Dive Brief:
- Software giant Adobe made Indeed's "Top-Rated Workplaces: The Top 50" list for the first time this year taking the No. 1 spot. Facebook came in at second place, followed by Southwest Airlines at third. Indeed said the list was comprised of 150 million ratings and reviews on its "Company Pages" site and included Fortune 500 Index members with at least 100 reviews.
- According to Indeed, Adobe's employees called the company "top-notch" for its benefits, workforce, inspirational CEO and strong company values. Indeed cited reviewers' description of Adobe's working environment as "inclusive, educational, supportive, and engaging, with plenty of opportunities for growth within the company."
- "These 50 organizations represent a very diverse list of exceptional workplaces, which tells us that being a great place to work has nothing to do with the sector, geography, or age of a company," said Indeed's SVP Paul D'Arcy in a media release. "Each of these companies have shown the importance of valuing their teams' specific needs to create a desirable and productive work environment."
Dive Insight:
"Best places to work" go beyond just offering great benefits and perks; in Adobe's case, as noted by Indeed, the work environment has inspirational leadership, makes workers feel respected and included and provides career-growth opportunities. But according to a recent McKinsey survey, CEOs and managers tend to be the reason talent practices are unsuccessful. In that study, many respondents said that they struggled to implement talent best practices because leaders didn't value using "clear structures, roles, and responsibilities to streamline work" and didn't see value in assessing leadership on their people-management skills.
Great places to work lists often tout strong diversity, and employers are reportedly increasing their investment in it. But many employees still aren't realizing the benefits, according to a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report. Current leaders — often men who are age 45 or older — underestimate the barriers blocking the advancement of women and minority employees, which can stifle successful investment, BCG said.
If employers aren't taking workers' ratings seriously, job seekers are; to attract talent, companies need at least a three out of a four-star rating by most rating sites' standards, a Monster survey revealed. And as culture becomes more of an issue for today's workforce in deciding between employers, a toxic workplace could sink an organization's ability to compete for talent and retain valued employees.