Free lunch, car cleaning, onsite health care, free laundry, climbing wall - best 15 places to work

[The Straight Story]

Top 15 Best Companies to Work For, 2011
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1. SAS
Rank: 1 (Previous rank: 1)

What makes it so great?

A 14-year veteran of this list, the software firm takes the top spot for the second year running.

Its perks are epic: on-site healthcare, high quality childcare at $410 per month, summer camp for kids, car cleaning, a beauty salon, and more — it's all enough to make a state-of-the-art, 66,000-square-foot gym seem like nothing special by comparison.

This year, strong employee feedback sent its numbers even higher. Says one manager: "People stay at SAS in large part because they are happy, but to dig a little deeper, I would argue that people don't leave SAS because they feel regarded — seen, attended to and cared for. I have stayed for that reason, and love what I do for that reason."

2009 revenue ($ millions): 2,310




2. Boston Consulting Group

Rank: 2 (Previous rank: 8)

What makes it so great?

The consulting giant not only avoided layoffs in the downturn, but hired its largest class of recruits ever in 2010.

They're drawn by the firm's generous pay and a commitment to social work: Its Social Impact Practice Network (SIPN) offers a chance to work with the U.N. World Food Program and Save the Children, while BCG pulled its consultants off client projects to provide on-the-ground support in Haiti following the earthquake.

The company jumps up from no. 8 last year.


http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/111858/best-companies-to-work-for-2011?mod=career-worklife_balance

[DrDan]

1. "on-site healthcare, high quality childcare at $410 per month, summer camp for kids .. . . "

about time for corporations to relearn that when employees are not worried about these things, they can be productive.

I work for a large corp - and whenever a new downsizing draws near (several a year), real work is a minimum. Not hard to figure that out.

[CTyankee]

2. So many Americans don't know that many of these benefits are provided by the government

in Western European democracies. Imagine: if you had your education, your health care, and your child care paid for thru your taxes, you wouldn't be putting so much debt on your credit cards, or taking out home equity loans, or constrained to keep working at one job when you have the makings of an entrepreneur. Germany has this and they have a THRIVING entrepreneurial class along with these "socialist" programs. Honestly, I don't think Americans know what they're talking about half the time...

[DrDan]

3. even Saudi Arabia has free college education - even out of country