Industry specific-strategies-wp

Industry-Specific Strategies
of Winning Companies
An Analysis by
Great Place to Work®

Copyright ©2015 Great Place to Work®
Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved.| 1
This year, the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®
list comprises a variety of industries—fourteen to
be exact—each facing their own challenges as they strive to build a great workplace. For example, there are
manufacturing magnates who overcame their widely dispersed locations, roles and 24/7 rotating shifts to create
wholly united workforces. There are healthcare leaders that navigated the compliance chaos and changes to
structure and funding created by the Affordable Care Act, and emerged with happier and healthier employees.
And, there are financial services gurus who not only survived the public’s perennial negative perceptions of the
industry’s trustworthiness, but actually thrived.
Inside this whitepaper, we’ll take a deeper look into the six industries that have dominated the
Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list every year since its inception in 1998:
• Information Technology (p. 3 - 4)
• Healthcare (p. 5 - 6)
• Financial Services & Insurance (p. 7 - 8)
• Manufacturing & Production (p. 9 - 10)
• Professional Services (p. 11 - 12)
• Retail (p. 13 - 14)
Our aim is to help you overcome your industry issues by exploring how these winners faced their challenges in
building a great workplace and prioritized their efforts for the coming year. We’ll also examine elements of the
collective employee experiences within each industry, as well as some of their policies and management practices.
Different, But Similar
Across industries (and even within), there are vastly different strategic and tactical challenges to overcome in
building a great workplace. Yet, all one hundred companies on the list view a positive employee workplace
experience as a non-negotiable component of their success; a driving force that unites, mobilizes and guides
employees in a way that is cohesive and inspiring. These companies’ results from the Great Place to Work Trust
Index©
Employee Survey, which reveals employees’ experiences of the workplace, have uncovered a number of
other unwavering commitments across the Best Companies. A few that stand out are:
1. A commitment to a consistently great employee experience. Ninety percent of all people employed
by the 100 Best report that “taking everything into account, I would say this is a great place to work,” with
little variation from industry to industry.
2. A commitment to volunteering and philanthropy. Ninety-three percent of employees across all 100
Best Companies report feeling good about the ways their company contributes to the community, and
volunteerism was consistently one of the top-ranked practice areas that we assessed across industries.
3. A commitment to treating employees fairly regardless of personal characteristics. Across the
100 Best Companies, 94% of employees on average report that people at their company are treated
fairly regardless of gender, race, age and sexual orientation.
4. A commitment to a favorable physical work environment. Fully 97% of employees across the 100
Best report theirs is a safe workplace–the highest rating of any survey statement–and 91% believe their
facilities contribute to a good working environment.
5. A commitment to a caring, welcoming and friendly workplace. Ninety-four percent of employees
across the 100 Best report theirs is a “friendly” place to work, and that new employees are made to feel
welcome. Further, 90% report that “people care about each other” at their company.
Success Breeds Success
The companies you will learn about in the upcoming pages met their industry challenges head-on and created
workplaces where employees trust their leaders, have pride in the work they do, and enjoy the people they work
with, which is the very definition of a great workplace. Their hard work has resulted in their being able to attract and
retain employees far more effectively than their industry peers, as noted throughout this report. The companies on
our list also tend to outperform their peers in the market—year after year. Best of all, they employed approaches
you can adapt and apply to your workplace as you pursue greatness in your company and industry.
Overview

2 |Copyright ©2015 Great Place to Work®
Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Industry Breakdown
Representation Across Fourteen Industries
This year, fourteen different industries are represented on the list. Across all industries, leaders at these
companies recognize that a strong connection between a positive employee experience and improved
business outcomes exists. Whether the outcome is outstanding customer service, attracting and retaining
the industry’s top talent, creating superior products, or increasing patient satisfaction scores, efforts to
become a great workplace are invariably perceived as closely tied to these business goals.
Professional Services (20)
Financial Services & Insurance (14)
Information Technology (14)
Healthcare (13)
Retail (13)
Manufacturing & Production (8)
Hospitality (5)
Construction & Real Estate (4)
Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals (3)
Media (2)
Education & Training (1)
Electronics (1) Engineering (1)
Transportation (1)

