Glassdoor’s 2014 Best Places to Work

Glassdoor just released its sixth annual 50 Best Places to Work for 2014. The list forecasts which companies will be the best to work for in 2014 based on anonymous surveys of current and former employees at companies with a minimum of 1,000 workers. More than half a million reviews were submitted to build the list.This year, 17 companies made their debuts on the list, including entertainment company Disney, fast food chain Chick-fil-A, and social media powerhouse Twitter. Meanwhile, seven companies have made Glassdoor Top Places to Work list for all six years, including Google and Chevron.Take a look to see which Boston-based company took the top spot on this year’s list.

50. Salesforce.com, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Very vibrant culture which is focused on education and growth. Company knows how to work and play hard. Very socially minded with a focus on ‘foundation’ and employees that are generally very nice and respectful.’’ – Salesforce.com Customer Success Employee (San Francisco, California)

49. eBay Inc., San Jose, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Great opportunity for growth and work with great people who are friendly and are willing to help. I am able to learn a lot of new things while on the job. It’s a good learning experience for me.’’ – eBay Inc Software Engineer III (Santa Clara, California)

48. Stryker, Portage, Mich.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “The people and culture are the biggest selling points to working for Stryker. It’s incredibly refreshing and motivating to come to work and be with such a smart, ambitious, positive workforce. Another thing I love about working for this company is that at every level, an employee touches projects/products that have an impact on the lives of our customers.’’ – Stryker Employee (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

47. Texas Roadhouse, Louisville, Ky.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Excellent initial employee training program. High volume restaurant that provides great customer value. Management is very flexible and understanding.’’ – Texas Roadhouse Server (Tallahassee, Florida)Pictured: From left, Paula Lopez and Kentrell Blunt of Texas Roadhouse make lunch plates to benefit the Tip of the Spear organization to support US troops at the Sugar Land Ice and Sports Center in Sugar Land, Texas.

46. Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York City

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Excellent benefits, pay higher than others in the area, happy coworkers, work flexibility.’’ – Memorial Sloan-Kettering Phlebotomist (New York, NY)

45. Texas Instruments, Dallas, Texas

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “TI is an older company with great values but still has the expertise to be a great competitive technology company. TI is a huge company and has a foot in many areas, so there are good opportunities.’’ – Texas Instruments Senior Software Engineer (Dallas, Texas)

44. NBCUniversal, New York City

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Incredibly large organization with endless opportunities for growth across different platforms, channels, and teams.’’ – NBCUniversal Production Coordinator (New York, NY)

43. Chick-fil-A, Atlanta, Ga.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Awesome management that treats us like real people! I love that the company puts its people before profit and that they are closed on Sunday. I know this would be a great place to start a career!’’ – Chick-fil-A Team Member (Nashville, Tenn.)

42. Disney, Burbank, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Free park admission, working for one of the best companies in the world. Making a difference in people’s lives. Making people happy all day every day.’’ – Disney Resort Operations Assistant (Orlando, Fla.)

41. NetApp, Sunnyvale, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Great co-workers! There are tons of opportunities here. The company makes you feel important and goes out of the way to make you feel comfortable and enjoy coming to work. There are always activities and events to take part in.’’ – NetApp Technical Support Engineer (Wichita, Kan.)

40. Wegmans, Rochester, N.Y.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Culture is great – the team that you work with is passionate about what they do. Everyone seems to be super nice and always understanding about the job.’’ – Wegmans Customer Service Employee (Allentown, Penn.)

39. Starbucks, Seattle, Wash.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Starbucks takes great care of all of its employees from Barista to the higher level employees. If you want a company with morality and a conscience with a strong opportunities for advancement this is a great place to work.’’– Starbucks Shift Supervisor (Bangor, Maine)

38. Citrix Systems, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Awesome team dynamics. Great work life balance. Awesome team level management.’’ – Citrix Systems Software Engineer II (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

37. CareerBuilder, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Your career at CareerBuilder is what you make of it. There are many opportunities but you have to go get them, nothing will be handed to you. I love that I have worked here for many, many years yet I still continue to learn and grow every day. The people I work with are wonderful for the most part and we all truly care about this organization.’’ – CareerBuilder Employee (Norcross, Ga.)

