We started this company right before the economic downturn created by COVID. It was scary as all hell–but we persisted.
Not everyone has the stomach for such risk, however, and they’d much prefer working for another company than for themselves. And now more than ever, during a global pandemic and The Great Resignation, secure employment with a great company is something to be treasured. As many of us adjust to a new way of living and working in post-COVID-19 America, there are several factors to consider when looking for a job –– or, if you’re flexible enough, looking for a new job.
With economic growth on the rise and employment rates climbing higher each month, many US-based companies are returning to normal and looking for qualified candidates to fill an influx of roles. But which company is the right one for you? Is work-life balance important? How about vacation days? Flexibility? Stock options? How about the quality of the work itself? There are plenty of reasons to start your job search.
In this article, we’re going to look at a few great companies to work for in the United States, and what makes them great–because not everyone wants to be the boss, and that’s totally okay.
Omnicom Group Media
Why are we calling out our competition? Well, first of all, Omnicom is not our competition–we are a tiny ad agency compared to a huge holding company like that. Second of all, if they see this post and would like to acquire us for a cool hundred million, you know, we can talk. But third of all, they’re a solid company in our industry, and that’s important for its own sake.
Headquartered in New York City, Omnicom Group Media is a holding company consisting of five major advertising agencies: BBDO Worldwide, Diversified Agency Services, DDB Worldwide, TBWA Worldwide and Omnicom Media Group (OMG). A multi-brand umbrella, Omnicom Group serves as a leading global marketing and corporate communications firm, providing high-level creative and production work to its roster of more than 5,000 global clients.
What Makes This Company Great To Work For?
Omnicom employs thousands of creative people across the country. They are an industry-recognized leader in communications, and they’ve got the awards to prove it. As such, dedication to the job is key and working in a creative agency can be demanding, but Omnicom offers great work-life balance, great pay and exceptional benefits for those looking to build their name.
Cisco Systems
Based in San Jose, California, Cisco Systems is considered one of the worldwide leaders in networking and IT, not to mention producing the technologies that (likely) power the Internet you’re using right now. It is consistently ranked one of the greatest organizations in the country for employees, and after monitoring their company profile during the height of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to see why.
What Makes This Company Great To Work For?
At the time the world was having to adjust to market shutdowns as coronavirus took over the globe, Cisco executives delayed hundreds of previously announced layoffs, extending relief pay and maintaining benefits for affected employees. They also insisted that wages be extended to all staff who were no longer able to come into the office, and even provided access to mental health services and more flexible schedules. Additional non-pandemic perks to working at Cisco include subsidized childcare, sick days for part-time employees and college tuition reimbursement.
Bank of America
For those with solid banking and customer service experience, Bank of America is arguably one of the greatest financial institutions to work for in the country. In addition to posting solid growth and results each quarter, Bank of America operates in 32 states and serves nearly 60 million customers; the company specializes in three business segments: small business banking, corporate investments and wealth management-–so there are always opportunities for candidates with a wide selection of skills.
What Makes This Company Great To Work For?
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Bank of America committed to helping employees with children by investing $300 million in care reimbursements. Workers deemed high-risk (for example, customer-facing staff or tellers) were given new roles they could carry out remotely while, alternatively, the company continued to pay those who were unable to work remotely. What’s more, Bank of America followed through with a previous commitment to increase its minimum hourly wage to $20, and doing so a year early. Before 2020, the perks to working at Bank of America included telecommuting, compressed workweeks, a non-discrimination policy and fully paid time off.
Next Steps
Sometimes you want to be the boss, and sometimes you don’t. We think these are some solid companies to look at when you’re on the job hunt–but remember: if you ARE starting a business, or you already have and are looking to grow, then forget all about the companies above and just give us a shout instead.