Adobe Systems
Autodesk
Cisco
Google
Hyland Software
Intuit
NetApp
salesforce.com
SAS
Twitter
Ultimate
Software
VMware
Workday
World Wide
Technology
Information Technology
Information Technology Strengths
Of the six industries reviewed in this whitepaper, information technology (IT) employees report
the most consistently positive workplace experience. Aside from offering notoriously “fun”
environments with engaging perks and competitive paychecks, these companies empower
employees to feel they are part of something new and exciting by focusing on promoting
innovation, developing employee ideas, and getting those ideas to market. These practices
foster a sense of pride, which is essential to becoming a great workplace.
Can’t Wait for Monday
Eighty-nine percent of employees who work for the Best IT Companies
say they “look forward to coming to work.” This is five points higher
than the benchmark set by the 100 Best Companies in this area.1
Information Technology Challenges
In a world that continuously clamors for the latest and greatest technology, IT is obviously an
exciting and growing field. Yet, the Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that regardless
of whether CIOs were seeking employees with “hard” or “soft” skills, the number of unfilled IT
jobs grew a staggering 19% last year.2
Revolving solely around talent, and the lack thereof, IT’s
current challenges include:
• Attracting, retaining and competing for top talent
• Training employees to stay on top of a rapidly changing industry
Key Stats
3
On average, among the 100 Best Information Technology Companies:
• Voluntary Turnover is 9% (U.S. Average is 18%)4
• Employees are offered:
- 16 Paid Days Off after 1 Year Employment
- 31 Paid Days Off after 5 Years Employment
- 31 Volunteer Hours per year (max)
- 168 Training Hours per year (FT Hourly)
- 197 Training Hours per year (FT Salaried)
• 27% of Execs & Sr. Managers are Female
• 18% of Execs & Sr. Managers are Minorities
• 50% offer Flexible Schedules
• 100% offer Telecommuting Options
• 21% offer Formal Job Sharing
• 29% offer a Compressed Workweek
• 7% offer Phased Retirement
• Applicants per Job Opening: 67
1
Source: Great Place to Work®
2015 Fortune List Trust Index©
Employee Survey Data
2
http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2014/08/18/the-dog-fight-for-tech-talent/
3
2015 Fortune List Culture Audit©
Data
4
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Strategies for Success at the Best Information Technology Organizations
Information technology organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Provide ongoing professional development.
In the realm of IT, the landscape is ever-evolving, which means keeping employees abreast of new developments is
a top priority. As such, it is no surprise that the best IT companies offer more hours of training than any other industry.
The average number of training hours given to full-time salaried IT employees is 197 hours per year, while their hourly
coworkers log an average of 168 hours per year.
According to one Best Company, VMware, “The kinds of people that will fuel our next transformation are people that
are driven to VMware because it is more than ‘just a job.’ They want to be part of what is next in IT and are looking for
careers with meaning, impact and real time growth and learning. It is therefore a priority for us to build a culture where
people at all levels of our company know that they can learn and grow fluidly, and easily pursue new opportunities
internally, rather than looking elsewhere.”
Best Practice: VMware offers an extensive range of classes throughout the year. Through a Learning Management
System, employees can leverage a catalog of courses with immediate access to content. In addition, instructor-
led sessions are offered on a regular basis at headquarters and include popular courses on VMware Products,
Programming Languages, Agile/Scrum Methodologies, Security and Productivity. In 2013, over 1,613 employees
completed over 3,587 hours of instructor-led classroom training, including 123 classroom instructor-led sessions and
54 virtual sessions.
2. Allow innovation to thrive.
A trust-based culture and innovation go hand-in-hand. In an environment where innovation is valued, employees
feel empowered to share ideas openly, take risks, and adopt an entrepreneurial spirit, which is ultimately beneficial
to the company on many levels. Nowhere is this atmosphere more critical right now than in the ever-changing IT
industry. Companies like Google, Twitter, and salesforce.com are all known for their innovative products, and for being
innovative workplaces.
Best Practice: salesforce.com launched “Salesforce Labs” as a way for employees around the world to publish
free and open-source applications on Salesforce’s cloud-computing marketplace, the AppExchange. “Labs” was
initiated largely in response to the wellspring of ideas introduced by employees looking to better serve customers.
The AppExchange team is always available to help app makers bring their great idea to Salesforce customers.
Since its launch in 2006, Salesforce Labs has generated more than a dozen patents for the company.
3. Realize that pay and perks are important—but they are not everything.
Among the 100 Best IT Companies, 84% of employees believe people are paid fairly for the work they do, which is
five points above the 100 Best Benchmark, and the highest of any of the six industry averages in this area. While an
important part of a tech company’s Employee Value Proposition is a competitive salary and benefits package (among
the 100 Best, most pay their software engineers in the 50th to 75th percentile or higher) these employers wisely realize
that such offerings are only part of what drives an employee’s long-term happiness.
According to one long-time 100 Best IT Company: “The technology industry is full of companies that offer outlandish
perks to their employees. That’s not our style. We choose to sell candidates on our fantastic, entrepreneurial culture
and let our track record speak for itself.”
“They hire the brightest and the best here and it’s enjoyable to come to work every
day and surround [my]self with and learn from these people. In terms of adding value
to my career, Twitter is bar none the best organization that has done so.”
— Employee, Twitter

