The Best Companies to Work For

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is the only airline to rank among the best companies to work for. Southwest began with a fleet of just three Boeing 737s in 1971 and grew into a major airline by the end of the following decade. Today, the company’s 59,000 employees are more likely to give their employer high marks than most private sector workers.

Employee satisfaction at the company is largely a product of the benefits package. Positive reviews on Glassdoor regularly cite perks like profit sharing, free flights, and a positive company culture.

Great Clips is a Minneapolis-based franchise salon with over 4,300 locations in the United States and Canada. Though there is perhaps more variation in the working experience by location at a franchise brand, job satisfaction is a common sentiment among Great Clips employees. Glassdoor reviews regularly tout the daily tips, flexible schedule, and fast paced work environment. Great Clips CEO Steve Hockett has led the company since January 2018 and enjoys a 93% approval rating on Glassdoor.

Boston Consulting Group, or BCG, is a management consulting firm that has been in business for over 50 years. Headquartered in the city for which it is named, the company has employees all over the world, with 90 offices across 50 countries.

Employee satisfaction at BCG is linked to a positive work environment, high esteem for co-workers, and good work-life balance. As is the case in other consulting firms on this list, compensation also likely helps with satisfaction. BCG consultants earn an average of over $155,000 a year.

Vector Marketing is the sales division of Cutco Cutlery, the largest manufacturer of kitchen knives in North America. While Vector Marketing, which hires college students to sell knives, has been sued for unpaid training sessions and exploiting a loophole by classifying managers as contractors rather than employees, the company still receives positive reviews from workers on Glassdoor.

The company markets itself as a fun place to work, which likely appeals to college students, its target recruits. Positive reviews regularly cite flexible hours and high pay.

McKinsey & Company is one of several consulting firms to rank among the best companies to work for. The company has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars on Glassdoor from roughly 3,400 reviews. CEO Kevin Sneader has a 95% approval rating among reviewers, and McKinsey employees applaud the company for the growth and learning opportunities it offers, and they generally hold their co-workers in high esteem.

Though it is headquartered in New York City, McKinsey employees can be found across the country and around the world as the company has offices in over 130 cities and 65 countries.