36. FedEx, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Beyond a team environment, the culture at FedEx is like my extended family. Strong leadership and a management philosophy that puts employees first. Excellent healthcare benefits and college tuition reimbursement opportunities!’’ – FedEx Operations Specialist (Memphis, Tenn.)

35. Apple, Cupertino, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Large stable company. Good compensation and stock bonuses (RSUs). Diverse set of challenges and products to work on. Many opportunities for career growth: technically and managerially.’’ – Apple Employee (Cupertino, Calif.)

34. Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “Smart people, interesting projects, promote-from-within culture. Move roles every two years, never have the chance to become complacent. Everyone is valued. P&G puts a lot of time and energy into training, mentorship, networking.’’ – Proctor & Gamble Finance Analyst (Cincinnati, Ohio)

33. Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif.

Rating: 3.8Recent employee commentary: “2 month paid sabbatical every 7 years. Flexible work from home policy. Incredibly smart colleagues. Opportunities for international assignments. Easy to switch roles/divisions. Lots of great free classes for career development.’’ – Intel Senior Financial Analyst (Santa Clara, Calif.)

32. Publix, Lakeland, Fla.

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “Promotion from within policy. Dedicated to developing younger employees. Great culture.’’ – Publix Grocery Clerk (Tampa, Fla.)

31. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “A company that truly respects and cares for both their patients AND employees. Plenty of PTO, good pay, excellent job security, good growth, good benefits. Many career options and the bosses will help you achieve your goals, every step of the way.’’ – Mayo Clinic Supervisor (Scottsdale, Ariz.)

30. Rackspace, San Antonio, Texas

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “Strong sense of culture, laid-back work environment, upward mobility, strong support system from managers. Leadership demonstrates sincere interest in individual employees.’’ – Rackspace Cloud Acquisitions Employee (San Antonio, Calif.)

29. NIKE, Beaverton, Ore.

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “Always moving forward & looking toward the future. Amazing campus, culture, benefits, food, workout facilities. I’ve always been treated very fairly and respected. There’s always something to learn.’’ – NIKE Apparel Employee (Portland, Oregon)

28. National Instruments, Austin, Texas

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “Great place to start a career, lots of options and opportunity for growth. It’s easy to find roles that stay interesting. Work-life balance is encouraged frequently.’’ – National Instruments Applications Engineer (Austin, Texas)

27. H E B, San Antonio, Texas

Rating: 3.9Recent employee commentary: “Pay is wonderful, and pay raises often. Management is understanding of life events and company values employees greatly.’’ – H E B Cashier (Kingswood, Texas)

26. Hyatt, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “There are a lot of wonderful benefits for their full time employees, ranging from comp & discounted rooms, great retirement plans, health insurance, paid holidays, etc. I enjoy the environment I work in as well!’’ – Hyatt Front Desk Agent (Long Beach, Calif.)

25. Genentech, South San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Great co-workers, nearly unlimited resources, many opportunities for scientific collaboration and to learn new technical skills, excellent company to develop your early career as a scientist.’’ – Genentech Employee (South San Francisco, Calif.)

24. Cameron, Houston, Texas

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Cameron demonstrates that they care about every employee. Cameron also has nearly an endless opportunity for learning and mobility within the company. They are focused on the employee’s career and give plenty of opportunity for growth.’’ – Cameron International Engineer II (Houston, Texas)

23. Red Hat, Raleigh, N.C.

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Transparent work environment; very talented and hard working workforce; strong culture; employees care about company success; approachable leadership team; minimal politics.’’ – Red Hat Manager (Raleigh, N.C.)