Healthcare Strengths
Among the healthcare organizations on the list, employees’ sense of pride in their work—
an essential component of a great workplace—consistently ranks highest amongst survey
participants. In healthcare, employees regularly see the tangible, positive and immediate impact
their work has in the lives of others, making it easy to see how pride has become healthcare’s
greatest strength.
Taking Pride
Of all six industries, employees in healthcare are most likely
to report, “My work has special meaning; this is not ‘just a job.’”1
Healthcare Challenges
While pride is a wonderful and difficult attribute to achieve in any industry, even the best
healthcare companies are not immune from the headaches and challenges facing modern
healthcare. As headlines regularly remind us, complexity and change is the name of the
game in this industry. Healthcare organizations are up against a variety of forces beyond
their control, including:
• Implementation of the Affordable Care Act
• Increases in healthcare costs
• Competition for talent
• Having to do “more with less”
Key Stats
2
On average, among the 100 Best Healthcare Companies:
- 53 Training Hours per year (FT Hourly)
- 111 Training Hours per year (FT Salaried)
1
2
Data
3
Atlantic Health
System
Baptist Health
South Florida
Children’s
Healthcare of
Atlanta
Houston Methodist
Mayo Clinic
Meridian Health
OhioHealth
Roche Diagnostics
Scripps Health
Southern Ohio
Medical Center
St. Jude Children’s
Research Hospital
Texas Health
Resources
WellStar Health
System
Healthcare

Strategies for Success at the Best Healthcare Organizations
Healthcare organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Foster communication and transparency.
One of the keys to maintaining healthy relationships—especially in an environment characterized by massive change—
is to communicate updates, goals, and other critical information regularly. Creating an atmosphere where employees
engage in dialogue with leaders (rather than a top-down monologue approach) is a great way to foster teamwork and
unite people to achieve goals.
Best Practice: Scripps’ “Charting the Course to Excellence All Around You” visual communications map is an
engagement tool that helps managers and staff participate in meaningful conversations about important system-wide
issues. The map was developed with a consulting group in response to staff requests for more input into decisions
and a better understanding of how and why Scripps is changing to meet the new challenges of the healthcare
industry. The interactive map incorporates guided discussions, imagery and more to illustrate Scripps’ past, present
and desired future state.
2. Promote employee health and wellness.
For many healthcare organizations on the list, the focus on health does not stop with the patient. These companies
acknowledge that healthcare is a physically demanding and stressful profession, and so they go to great lengths to
support their employees’ health.
Best Practice: At OhioHealth, it is a shared belief that associates must be healthy role models for the patients
they serve. As such, programs and resources are designed to offer associates a path to total wellness – physical,
emotional, spiritual, intellectual and financial. By taking a “Total Wellness” approach to work-life balance, every
aspect of improving health is addressed, including the four top health and wellness issues: inactivity, obesity, stress
and smoking. OhioHealth reports that these efforts have had a positive impact on the well-being of associates and,
subsequently, the patient experience, associate engagement and retention, productivity, and financial performance.
3. Include employees in cost-cutting and change measures.
Collaboration is a highly effective way of making relevant and effective changes take hold. By involving front-line
employees, who have first-hand knowledge of the day-to-day inner-workings of the hospital, leaders can gain a
fresh perspective.
Best Practice: Southern Ohio Medical Center includes all employees in company discussions about financial
challenges, a practice that has enabled them to gain invaluable insights and innovative ideas on ways to curb
expenses and generate revenue.
4. Connect people to purpose.
In an emotionally and physically challenging career, such as healthcare, keeping employees in touch with the
purpose of their work is a great way to inspire people to keep going when times are tough.
Best Practice: Atlantic Health System (AHS) empowers employees to see how their contributions make a difference
by regularly sharing quality and patient satisfaction data with them. AHS also makes a point of recognizing and
thanking employees for hard work. In return, employees respond by doing everything they can to push quality and
satisfaction scores higher each week.
“Scripps is unique in how the leadership is transparent with their
employees about their circumstances, financial status and goals and overall
strategic plans. There is such an effort to educate, share knowledge and empower
employees to work together to help our organization to thrive.”
— Employee, Scripps Health

