NICE WORK
These Dallas companies earn spots on 2021 global Best Places to Work list
Amid a list of some of the world’s most notable tech companies and mega-brands, a few Dallas employers stand out, at least according to its workers.
Online job search company Glassdoor recently released the results of its 13th annual Employees’ Choice Awards, highlighting the best places to work in the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, and Germany. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines claimed No. 21 on the list, Ryan, LLC landed at No. 37, and Texas Instruments came in at No. 38, all in the category of best 100 workplaces with 1,000 or more employees.
While they were the only DFW companies to earn spots in the top 100, they weren't the only Texas businesses to score well.
Favorite grocer H-E-B, based in San Antonio, bagged a coveted spot at No. 10 spot in the same category. Austin-based Keller Williams landed at No. 33, and Houston’s MD Anderson Cancer Center came in at No. 90.
The 100 Best Places to Work list is compiled based on anonymous employee reviews about workers’ jobs, work environment, and their employer, and ranks companies on their overall rating during the past year on a five-point scale. H-E-B (parent company of Dallas-based Central Market) received an overall rating of 4.4, barely lower than the 4.6 rating No. 1-ranked Bain & Company received, with employee reviews calling H-E-B “awesome” and referencing “good hours” and “good pay.”
H-E-B’s current ranking on the 100 Best Places to Work list represents its highest Glassdoor spot, though the grocer has consistently ranked within Glassdoor’s top 30 best workplaces since 2014, and even ranked No. 18 on the correlating employee-driven list of Best Places to Interview, in 2017.
And while powerhouse brands like Google, Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, Lululemon, and In-N-Out Burger fill out the list’s top 10 alongside H-E-B, it is noteworthy that the grocer ranked higher on the best workplaces list than giants like Facebook (No. 11), LinkedIn (No. 13), Mastercard (No. 28), Apple (No. 31), and Trader Joe’s (No. 35).
The grocer is no stranger to accolades. In fact, the company was recently named Grocer of the Year by industry publication Grocery Dive, in part for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a point echoed by the Glassdoor award. That response included the commitment to keep employees safe at its more than 400 stores by implementing a range of social-distancing, sanitation, and masking efforts.
“COVID-19 is in the driver’s seat and every employer has been impacted. This year’s winning employers have proven, according to employees, that even during extraordinary times, they’ll rise to the challenge to support their people,” Glassdoor CEO Christian Sutherland-Wong says in a release. “A mission-driven culture, transparent leadership, and career opportunities are always hallmarks of Best Places to Work winners. This year, we also see exceptional employers who have prioritized the health, safety, and well-being of their employees. My congratulations go to all of this year’s outstanding Employees’ Choice Award winners.”
No. 21-Southwest Airlines is also no stranger to the Glassdoor list. In a year when the travel industry was devastated by the pandemic, it earned an overall score of 4.4, with employees praising its good perks, good work-life balance, and benefits. (Interestingly, Zoom Video Communications — relied on for video meetings throughout 2020 — landed one place behind Southwest, at No. 22.)
No. 37-Ryan, LLC, a global tax services, software, and technology firm, earned a score of 4.3. "During this entire COVID pandemic, Ryan has taken every opportunity to assist employees during this time," one review says.
No. 38-Texas Instruments earned a score of 4.3, with employees lauding its atmosphere and people as "welcoming and hardworking."
