Software provider SAS has for the second time in a row bagged tops the overall l

ist. As to what makes the software provider the Best company to work for, Fortun
e gives a number of reasons: high-quality child care at, on-site healthcare, fre
e 66,000-square-foot fitness center, car cleaning facility and beauty salon. Som
e other global HR practices implemented by SAS include flexible working hours, d
ay-care benefits, concierge services and adoption assistance policy.
At No. 4 on Forune's Best Companies to Work for list is Web search giant Google.
The company, which retains its last year's ranking, is rated high for the perks
it offers to its employees. One of the most highly appreciated perk is that the
company allows its employees to devote 20% of their time working on ideas and p
rojects that interest them. This year the search titan is giving a 10% salary hi
ke to all of its 23,000 employees across the world. Little surprising then that
the Web giant has received over 75,000 job applications in a week for its 6,000
job openings.
Climbing two positions from last year is network storage maker NetApp at No. 5.
Employees at the US-headquartered company enjoy perks like free fruit on Tuesday
s, free bagels and cream cheese on Fridays, and free espresso all the time. The
company which slashed 6% of its workforce as part a restructuring plan in 2009,
saw a little rebound last year. In 2010, the NetApp's revenue jumped 33% and the
company ramped up its headcount.
Networking major Cisco ranks at No. 20 on the Fortune's Best companies to work f
or list, slipping from the 16th position last year. Flexi working hours, telecom
muting, parenting and work opportunities are some of the things that make the co
mpany employee-friendly. Infact, according to the report, 85% of Cisco employees
regularly work from home or on the road.
The telecommunication major ranks at no. 33 on the list. However, the company ha
s seen a massive fall from its last year's ranking at no. 9. Founded in 1985, Qu
alcomm is a wireless technology and data solutions company based in San Diego, C
alifornia. According to Fortune, "the company imported a New York City chef to o
versee its cafes, which feature fresh foods sourced from local farmers and no ca
nned foods." The company also has a Vacation Donation Programme which allows emp
loyees to donate vacation time in order to assist other employees facing catastr
ophic circumstances. The company has wide range of benefits package for employee
s providing security and life-enhancing programmes.
Another company which saw a drop in its ranking vi-a-vis 2010 is Shared Technolo
gies. The company fell to no. 43 from its 33rd position last year. Last year, Ar
row Electronics Inc bought Shared Technologies Inc. However, the Shared Technolo
gies' CEO promised that the company's "culture will remain intact, as will its p
erks like a subsidised 12-week personal financial-planning course for employees
and their spouses." Founded in 1977, Texas-based Shared Technologies is solution
s provider specialising in voice, data and converged technologies.
Jumping from almost forty ranks is world's No. 1 chipmaker Intel. The company ra
nked at no. 98 last year, is ranked at no. 51 in this year's Fortune survey. Acc
ording to Fortune, Intel will create thousands of jobs in the next three years f
rom more than $6 billion in new projects, including a fabrication plant in Orego
n. What makes Intel an employer of choice is its personalised health programme,
8% of Intel employees telecommute on regular or temporary basis, childcare progr
ammes and employee training and development programmes.
At No. 52 is San Francisco-headquartered CRM & cloud computing company Salesforc
e.com, slipping from from 43rd position last year. In the last two years, Salesf
orce.com has ramped up its workforce by almost 50%. The company's top performers
are rewarded with a four-day trip to a swanky Hawaiian resort.
Continuing its downward slide on the Best Companies to Work for list is Adobe Sy
stems at no. 65. The company stood at no. 42 in 2010 and no. 11 in 2009. Adobe o
ffers employees up to six weeks of paid sabbatical based on their tenure. Compan
y also offers same-sex domestic partner benefits. According to Fortune, it is on
e of the biggest donors in Silicon Valley: Employee donations are matched dollar
-for-dollar up to $5,000.
Next Best technology company to work for is software giant Microsoft at No. 72.
Microsoft ranking too slipped by 21 positions in 2011 from its 2010 position.
Microsoft managers get 'morale budgets' to stage fun events (team dinners, outin
gs to sports events or plays) for the team.
The company also offers Wi-Fi-enabled shuttle service and valet parking at some
of its offices.