Financial Services Strengths
Trust is one of the most important attributes members of the financial services industry must
possess in order to become (and remain) successful, primarily because people must trust the
institutions managing their hard-earned money. Not surprisingly, the financial services and insurance
companies that made the 100 Best list this year are characterized by high levels of trust—especially
employees’ unwavering belief in the credibility of their leaders. This accomplishment is worthy of
note because the financial crisis of 2008 and the ensuing aftermath have seen this industry fight an
uphill battle to regain trust in the public eye.
Achieving New Heights
Ninety-two percent of employees who work for the financial services and
insurance companies on the 2015 100 Best Companies list believe that:
“Management is honest and ethical in its business practices.” Note: This
is one point higher than the 100 Best benchmark.1
Financial Services Challenges
As if a globally publicized industry crisis weren’t enough, the highly acclaimed Edelman Trust
Barometer recently reported that the Financial Services industry—which includes banks, credit
card companies, insurance companies, and financial advisory/asset management companies—is
the world’s least trusted industry.2
Ouch. Generally speaking, this industry has several other tough
challenges, including:
• Providing a sense of autonomy to employees in a highly regulated industry
• Dealing with the unpredictability and volatility of the global market
Key Stats
3
On average, among the 100 Best Financial Services & Insurance Companies:
- 70 Training Hours (FT Hourly)
- 71 Training Hours (FT Salaried)
1
2
www.edelman.com/insights/intellectual-property/2014-edelman-trust-barometer/trust-in-business/trust-in-financial-services/
3
Data
4
Financial Services & Insurance
ACUITY
Aflac
Allianz Life
Insurance
Company of
North America
American Express
Baird
Capital One
Financial
Corporation
Credit Acceptance
Edward Jones
FactSet Research
Systems
Goldman Sachs
Nationwide
Mutual Insurance
Company
Navy Federal
Credit Union
Quicken Loans
USAA

“I’m convinced that we continually strive both individually
and as a firm to put our clients first. I’ve never done anything
like this before, and I don’t intend to go anywhere.”
— Employee, Edward Jones
Strategies for Success at the Best
Financial Services & Insurance Organizations
Financial services and insurance organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Keep the lines of communication open.
Open communication is the cornerstone of trust, and in an industry where trust is paramount, communication is one
of the top strengths among companies in this industry. Eighty-four percent of employees believe “management keeps
me informed of important issues and changes,” and 83% believe “management genuinely seeks and responds to
suggestions and ideas.”
Best Practice: Capital One leaders across the company hold town halls or “all-hands” meetings to share successes
and business strategies. Here, all associates, from full-time employees to hourly call center agents, are able to
hear and understand how their work impacts company success. An important trust-building practice, employees
appreciate having senior leaders visit in person to discuss organizational goals and the game plan to achieve them.
2. Ensure leaders share their vision for the future with employees.
Among the 100 Best companies in this industry, 87% of employees believe “management has a clear view of where
the organization is going and how to get there.” By sharing their vision, leaders empower employees to align their daily
actions with the long-term goals of the company.
Best Practice: ACUITY employees enjoy regular small group lunches with officers and leaders of the company, which
ensures everyone is on the same page and knows the role they play in achieving the vision. The lunches also foster
trust-based relationships essential to a great workplace. And the company maintains an open door policy ensuring
that any employee can drop in and talk to a member of management at any time about anything.
3. Offer employees ample opportunities for training and development.
One of the top areas of strategic focus among the 100 Best in this industry is employee development. Opportunities
for professional growth are a smart way to drive employee engagement since it enables people to pursue a more
meaningful career.
Best Practice: Edward Jones provides new associates with a two-month training course designed to help them pass
the General Securities Registered Representative Examination and the uniform Combined State Law Examination.
Afterward, employees enjoy an abundance of ongoing long-term development opportunities that build their financial
knowledge via highly ranked programs that provide training, mentoring and evaluations.

Manufacturing & Production Strengths
Manufacturing & Production is a highly competitive industry with a direct impact on local,
national and global economies. It’s also an industry with a long and storied history of struggle;
however, modern manufacturers are writing new and exciting chapters. Gone is the ancient
past where clock-punching workers were just doing a job. Today’s best manufacturers have
created work environments where employees find pride, purpose, and fair pay and profit sharing
practices. Manufacturers who made the 100 Best list are leading the charge, and what their
employees have to say is impressive:
• 92% believe: “When I look at what we accomplish, I feel a sense of pride.”
• 89% believe: “I feel I make a difference here.”
• 93% believe: “I feel good about the ways we contribute to the community.”
• 86% believe: “My work has special meaning: this is not just a job.”1
Manufacturing & Production Challenges
While great strides have been made in the manufacturing industry, it is not without its
challenges—many of which are brought on by the large size and decentralized structure
that typically characterize these organizations. And while there is strength in numbers, uniting
hundreds and even thousands of employees, who fill a diverse array of roles in the organization,
and work in various locations across the globe, is no easy task. Among manufacturing’s top
challenges are:
• Fostering a cohesive experience among employees regardless of their shift,
role, or location
• Creating a sense of fairness despite the many different roles employees serve
Key Stats
2
On average, among the 100 Best Manufacturing & Production Companies:
1
2
Data
3
Manufacturing & Production
Arthrex
Devon Energy
General Mills
Hilcorp
JM Family
Enterprises
Mars, Incorporated
Stryker
Corporation
W. L. Gore &
Associates