22. MathWorks, Natick, Mass.

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Lots of interesting projects, collaboration with other teams, and an opportunity to shine. A culture of respecting and investing in each other. Great work environment with individual offices, new facilities, and many perks.’’ – MathWorks Marketing Manager (Natick, Mass.)

21. Southwest Airlines, Dallas, Texas

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Salary and benefits are among the best in the airline industry. Free travel on Southwest and huge discounts on other airlines. Company culture that has been legendary in the airline industry.’’ – Southwest Airlines Operations Agent (Raleigh, N.C.)

20. Gartner, Stamford, Conn.

Rating: 4.0Recent employee commentary: “Great leadership, incredible people, strong working relationships, flexibility and opportunity – plus work that is challenging and rewarding.’’ – Gartner Operations Employee (Ft. Myers, Fla.)

19. Intuit, Mountain View, Calif.

Rating: 4.1Recent employee commentary: “Customer focused. Innovative. Respect and appreciation for work well done. People are very smart and nice to each other. Salary and bonus are excellent. Work life balance.’’ – Intuit Staff Software Engineer (Mountain View, Calif.)

18. SolarCity, San Mateo, Calif.

Rating: 4.1Recent employee commentary: “They keep safety in mind and value our work that will be long term maintained. Everyone is willing to share information to help others find a better way to get the job done in an efficient manner that is courteous to the customer.’’ – SolarCity Installer (Cranbury, New Jersey)

17. Riverbed Technology, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.1Recent employee commentary: “A work-life balance that’s truly achievable and a workplace with no egos or politics. Our leaders are not only super smart/dynamic but also very down-to-earth, approachable, and fun to be around.’’ – Riverbed Technology Senior Director (San Francisco, Calif.)

16. Costco Wholesale

Rating: 4.1Costco Wholesale saw the most improvement from last year’s Top Places to Work list, climbing 30 spots from number 46 in 2013.Recent employee commentary: “Good starting pay. Great benefits, even for part timers. Clean and comfortable environment to work at. Paid vacation and sick days. On Sunday Costco pays you time and a half.’’ – Costco Wholesale Cashier Assistant (Fullerton, Calif.)

15. Slalom Consulting, Seattle, Wash.

Rating: 4.1Recent employee commentary: “Compelling projects that allow you to showcase and grow your skills. A senior leadership team that makes time and effort to get to know consultants both personally and professionally. A culture that provides a fun environment and leads to people that enjoy spending time together in and out of the office.’’ – Slalom Consulting Consultant (Atlanta, Ga.)

14. Chevron, San Ramon, Calif.

Rating: 4.2Recent employee commentary: “They truly care about their employees. The work/life balance is great, and there are opportunities for growth all throughout the company.’’ – Chevron Lean Sigma Facilitator (Houston, Texas)

13. Qualcomm, San Diego, Calif.

Rating: 4.2Recent employee commentary: “Visionary leader, great technology portfolio and offers opportunities to work on many different projects, rewards performance well, wide access to learning and development opportunities, very good IT systems and support, family-oriented company, good benefits, just a great company to work for filled with smart, innovative, nice humble people.’’ – Qualcomm Senior Learning & Development Specialist (San Diego, Calif.)

12. Edelman, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 4.2Recent employee commentary: “Lots of opportunities to create your own path. Great at knowledge management & sharing resources. People are smart, and collaborative. Great benefits, and very fair review system in place and helps you see a clear path forward for your career.’’ – Edelman Senior Account Executive (New York City)

11. John Deere, Moline, Ill.

Rating: 4.2Recent employee commentary: “Great workplace with fantastic culture of enabling teams to do what’s necessary to succeed. Coworkers are intelligent and great to work with. Company has been around for 175 years and has great business prospects for the future.’’ – John Deere Software Development Engineer (Urbandale, Iowa)

10. Nestlé Purina PetCare, St. Louis, Mo.

Rating: 4.3Recent employee commentary: “People are smiling, happy, always willing to help lend a hand or share knowledge to help you do your job better. The health benefits are top tier, the work is challenging, yet energizing.’’ – Nestle Purina PetCare Senior Manufacturing Software Engineer (Saint Louis, Mo.)

