The best companies to work for and the most motivating for their employees

From this space, we would like to extend our most sincere congratulations to all the companies for which the well-being of their employees is an absolute priority. We recognize and value the continuous effort that these organizations make to create healthy and enriching work environments.

Likewise, it is essential to highlight and thank all the people who, day after day, make this possible. Their dedication not only improves the quality of life of their colleagues, but also raises the standard of the corporate culture, fostering an environment where well-being is at the core of the business strategy.

These practices not only contribute to a more positive work environment, but also boost productivity and overall team satisfaction, demonstrating that attention to employee well-being is critical to the success of any company. Bain & Company deserves special mention as one of the best companies to work for and this year it debuts in the first position.

In order of importance, according to consultants and independent human resources experts, workers value:

• Talent management and career development, performance and unwanted turnover
• Remuneration in kind and social benefits
• Training
• Environment
• CSR: social and volunteering policies involving the workforce

Well, according to this, here are the best companies to work for.

The best companies to work for in 2024

1. Bain & Company

In addition to being a leading consulting firm, Bain has also been ranked as a Best Place to Work and has been recognized as a company that is very committed to LGBQT and working mothers.

What makes Bain one of the best companies to work for?

1. Great collaborators

One of Bain's best value propositions is its people. The company invests heavily, not only to attract talent, but also those people who are multifaceted, friendly and pleasant. It is common for Bainies (so they call themselves) to choose to meet on weekends even after putting in long hours during the work week.

2. Challenging clients and projects

At Bain, they give you the opportunity to work on projects with some of the most influential companies in the world. It is common to work on pioneering projects in new fields and non-profit organizations of high impact and global scale. Projects are aimed at solving complex business problems, and employees gain tangible skills and achievements on each project.

3. Ability to manage your time

Internships (the opportunity to work for another non-profit company for 4-6 months). Sabbaticals (taking time off to disconnect). Relocation (to another company and work for Bain in another global office). Social impact projects.

4. Professional development and mentoring

There is a strong interest and emphasis on developing Bain's corporate culture. It is common to have regularly scheduled professional development (PD) talks with the manager, partner or other team members. Having a coffee or just a time out of the workday to have a candid conversation about strengths, feedback and goals. There is also a strong culture of teaching and knowledge sharing.

5. One Bain Culture

"A Bainie never lets another Bainie fail." This is indicative of the culture at Bain: supportive and fun. Bain strives to help Bainies make connections as they get started within their startup teams, and the office in general, through events and experience sharing. It is also remarkable how the Bain culture is transmitted between offices around the world. With the Bain World Cup (the annual world soccer tournament), global trainings and inter-office groups, there are many opportunities to interact with Bainies worldwide who share and value the Bain culture.

6. Participation outside of work

There are established groups such as Women at Bain, Blacks at Bain, BGLAD (the LGBTQ network at Bain), Inspire (free consulting for nonprofits), Bain Band, etc., as well as an open invitation for Bainies to start their own initiatives, events and new groups. Some examples are: Run Club, the Green Team and volunteering in the community.

7. Support after leaving the company

Another benefit of working at Bain & Company is the professional support you will continue to have access to after leaving the company. Bain has a strong alumni network, as well as resources for job search and professional development. For example, access to interview resources, job applications and a Bain-exclusive job board. Other companies post roles in that directory that they are looking to fill with former Bainies.

8. Benefits

Bain is known to take good care of its employees through juicy compensation and benefits packages. Total compensation includes a competitive base salary, bonuses, profit sharing. In addition, Bain offers a wide variety of benefits:

• comprehensive health benefit plan
• flexible spending accounts
• generous office budgets
• team events
• access to professional development programs

And the list goes on!

2. Google

There are companies that have gone further in terms of welfare and have created a whole new world for their employees to discover. One of the companies that "pampers" its employees the most is the all-powerful Google, which although already famous for the high incentives it gave to its workers, has been crowned thanks to the "Googleplex", a small village built in California where they offer their workers all kinds of services they may need: day care, mobile libraries, massages, hairdresser, manicure, street markets, capsules for napping or car oil change, among others. They also allow dogs to be brought to work and encourage children and parents to visit the offices.

This is probably why the technology giant has been ranked first in Fortune magazine's world ranking of the best companies to work for for six years , because, as Sergey Brin, co-founder of the company in 1998, says: "Our employees are everything. We will reward them and treat them well.