“JM Family has a culture unlike anywhere else I’ve ever worked.
I truly enjoy coming to work every day where I feel valued for the work
I do and being around others who clearly enjoy their jobs here as well.
Management makes every associate feel just as important no matter
where you fall on the totem pole here.”
— Employee, JM Family Enterprises
Strategies for Success at the Best
Manufacturing & Production Organizations
Manufacturing and production organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Connect employees via a shared culture, values and purpose.
When employees are spread across locations, shifts and a wide variety of roles, it’s more important than ever to
have a strong sense of connection, meaning and purpose to drive consistency and cohesion throughout the company.
Best Practice: Mars unites its 70,000 employees across 73 countries through a variety of creative and engaging
ways. All employees are trained at Mars University in the company’s five primary values and how they apply to every
employee and every job. As a company that loves to celebrate, every employee enterprise-wide participates in
Associate Appreciation Weeks.
2. Communicate regularly with all employees regardless of location or shift.
To ensure all employees, from foremen and technicians to maintenance and shift workers, understand company
objectives, the manufacturing companies on our list make regular communication a top priority.
Best Practice: At Stryker, question and answer sessions at the end of quarterly meetings are common, and
interaction with leaders doesn’t stop there. To promote open, honest communication within and between teams,
managers provide many opportunities for employees to ask questions: during “huddles” on the production floor,
where employees in the manufacturing environment gather for a quick 5-10 minute meeting to discuss priorities; in
regularly scheduled staff meetings between employees and managers; and at joint meetings between groups that
work together closely. This open approach ensures that managers at all levels are available to answer questions as
they arise, and to resolve issues quickly and fairly.
3. Establish equity through fair and transparent pay and profit sharing practices.
Collectively, manufacturing and production has the strongest practices any of the six industries in the area of
“promoting a sense of fairness.” Further, 77% of employees believe they “receive a fair share of profits,” which is
four points higher than the 100 Best benchmark.
Best Practice: At General Mills, annual incentive payments extend to all nonunion employees, from production
workers in the plants to senior management. Employees receive an Annual Performance and Rewards Statement that
shows exactly how the payment was calculated. Because incentive payments rely on individual performance ratings,
the ratings go through a rigorous calibration process with HR and business or function leadership meeting to ensure
they truly reflect performance and that they are applied consistently across the organization.

Copyright ©2015 Great Place to Work© Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved.| 11
Professional Services Strengths
When it comes to professional services, the “product” offered to clients is employee knowledge.
Thus, most of these companies understand that when you invest in your people, you invest in your
product, company and future. Perhaps that is why professional services companies dominated 2015’s
100 Best list with a full 20 companies on the list—more so than in any other year of the list’s history.
Stay Strong
Among the list of strengths that employees at the 100 Best
professional services companies reported
1
are:
> Strong sense of respect for employees as professionals.
> Excellent training and development opportunities.
> A belief that leaders are competent, honest, ethical
and communicate a clear vision.
> Strong sense of teamwork.
Professional Services Challenges
The 100 Best Companies from the professional services industry have many advantages in that
they are naturally predisposed to recognize the value of their people. However, they are up against
many of the same challenges faced by others in their industry, including:
• Continually attracting, retaining and developing top talent to create a superior
client experience.
• Fostering a work/life balance in a demanding job that often involves travel.
• Creating a sense of unity and connection between employees who are in-house
and those who work remotely or travel often.
Key Stats
2
On average, among the 100 Best Professional Services Companies:
• 20% of Partners are Female (for Partnerships)
• 9% of Partners are Minorities (for Partnerships)
1
2
Data
3
Professional Services
Accenture
Alston & Bird LLP
ARI, Automotive
Resources
International
Arnold & Porter LLP
Baker Donelson
Boston
Consulting Group
CHG Healthcare
Services
Cooley LLP
Deloitte LLP
Ernst & Young LLP
Hilti
Kimley-Horn and
Associates
KPMG LLP
O. C. Tanner
Company
Perkins Coie LLP
Plante Moran,
PLLC
Pricewaterhouse
Coopers LLP
Protiviti
Ryan LLC
TEKsystems

Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12 |
“My team is like my family, and my superiors are trusted mentors who act with the utmost integrity and
honesty. I’ve been offered more money to move to another company, and I vehemently declined. The
compensation is more than fair at CHG and the culture and rewarding work makes this career unbeatable.”
— Employee, CHG Healthcare Services
Strategies for Success at the Best Professional Services Organizations
Professional services organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Build a strong shared vision, culture and sense of teamwork across the organization.
Since professional employees are highly autonomous and often work on-the-go, from home and at client sites,
creating a sense of teamwork and unity can be challenging. However, the companies that pursue this critical aspect
of a great workplace soon find it is a worthy goal that fosters an engaged workforce.
Best Practice: Protiviti keeps employees across their enterprise well-connected via a company intranet that features
instant messaging, real-time newsfeeds, social media and client/project sites. Teamwork is fostered by gathering all
employees together for regularly scheduled “Day-in-the-Office” (DITO) meetings, fun company events and community
service activities.
2. Connect excellent employee experiences to excellent client experiences.
A top priority that many of the professional services firms on the list reported this year is a renewed focus on the client
experience, and a positive employee experience was seen as critical to achieving that goal. Whether through providing
outstanding training for employees to further their knowledge and expertise, connecting employees more deeply to the
purpose of their work with clients, or building on cultural strengths to improve client service, best company leaders in
this industry see and nurture this connection.
Best Practice: KPMG recently launched its “Higher Purpose Initiative”—a broad-based campaign that brings the
meaning of what KPMG does as it relates to its people, clients and communities to life for associates. In the first week
of the campaign, associates submitted more than 5,000 stories demonstrating how, through their work at KPMG,
they have made a positive difference in the world. These compelling stories have been shared using a wide variety of
media, including electronic, print, video, and social media. The initiative is considered one of the most impactful the
firm has ever undertaken to strengthen people’s feelings of pride in their work.
3. Strive to help employees achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Recognizing that the stressful nature of client work and travel schedules can take a toll on employees, great
professional services firms have led the pack in crafting creative solutions to help professionals achieve a healthy
work-life balance. According to Great Place to Work®
Consultant David Shanklin, “The secret sauce is in working with
managers, frontline staff, and clients to find optimal solutions for balance. Best Companies start with the attitude that
‘this can be done,’ instead of assuming that balance isn’t achievable based on the demands of the industry.”
Best Practice: At Accenture, to reduce traveling employees’ time away from their home cities, the Location Strategy
is designed to provide more opportunities for employees to work in the cities where they live. Business benefits
include better and longer-lasting client relationships, lower cost to serve, and reduced environmental impacts. From
an employee perspective, this strategy helps improve work/life balance and increase retention. Additionally, all client
accounts are strongly encouraged to allow traveling resources to work virtually at least one to two weeks per month.
4. Provide high quality employee development opportunities.
Another priority for professional services firms on our list is a commitment to employee development through a variety of
means, such as leadership development programs, online training, certifications, mentorships, and more. By investing in the
academic and leadership aspirations of employees, these companies add value to their reputation, to their bottom line, and
to their clients’ experiences.
Best Practice: PricewaterhouseCoopers offers employees a robust and award-winning in-house training and
development program called Genesis Park. The program focuses on developing global leaders and includes
mentorships with company leaders, peer coaching, team coaching, and more.

Copyright ©2015 Great Place to Work© Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved.| 13
Retail Strengths
Retail is an industry in which sales can be driven as much by the quality of the product as they
are by the quality of experience customers have with employees. The retailers on the 100 Best
list understand this principle and make it a priority to empower employees to deliver extraordinary
customer service. According to Robert Levering, Great Place to Work®
Institute Co-Founder
and the Co-Author of the 100 Best list: “The relationship between customer service and how
employees are treated is clearer in the minds of companies who are recognized as great places
to work. They do not treat employees as though they are expendable. These companies are
winners in the industry, and other retailers are beginning to notice.”
By working hard to equip and empower employees, retailers on the 100 Best list have been
rewarded with employees reporting a number of relative strengths1
, including:
• A strong sense of camaraderie with leaders and coworkers.
• A belief that leaders are approachable, accessible and value employees.
• Ample opportunities for rewards and recognition.
Management’s Got My Back
Retail employees at the 100 Best are not likely to believe they are
expendable. Eighty-six percent of employees in the retail 100 Best
believe “management would lay people off only as a last resort.”
Retail Challenges
Years of tough economic times and well-publicized customer security breaches are just a few
of the external challenges the retail industry has had to fight. However, according to many of the
100 Best Companies in retail, among the greatest challenges in building a great workplace are:
• Creating a sense of connection among employees and consistency in culture across a
vast number of locations.
• Engaging the hearts and minds of part-time employees.
Key Stats
2
1
2
Data
3
Retail
Build-A-Bear
Workshop
CarMax
CustomInk, LLC
L.L.Bean
Nordstrom
Nugget Market
Publix Super
Markets
QuikTrip
Recreational
Equipment, Inc.
(REI)
The Container
Store
Wegmans Food
Markets
Whole Foods
Market
Zappos.com

