -- boasts a laid-back, friendly culture where work-life balance is encouraged. "Managers show by example that time off is not only acceptable but a good thing," wrote one software engineer. Time at work is generally enjoyable, because "the culture is something that makes your day worth to be in the office, the atmosphere where everybody understands we are in the same ship and we need to sail it together," according to another reviewer.
Another bonus? "Free snacks."
Glassdoor 3. Nestle Purina PetCare
4.4 out of 5, Subsidiary or Business Segment
Nestlé Purina Petcare, a St. Louis, Missouri-based subsidiary of Nestlé that produces and markets pet food, combines the warm, welcoming atmosphere of a small company with the "vast opportunities that come with an international giant parent company."
"The culture is one of the best I have been a part of. I am proud of where I work," wrote one reviewer, while another singled out the fact that career development is "easily accessible and encouraged by management."
Glassdoor 2. Bain & Company
4.4 out of 5, Business Services
Employees at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm headquartered in Boston, rave about its "incredible culture" and its "incredible people [who display] a mix of intelligence but also humility that you don't find at other top consulting firms."
Wrote one reviewer: "Everyone at Bain is the type of person you'd want to be friends with and go hang out with on a Saturday night."
The company also received high marks for its commitment to its employees' happiness and well-being. "The company works to adapt the job to fit your personal needs and there is a mutual respect for this across the business," wrote one reviewer. Added another: "I was often impressed and inspired by leadership's dedication to doing what was right for the client, and simultaneously trying to protect sustainable work-life balance and continuously cultivate a fun, connected office/firm culture."
Glassdoor 1. Google
4.5 out of 5, Information Technology
While Google's arsenal of perks – which includes everything from "stock equity," to "free 24/7 gym access," "aaaaaamazing holiday parties," and "mini-kitchens, snacks, drinks, free breakfast/lunch/dinner, all day, errr'day" – are notoriously cushy, the company wins real points with employees for attracting "the best talent and best people to work with in the world" as well as providing abundant "opportunities for career growth, and tons of career development resources."