3. Goal

In the case of Meta, which occupies our third place, employees are given a complete technological kit as a welcome and not only that, but Mark Zuckerberg himself, when he wants to hire a new employee for Meta, takes him for a walk. The goal, according to Zuckerberg, is to chat about the company's vision.

4. Linkedin

Continuing on our list and in the number four position is Linkedin. LinkedIn offers a number of benefits to its employees, organized in different categories:

1. Health:

• Health insurance: Full coverage for both the employee and his/her family.
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program): Counseling sessions to provide support when needed.
• Wellness: Access to gyms, fitness classes and workplace wellness events.

2. Essential:

• Paid time off: To rest, recuperate and recharge your batteries.
• Life insurance: Protection for the employee's loved ones.
• Business travel accident insurance: Safety during business trips.

3. Passion:

• Matching donation: LinkedIn will match donations to charities.
• InDay: One Friday a month dedicated to personal, corporate or global development.
• Volunteering: Supporting people with employment barriers to develop their careers.
• Education reimbursement: Financing of higher education expenses, including tuition and books.

4. Extras:

• Go for it: Customize your benefits with options such as fitness classes, gym memberships, massages, personal trainers, and more.
• Year-end paid closing: One week of paid vacation at the end of the year.
• Speaker Series: Access to inspirational talks by innovative thinkers from around the world.
• Product discounts: Free LinkedIn Premium account, LinkedIn Learning subscription and discounts on Microsoft products.

5. Family:

• Paid parental leave: Time to bond with a new child.
• Fertility and Adoption Assistance: Assistance to facilitate family growth.
• Child, Elderly and Pet Care Subsidy: Use of the PerkUp! subsidy for care services.
• Support for survivors: Assistance in case of critical family events.

These benefits are designed to support the physical and emotional well-being of employees, in addition to fostering their professional and personal development.

5. Cysco Systems

With Cisco Systems we reach the meridian of companies that make their workers happy, and Cisco is considered one of the largest manufacturers of computer networking technology in the world; it has created "Life Connections" a free primary health center for its entire workforce that includes X-rays, dentist, pediatrician, ophthalmologist, etc., and also a fitness area. The best thing about this company is that it has always supported telecommuting, and for years 75% of the staff has been able to work remotely with access to data and voice services.

6. Microsoft

Microsoft, ranked number six, is highly rated for its flexibility in terms of work-life balance. It is one of the few companies with such well-paid maternity and paternity leave, and even telecommuting is available. It also has very good health coverage for its employees and their immediate family members.

7. NetApp

NetApp provides a range of benefits aimed at the financial, personal and family well-being of its employees:

Financial well-being:

• Base salary: competitive in the market and reviewed annually.
• Bonuses: all employees are eligible for annual incentives based on the achievement of individual goals or commissions based on sales targets.
• Equity and Stock: Participation in the Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) with discounts on NetApp stock. Annual stock awards based on employee potential.

Personal well-being:

• Employee discount programs: include flexible work practices, personal coaching and employee resource groups.
• Global wellness days: paid time off to focus on personal wellness.
• No-meeting Fridays: one Friday a month dedicated to working without meeting interruptions.
• Annual closing: intentional global pause to ensure that everyone returns refreshed.

3. Family support and free time:

• Support during vacation and family time: NetApp values the effort and dedication of its employees by offering support during vacations and extended leave.

4. Insurance and income protection:

• Life and disability insurance: a wide range of insurance for additional peace of mind.

5. Health programs:

• Health care programs: wellness-focused plans for employees and their families.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): promotes physical and emotional well-being.

6. Volunteering:

• Paid volunteer time: The NetApp Serves program allows employees to give back to the community through volunteering, donating, and connecting.

These benefits are designed to help NetApp employees function at their highest potential, taking care of their physical, emotional and financial health.

8. Edelman

We change technology for a public relations agency, in the eighth position we have the company Edelman, which although it is little known internationally, in the United States has quite an impact by the study conducted by The Market Watch in which it states that its employees are delighted with the meal service they offer, as well as comprehensive health insurance and free childcare for their children. It also provides its employees with free training courses to optimize their work experience.

9. Coca-Cola

After so much technological enterprise, we moved on to the "queen drink of happiness". It is true that Coca-Cola has not been at its best lately, but even so, the giant has remained afloat as one of the best companies to work for thanks to several policies, including financial compensation for a job well done, the integration of people with disabilities in the workforce and the continuous training of its employees. Coca-Cola is famous for the corporate decoration of its facilities around the world.

