Sussing out the company culture at a potential employer is hard. This list will help.
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Good morning, Broadsheet readers! M.M. LaFleur will outfit women running for office, Indian women earn equal rights in the military, and Fortune’s list of the Best Companies to Work For is live. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
– Workplace winners. Fortune published our 2020 rundown of the 100 Best Companies to Work For this week. The list is an annual reader favorite, and it’s clear why: the culture of our workplace is such an essential factor in whether we thrive in our careers—yet it’s one of the most challenging things for job seekers to suss out during the interview process.
Culture is also, no surprise, a difficult thing to quantify. Here’s a look at the attempt by our partners, people analytics firm Great Place to Work, to get their arms around the nebulous idea:
The bulk of the scores assigned to participating companies (businesses must opt-in to be considered) is based on a survey given to their employees. GPTW reports that “85% of the evaluation is based on what employees report about their experiences of trust and reaching their full human potential as part of their organization, no matter who they are or what they do… The remaining pieces we consider include an assessment of all employees’ daily experiences of the company’s values, people’s ability to contribute new ideas, and the effectiveness of their leaders.” (You can read the full methodology here.)
Reading through the descriptions of the top scorers, it’s clear that being a Great Place for women and working families is a priority—manifesting not just in cheery statements about “work-life balance,” but in concrete benefits and policies. Here are a few highlights from our top 10:
No. 1, Hilton: “In the last year, Hilton extended its parental leave policy, guaranteeing 12 weeks of paid time off for new mothers, and four for fathers and adoptive parents. The company also partnered with the startup Milk Stork, enabling team members to easily ship or carry breast milk when traveling for work, for free.”
No. 4, Cisco: “When employees add a baby to the family, the decision about how much paid time off they receive is based on whether they are the main or supporting parent caregiver, not their gender. And new grandparents get up to three days off to help out too.”
No. 9, Amex: “Employees at the global payments giant laud the company’s commitment to career development programs—one epitomized by American Express’s Colleague Value Proposition initiative, which prioritizes a flexible, family-friendly work environment and aims to help employees diversify their skills with an eye toward progressing their careers.”
No. 10, Kimpton: “The boutique hotel and restaurant group launched several inclusive hiring initiatives in 2019, working with nonprofits like Trans Can Work and the Mom Project, which helps mothers return to the workforce.”
If you or someone you know is thinking about making a move in 2020, I encourage you to check out the list. I hope it helps make the often overwhelming process of finding the perfect new gig just a little bit easier.
Kristen Bellstrom
kristen.bellstrom@fortune.com
@kayelbee
Today’s Broadsheet was produced by Emma Hinchliffe.