Institute, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 14 |
Strategies for Success at the Best Retail Organizations
Retail organizations among the 2015 100 Best Companies:
1. Invest in store-level managers as key organizational leaders.
A top priority among many of the retailers on our list is to invest in store-level leaders through a comprehensive
approach to selection and training. By identifying and developing leaders, and equipping them with the skills to
communicate the company vision to coworkers, companies foster unity and place themselves in a position to grow
exponentially. In a highly decentralized setting, this attention fosters consistency and keeps the company’s strategic
goals, as well as the culture, alive and well in each individual store.
Best Practice: Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) has a variable workforce, with many part-time and seasonal
workers spread across more than 30 states. As such, a top priority for leaders is to ensure all employees see how
their work impacts the greater whole, and how they fit in. To that end, store management teams are seen as critical
to keeping their teams tied to the co-op’s mission, and managers and employees alike are strongly supported through
thoughtful and direct communication. Leaders also expect and seek out employees’ voice and give them multiple
ways to be heard.
2. Inspire a sense of purpose among employees.
If employees believe they are simply pushing goods over a counter, they will not be inspired to deliver the kind of
customer experience that drives sales, stock shares and brand loyalty to new heights. Great workplaces connect
employees across stores to a sense of purpose, including the company’s overarching mission and foundational
values, as well as its shared goals and vision for the future.
Best Practice: In October 2013, roughly 200 members of Whole Foods Market leadership, Team Members,
customers, suppliers and shareholders came together for four intense days of co-visioning, co-dreaming, and co-
creating goals at “Future Search 2018.” The idea was to get the participants in the mindset of what the world would
be like in 2018 and what Whole Foods Market could and would have accomplished by that time by showcasing
futuristic-yet-plausible consumer products, and future headlines and magazine covers lauding the good works and
achievements of Whole Foods Market in 2018. During this time, participants narrowed down hundreds of ideas
and potential future goals for the company into seven major themes, with specific goals attached, which were later
reviewed and finalized by the Whole Foods Leadership Network.
3. Recognize and reward employees for their work.
In an industry where profit margins can be fairly low, paying retail employees a high salary is often not feasible.
However, there are many creative ways to show employees that their hard work is valued, and the retail companies
on our list are masters at recognizing employees for jobs well done. Companies that recognize and reward employees
create an environment where people feel appreciated and believe they make a difference.
Best Practice: Publix Super Markets recognizes employees throughout the year for jobs well done. Managers are
empowered to reward good attendance, safety, work performance and successful completion of projects. Store and
department managers generate excitement and enthusiasm in creative ways. Prizes include plaques, ribbons, t-shirts,
and even steak dinners served by Publix executives. Many stores create newsletters to recognize new associates,
birthdays, births, marriages and other important occasions
“Management isn’t afraid to let the ‘worker-bees’ know that they are
vital to the organization’s success–that feels really great to hear! We are
gathered and taught every aspect of the company, both good and not so
good. There is total transparency always. L.L. Bean rocks!!”
— Employee, L.L. Bean

Your Industry Rocks
Regardless of the challenges your industry faces, YOU have what it takes to foster a great workplace, as
long as you are willing to pursue greatness with passion and patience. If your industry is included in this
whitepaper, take a moment to review the strengths and practices of the winners and identify areas in your
company where you can apply their wisdom.
If your industry was not covered, not to worry, simply make a list of your industry’s strengths and weakness-
es and identify areas where you could implement some of the practices of the 100 Best. You can also give
Institute consultants a call anytime. We welcome the opportunity to help you develop
a strategy to achieve greatness. After all, companies that become great are not just happy places to work,
they are companies that collectively outperform the rest of the market in profitability year after year – a great
achievement, if we do say so ourselves.
Practice Makes Greatness
After gleaning some of the practices that the 100 Best employ to achieve greatness, we hope you are
inspired to adapt a few (or all) of these powerful practices to fit your culture. To help you get started, try
our top seven listed below:
1. Build a strong shared vision, culture and sense of teamwork across the organization.
2. Connect employees to the impact their work has on your company, clients and community.
3. Be transparent. Include employees in cost-cutting and change measures.
4. Promote a sense of work/life balance through creative ideas that fit your culture.
5. Recognize and reward employees for their hard work.
6. Provide professional growth, training and development opportunities.
7. Establish a sense of equity through fair and transparent pay and profit sharing practices.
Pursue Greatness
As a research-driven organization that is highly invested in understanding how ordinary businesses
become extraordinary, the Great Place to Work®
Institute is always eager to talk to you about your unique
best practices and the results you have achieved. We also have a team of consultants who are ever-ready
to help you understand the steps you can take now to transform your workplace into a great one.