The Coca-Cola Company offers a benefits package designed to promote and support the well-being of its employees:

1. Medical plans: comprehensive health coverage.
2. Prescription drugs: access to prescription drugs.
3. Dental plans: dental coverage for oral care and treatment.
4. Vision plans: coverage for ophthalmologic and optical care.
5. Supplemental health plans: additional coverage for specific health needs.
6. Tax-free accounts: possibility of saving money in tax-advantaged accounts for medical expenses.
7. life+ programs: initiatives to improve quality of life and personal well-being.
8. Financial programs: support in financial management and personal economic planning.

10. Chick-fil-A

A fast food company Chick-fil-Adespite years of bad press for its "junk food", its employees have turned the situation around, declaring themselves "very happy to work there". The fried chicken giant is famous for its "excellent" work environment and "unbeatable" camaraderie among its employees.

These are some of the excellent benefits of working at Chick-fil-A:

1. Flexible schedules: they understand that you have commitments to family, friends, studies or sports teams. They strive to adapt your work schedule to these commitments.
2. Closed on Sundays: All Chick-fil-A restaurants are closed on Sundays, giving you a day off to spend with family and friends.
3. Development Training: Employees interested in becoming Chick-fil-A operators can gain valuable hands-on experience through the Leadership Development program. This extensive training program is offered at the intermediate and advanced levels at Chick-fil-A's corporate office in Atlanta, Georgia.
4. Competitive salary: in addition to a competitive salary, they offer a supportive environment where you will learn valuable business and social skills.
5. University scholarships:
   • Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarships: Students enrolled in the school are eligible for a $2,500 scholarship, with the ability to reapply for up to four years, accumulating a total of up to $10,000 for college while working as a member of the Chick-fil-A team. These scholarships are awarded based on leadership, academic achievement, community involvement and demonstrated financial need.
   • True Inspiration Grants: Chick-fil-A team members may also apply for and receive a one-time individual grant of up to $25,000. These scholarships are awarded based on the same criteria.
6. Educational assistance opportunities: In addition to scholarships, Chick-fil-A offers access to tuition discounts and other benefits for team members at more than 70 universities and colleges nationwide, which can be combined with any of the above scholarships. Opportunities and eligibility vary by school, but benefits and tuition discounts of up to 30 percent are effective immediately.

11. DHL Express Spain

DHL Express has achieved for the third consecutive time the prestigious number 1 position as Europe's best place to work according to the Great Place to Work® Best Workplace™ ranking. This important achievement underlines DHL Express' strong commitment to fostering a work culture based on respect, inclusion and employee satisfaction.

DHL Express Spain offers a variety of benefits and incentives aimed at supporting the well-being and professional development of its employees. These benefits are competitive within the industry and are designed to enhance both work and personal life. Below are the benefits provided by the company:

1. Highly competitive salaries and remuneration: DHL Express Spain ensures that salaries are competitive within the market, offering adequate remuneration according to role and responsibilities, which contributes to greater job satisfaction and motivation.
2. Outstanding training opportunities: the company invests in the training and continuous development of its employees, providing access to training programs that enable them to improve current skills and acquire new competencies. This not only prepares employees to take on greater responsibilities within the company, but also increases their long-term employability.
3. Fantastic career development prospects: DHL offers ample opportunities for professional growth, including internal promotions and transfers to different roles or departments. This encourages a dynamic and fulfilling career within the company.
4. Diverse health and wellness programs: Employee health and wellness is a priority for DHL. The company offers programs that include wellness activities, mental health resources, and access to counseling and support, helping to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
5. Family-friendly work schedules: Understanding the importance of work-life balance, DHL strives to offer flexible schedules that facilitate family reconciliation. This allows employees to better manage their time and personal commitments.
6. Company health insurance and retirement plans: DHL provides health insurance that ensures health coverage for employees and their families. In addition, it offers retirement plans that help employees plan for a secure financial future, ensuring their long-term financial well-being.

Together, these benefits reflect DHL Express Spain's commitment to employee well-being, professional development and job satisfaction.

AUTHOR: CARLOS LLERENA

IT executive, entrepreneur, communicator and academic with international trajectory, expert in technology, marketing, project management and complex problem solving.

On the cover: image from the film Los Becarios.