Each year Fortune magazine scrutinizes hundreds of companies, surveying employees and reviewing each company's stated philosophy, employee handbooks, and other materials to find America's 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Here are some representatives from the list with a Charlotte presence most notably in the fields of law, retail, finance and child care.
The 113-year-old Atlanta-based law firm of Alston & Bird treats all employees with excellent regard awarding hourly employees annual bonuses up to 9 percent of salary, providing an onsite child-care center and opening the executive dining room to the whole staff.
Whether you adore Starbucks as many Charlotteans do, or you think they're a big-shop coffeehouse running out the moms and pops, you have to admit they have great "perks" for employees, offering even part-time employees substantial benefits for working 240 hours in a 3-month period.
The SouthPark Mall department store offers diversity in staff and a wide selection of products that make shopping a pleasure at the Seattle-based retailer.
At the two Charlotte-area locations, this used-car mega-lot has 25 percent women in its workforce compared to 2.1 percent on the typical used-car lot. Plus, on the buyer side, their no-haggle policy makes car-shopping much more pleasant than the stereotypical experience.
With five Charlotte-area locations this men's clothier is a favorite in a town full of bankers. And working for these stores is a great thing as CEO-founder George Zimmer promotes from within; all multi-store managers started on the sales floor. In addition, wardrobe consultants earn commissions of 9.7 percent, nearly 3 percent more than the industry norm.
The nation's largest worksite child-care provider operates 500 locations, two of which are in Charlotte. Employees can take advantage of health-club memberships, discounted tuition rates for their kids, and transportation subsidies.
Charlotte is the third largest city for this financial powerhouse. At Vanguard, twenty percent of staffers have more than ten years of service, and several cite Vanguard's high ethical standards as a prime reason to stay.
The Swedish furniture retailer is set to open its first Charlotte-area location in 2008 in the University area and residents will be happy to know that part-timers who work 20 hours a week are offered low-premium health and dental insurance coverage.