9. Orbitz Worldwide, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 4.3Recent employee commentary: “Great people – smart, friendly, and willing to share their knowledge. The work atmosphere is fantastic – very energetic and exciting to be at work each day. A place where diversity and unique qualities are praised and wanted.’’– Orbitz Worldwide Inside Sales Associate (Chicago, Ill.)

8. Google, Mountain View, Calif.

Rating: 4.3Recent employee commentary: “Lots of smart people, fantastic perks. I learned more here than I have anywhere else in my professional history. The older teams, such as infrastructure and apps have people that can teach you more in an hour than you learn many places in your entire tenure.’’ – Google Software Engineer (San Francisco, Calif.)

7. Interactive Intelligence, Indianapolis, Ind.

Rating: 4.3Recent employee commentary: “Flexible environment, high-caliber personnel, competitive compensation, strong leadership, company has solid finances and is in high-growth mode. Interesting technology and challenging problems to solve.’’ – Interactive Intelligence Lead Software Engineer (Indianapolis, Ind.)

6. Guidewire, Foster City, Calif.

Rating: 4.5Recent employee commentary: “Smart people, good salary and benefits, fast-paced, lots of opportunity to see that something needs to be done and do it. Recognition for good work or good efforts.’’ – Guidewire Technical Writer (Foster City, Calif.)

5. Facebook, Menlo Park, Calif.

Rating: 4.5Last year’s top winner, dropped four places to number 5. This is the first time in four years that the social media giant has not been among Glassdoor’s top three winners.Recent employee commentary: “Excellent benefits and employee perks – onsite healthcare, chiropractor, acupuncture, gym and many others I haven’t tried out yet. Another huge bonus for me is the support I have here as a woman in the tech community, it’s pretty amazing.’’ – Facebook Program Manager (Menlo Park, Calif.)

4. Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, Tenn.

Rating: 4.5Recent employee commentary: “Eastman cares about its people through open communication, training opportunities, career advancement and work-life balance – SAFETY is a top priority.’’ – Eastman Chemical Global Product and Pricing Manager (Saint Louis, Mo.)

3. LinkedIn, Mountain View, Calif.

Rating: 4.6Recent employee commentary: “LinkedIn is a great company and has a strong brand, but what I love more is the environment I get to work in every day. Scooters, cube decorating competitions, fund raising events for charities, hilarious and brilliant coworkers, food, group fitness classes, etc.’’ – LinkedIn Manager (Chicago, Ill.)

2. Twitter, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.6In its Top Places to Work 2014 debut, Twitter rose to one of the top spots on Glassdoor’s list.Recent employee commentary:“It’s the ideal balance of fun and very cool work. You got all the resources to be awesome. Food, tech giants, drinks, unbelievable perks!’’ – Twitter Software Engineer II (New York, New York)

1. Bain & Co., Boston, Mass.

Rating: 4.6Boston-based Bain & Co. was able to reclaim its spot as the top company of 2014. It previously took the number one spot in 2012.Recent employee commentary: “Interesting, impactful work: There is rarely a boring day, much less a boring project. The problems we’re solving are usually what’s written in the WSJ about our client – big, complicated challenges, often challenges that are leading issues for that entire industry.’’ – Bain & Company Principal (San Francisco, Calif.) “The best part about working at Bain is the people. The people make the fantastic culture, provide wonderful professional development and coaching opportunities, and make the job fun.’’ – Bain & Company Case Team Leader (Boston, Mass.) “Interesting work. Smart people. Change-oriented clients. Collaborative atmosphere. Best colleagues. In general, I have found Bain to be a great place to build my career over the past five years.’’ – Bain & Company Manager (Chicago, Ill.)