1. Google — Information Technology
2. The Boston Consulting Group — Professional Services
3. ACUITY — Financial Services & Insurance
4. SAS — Information Technology
5. Robert W. Baird & Co. — Financial Services & Insurance
6. Edward Jones — Financial Services & Insurance
7. Wegmans Food Markets — Retail
8. salesforce.com — Information Technology
9. Genentech — Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
10. Camden Property Trust — Construction & Real Estate
11. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants — Hospitality
12. Quicken Loans — Financial Services & Insurance
13. Riot Games — Media
14. David Weekley Homes — Construction & Real Estate
15. Burns & McDonnell — Engineering
16. CHG Healthcare Services — Professional Services
17. W. L. Gore & Associates — Manufacturing & Production
18. NuStar Energy — Transportation
19. Stryker Corporation — Manufacturing & Production
20. Hilcorp — Manufacturing & Production
21. Ultimate Software — Information Technology
22. Workday — Information Technology
23. Baptist Health South Florida — Healthcare
24. Twitter — Information Technology
25. Kimley-Horn and Associates — Professional Services
26. Nugget Market — Retail
27. The Container Store — Retail
28. World Wide Technology — Information Technology
29. Plante Moran, PLLC — Professional Services
30. Baker Donelson — Professional Services
31. Intuit — Information Technology
32. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — Healthcare
33. USAA — Financial Services & Insurance
34. JM Family Enterprises — Manufacturing & Production
35. NetApp — Information Technology
36. ARI, Automotive Resources International — Professional Services
37. Credit Acceptance — Financial Services & Insurance
38. Devon Energy — Manufacturing & Production
39. Atlantic Health System — Healthcare
40. O.C. Tanner Company — Professional Services
41. Alston & Bird LLP — Professional Services
42. Cooley LLP — Professional Services
43. TEKsystems — Professional Services
44. Southern Ohio Medical Center — Healthcare
45. OhioHealth — Healthcare
46. Perkins Coie LLP — Professional Services
47. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts — Hospitality
48. FactSet Research Systems — Financial Services & Insurance
49. Aflac — Financial Services & Insurance
50. The Goldman Sachs Group — Financial Services & Insurance
The 2015 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®

51. American Express — Financial Services & Insurance
52. Autodesk — Information Technology
53. Marriott International — Hospitality
54. QuikTrip — Retail
55. Whole Foods Market — Retail
56. L.L.Bean — Retail
57. Houston Methodist — Healthcare
58. Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) — Retail
59. Build-A-Bear Workshop — Retail
60. Scripps Health — Healthcare
61. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta — Healthcare
62. CustomInk, LLC — Retail
63. KPMG LLP — Professional Services
64. CarMax — Retail
65. VMware — Information Technology
66. Novo Nordisk — Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
67. PCL Construction — Construction & Real Estate
68. Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America — Financial Services & Insurance
69. Texas Health Resources — Healthcare
70. Cisco — Information Technology
71. Cadence — Electronics
72. Navy Federal Credit Union — Financial Services & Insurance
73. Mayo Clinic — Healthcare
74. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP — Professional Services
75. Arnold & Porter LLP — Professional Services
76. Hyland Software — Information Technology
77. Roche Diagnostics — Healthcare
78. Hyatt Hotels Corporation — Hospitality
79. Ernst & Young LLP — Professional Services
80. General Mills — Manufacturing & Production
81. Publix Super Markets — Retail
82. Bright Horizons Family Solutions — Education & Training
83. TDIndustries — Construction & Real Estate
84. Meridian Health — Healthcare
85. Mars, Incorporated — Manufacturing & Production
86. Zappos.com — Retail
87. WellStar Health System — Healthcare
88. The Cheesecake Factory — Hospitality
89. Hilti — Professional Services
90. Adobe Systems — Information Technology
91. Capital One Financial Corporation — Financial Services & Insurance
92. Ryan, LLC — Professional Services
93. Nordstrom — Retail
94. Arthrex — Manufacturing & Production
95. Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company — Financial Services & Insurance
96. Activision Blizzard — Media
97. Deloitte — Professional Services
98. Accenture — Professional Services
99. Regeneron — Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
100. Protiviti — Professional Services
The 2015 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®

is the global authority on high-trust, high-
performance workplace cultures. Through proprietary assessment tools,
advisory services, and employer branding programs, including Best
Companies lists and workplace reviews, Great Place to Work®
provides
the benchmarks, framework, and expertise needed to create, sustain,
and recognize outstanding workplace cultures.
In the United States, Great Place to Work®
produces the annual
Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For®
list and the Great Place
to Work®
50 Best Small & Medium Workplaces list.
US LOCATIONS
San Francisco (Headquarters):
222 Kearny Street, Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94108
+1 415 844 2500 | US_clientsupport@greatplacetowork.com
New York City:
60 Broad Street, Suite 30-02, New York, New York 10004
+1 646 370 1125 | US_clientsupport@greatplacetowork.com
greatplacetowork.com
About Great Place to Work®

For over 25 years we’ve studied and identified great workplaces—from small startups to some of the
best-known multinational companies. A global research and consulting firm operating in 43 countries
around the world, Great Place to Work®
has surveyed millions of employees and helps create
the 100 Best Companies to Work For®
list. We know what makes the best companies tick.
As the only company focused on great workplaces, we have the data and tools to help your business
transform and prosper.
Learn what it really takes to build your great workplace.
We’re the company behind the list.

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