Main image of article Tech Firms Rank High as Great Places to Work
Glassdoor just issued its latest annual list of the best places to work, and a number of tech firms landed in top spots. Airbnb stood in first place, while Facebook—which recently extended paternal leave to all employees globally—came in fifth. Google, famous for in-house perks such as its cafeteria and dry-cleaning, made the eighth spot. Further down the list, Riot Games (producer the ultra-popular League of Legends) hit eighteenth place, followed by Adobe. Rounding out the top 25 was Apple, notable for its competitive benefits and interesting projects. Glassdoor uses employee ratings to determine its list, which means that high-ranking companies must boast an ideal combination of good reviews for internal culture, solid benefits, and high salaries. For example, employees cited Airbnb for its strong core values, good benefits, mindful upper management, and—surprise, surprise—its food program, which includes vegetarian and gluten-free options. (Based on the number of tech companies that cite the cafeteria as a key benefit, a way to a tech pro’s professional heart is through his or her stomach.) Although many tech companies offer perks designed to appeal to younger workers without many ties at home—happy hours, on-campus eateries, sleep pods, and game nights, to name just a few—more firms have focused in recent quarters on family-centric needs such as unlimited vacation time and liberal maternity and paternity leave. But perks don’t necessarily equal culture; a company can offer food and tickets galore, and still experience retention issues. That’s what makes good management so important—something reflected in Glassdoor’s list. Before accepting any job, evaluate whether it’s a good cultural fit:
  • Evaluate your own values
  • Ask why the job’s open
  • Question the recruiter
  • Interview current employees
With unemployment in the tech industry still low, companies are doing more to attract top talent—which is good news for tech pros on the hunt for a new gig.