What makes a good employer?

Posted at 7:58 AM on February 1, 2008 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)

Fortune magazine is out with its top employers survey. No Minnesota company made the top 50, but General Mills and Mayo Clinic made the second division -- the state breakdown for Minnesota.

Mayo, at #59, gets credit for a "hire for life" policy. 17% of the workforce has been with Mayo for more than 20 years. It also had a high percentage of women.

At #69, General Mills got the nod because 96% of the women who were on maternity leave last year came back to work, thanks in part to a policy that allows them to phase back in on a part-time basis.

Nice, but firms that finished higher got credit for perks from free SCUBA classes and iPods, onsite gyms, child care and 100% health care.

Dare we ask? Why do you work where you work?

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Comments (3)

I work where I work because this is where I was offered a job when my wife got pregnant. I converted from a contract to fulltime in order to earn healthcare benefits. My wife, on the other hand, works at a place where she wanted to work for years before finally applying (and being accepted). Its the kind of place that would score well on the Fortune list if it were large enough.

Posted by bsimon | February 1, 2008 9:05 AM

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I work where I work because I can name every employee that works here, and I'm terrible with names. Small, social, smart and flexible, that's all I ask out of a company.

Posted by Joel | February 1, 2008 2:56 PM

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As an REI family (I work there part time, my wife full time), I'm proud that REI has made the list 11 years running. Is it why we work there? Maybe. Is it why either of us applied? No.

The company treats their employees well, provides numerous opportunities for growth, and actually lives up to supporting a healthy work-life balance.

Little things like the ability to donate accrued sick time to co-workers in need ice the cake!

Is REI perfect? No. Am I proud to work there? You betcha!

Posted by JB | February 4, 2008 2:02 PM

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