What Makes a Best Place to Work

Better benefits, company culture and work-life balance are the ingredients of the Best Places to Work.

Google topped the list for companies with more than 1,000 employees, followed by Bain & Company, Nestle Purina, F5 Networks and the Boston Consulting Group in Glassdoor’s seventh annual Employees’ Choice Awards. The Motley Fool, a Virginia financial services company, topped the list of small/midsize businesses.

Supporting employees in ways beyond financial compensation was a prevailing theme throughout the lists, which are compiled based on employee feedback shared on Glassdoor. Descriptions of Best Places to Work routinely mentioned both day-to-day work perks, such as free food and laundry services, and wider-ranging benefits and policies.

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These offerings speak to a company culture that can demand a lot of their employees while also enabling work-life integration. 

Among the winners:

  • Google: “Great people, great values…” The benefits and care of employees [are] obviously world-class, and compensation is almost unmatchable … the company attracts some of the best talent and best people to work with in the world.”
  • Bain & Company: “Hands down awesome” … “Incredible culture – people work really hard, but they enjoy doing it.”
  • Nestlé Purina PetCare : “Best place I’ve ever worked…” “The corporate culture is second to none.” “Strong Midwestern roots.”
  • F5 Networks: “Challenging, fun, the company actually helps you achieve your best…”  “Very competitive salary, great benefits.”
  • Boston Consulting Group: “Incredible opportunity…” “Outstanding colleagues, best and the brightest from all fields.”
  • Chevron: “Excellent company with great compensation and work-life balance..” “Great benefits … very structured organization.”
  • H E B: “Great pay. Great benefits. Ability to move up.”
  • In-N-Out Burger: “Amazing!” “Great pay rates, fantastic hours, calm and comfortable atmosphere, plenty of benefits.”
  • McKinsey & Company: “No other organization places as much emphasis on professional development.” 
  • Mayo Clinic: “Excellent work experience.” “Extremely professional work environment with state-of-the-art facilities.”

‘Safe’ Investments Get More Participant Transfers in June

Money market funds received the most inflows from defined contribution plan participant transfers in June.

June was another light month of trading activity in defined contribution plans, according to the Aon Hewitt 401(k) Index.

On average 0.024% balances transferred each day with three days of above-normal trading activity. Of the 22 trading days in the month, 13 had more money flow to equities than to fixed income.

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However, for the month, the most popular asset classes for inflows were money market ($63 million), small U.S. equity ($56 million), and GIC/stable value funds ($41 million). The most common classes for outflows were company stock ($87 million), bond ($75 million), and specialty/sector ($28 million).

Target-date funds continued to receive the majority of new contributions into individuals’ accounts ($342 million).

When combining contributions, trades, and market activity in June, participants’ overall allocation to equities increased slightly to 67.0% from 66.7% in May. Future contributions to equities also jumped to 67.2% from 66.9% at the end of May.

Trading activity in the second quarter of 2015 was higher than the first quarter—0.43% versus 0.31%—mostly due to higher-than-normal trading activity in May. For the quarter, more money traded out of equity funds and into fixed income instruments.

More information is here.

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