The tech sector, one of the fastest-growing segments of the economy, is also famously one of the best industries for employees. (Hello hoodies and ping pong tables.) But there’s more to creating a great workplace than perks. Fortune partner Great Place to work surveyed more than 79,000 people at technology companies across the country to find the ones that not only talked the talk, but backed it up with generous benefits, a strong culture, and mutual trust between management and staff. These are the best tech companies to work for in 2018, sorted into categories of large, and small or medium. Read our full methodology.
Large Companies
1. Ultimate Software
U.S. headquarters: Weston, Fla.
Industry vertical: Online Internet services
Number of U.S. employees: 3,972
Employees say:
“This company has changed my life as I could never imagine. I have never worked in a company where CEO and CPO are like family. You can go up to them and give them a hug without even thinking. They make our Ultimate life so rewarding.”
“The executive leadership team has always been a consistent part of Ultimate and their focus has never wavered. Ultimate has been about Culture, Product and Service since the beginning and despite early financial struggles, the executive leadership team has always been about taking care of the employees, so they can build better products and serve customers in the best way possible. That consistent message and leadership has built a truly outstanding organization and one that I am proud to say I am involved with now and in the future. I truly can’t think of a place I would rather be than at Ultimate. I am proud to be an Ulti-Peep.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
2. Workday
U.S. headquarters: Pleasanton, Calif.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 5,473
Employees say:
“There are no intimidating levels. I feel comfortable walking up and talking to any of our executives and knowing they will engage in meaningful conversation. Everyone here is so willing to help and contribute regardless of their title or rank.”
“Disagreements are generally because each party has a genuinely different view of what is in the best interest of the customer/company and therefore discussion is from a perspective of mutual respect and genuinely trying to resolve the issue at hand. There are a lot of very high quality people at Workday who genuinely care about what is best for the customers and company as a whole and will strive to do what is possible to achieve this.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
3. Salesforce
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 17,417
Employees say:
“Our CEO puts a lot of effort into making sure all employees are valued and rewarded and has established an overall vision for Salesforce’s culture on that basis. Leadership takes it from there and designs programs to carry out that vision.”
“Salesforce is a great place to work because you are truly appreciated as an individual. One big aspect of that is the manager-employee relationship, which from day 1 was a brand new experience for me. My manager actually took an active interest in me personally as well as professionally. As an engineer, he gave me practical advice and helped me plan out a timeline for my career trajectory based on my goals. I had a say in what projects I worked on, instead of just being handed work blindly. I was given opportunities each release to get more visibility from higher-ups. Most importantly, though, is that when I completed everything on the plan, he kept his word and I was rewarded with a promotion. It really blew me away that it was that simple and made me realize how much was lacking from managers I had had at previous companies.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
4. World Wide Technology
U.S. headquarters: St. Louis, Mo.
Industry vertical: Hardware, software, online Internet services, IT consulting, storage/data management
Number of U.S. employees: 4,128
Employees say:
“There is a great sense of community and openness that surrounds WWT as a whole. I think there is a great amount of collaboration, innovation and team work between different areas of the business. It’s a relaxed and friendly work environment.”
“I’ve never been exposed to company that is so positive, promotes innovation and sharing information and ideas. It is truly a place that you wish everyone could experience, if they did they wouldn’t want to leave, but if they had to, they would take the experience with them and make them better. What makes it so great? Everyone’s attitude! Everyone wants to see success, not just for them, but for the entire team.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
5. SAP America
U.S. headquarters: Newtown Square, Pa.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 18,379
Employees say:
“It’s easy to feel like you’re not making an impact when you work for a multi-national corporation, but at SAP, risk-taking and big thinking is encouraged. If you have an idea and a plan to get it done, no one will stop you from bringing it to life.”
“SAP is a unique place to work because the company is investing in the next generation of leaders. SAP understands the power of preparing the young work force to collaborate on the challenges of today and tomorrow. To harness the early talent perspective and ensure the early talent is fully leveraged inside SAP, the company is offering a wide variety of on-boarding tools to jump start our careers. When I first joined SAP Marketing, I was fortunate enough to attend the SAP Marketing Early Talent Academy with 25 early talent individuals from 9 different countries. The two weeks of workshops, training and social outreach projects (with individuals that will soon carry the torch and lead the company to new heights) was an experience I will never forget. It has fundamentally reshaped my perspective of SAP, my career and has instilled a great passion for the company I now call home.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
6. Zillow Group
U.S. headquarters: Seattle
Industry vertical: Online Internet services
Number of U.S. employees: 2,908
Employees say:
“It’s the people who really believe in the core values of the company that boil down to just being a good human being. This all comes from the top of the leadership of the company that have a true ‘what you see, is what you get’ structure.”
“We are given a great deal of opportunities to voice our opinions/suggestions and concerns. Everyone has a voice, regardless of position, which is not always the case at other companies. There is a strong team vibe on a daily basis across all departments and at a company level, which is not an easy task being as large as we have grown.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
7. Intuit
U.S. headquarters: Mountain View, Calif.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 6,389
Employees say:
“Intuit is a great place to work because leadership encourages growth and change. Change is a constant around here, whether it is people moving or projects and priorities shift. Employees embrace this and gain the experience of how to adapt.”
“I started working here when I was fresh out of high school, and now nearly 15 years later I love Intuit even more than the day I started working here. Because of the environment that Intuit fosters I have grown professionally and individually more than I ever thought possible. Every manager I have had has embodied the Intuit Values and created a safe environment for me to experiment and learn. I feel empowered to try new ways of making our customer’s lives better. I love that, at the end of the day, what truly matters is that we are in the business to help people not just to make a profit.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
8. NVIDIA
U.S. headquarters: Santa Clara, Calif.
Number of U.S. employees: 5,658
Employees say:
“The CEO is not only a great leader but also a person you can engage with. He cares for every single employee in the company. He recently helped my family in a very critical personal crisis and I owe my life to him for it.”
“NVIDIA’s culture is to empower each person in the company to use their expertise to help take thoughtful, aggressive risks and learn from either success or failure. It is to enable each individual, and by extension the organization, to be a learning machine running at a pace that is not gated by any external process, only themselves. It is both immensely exciting and incredibly challenging, and unique in my experience across companies. It is a culture that has taken dedicated effort to grow organically over time, and will not be easily deflected. As a result it has been able to survive and absorb significant company growth while retaining it’s core character. A truly special place to work, and an exceptional group of people to work with.”
9. VMware
U.S. headquarters: Palo Alto, Calif.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 9,771
Employees say:
“I feel that at VMware we are really valued and I feel that my contribution counts. I feel that I’m trusted with a responsibility to do whats best for the company and that I am an ambassador for the company.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
10. Adobe Systems
U.S. headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 8,673
Employees say:
“This company is about working together, not beating out your peer for recognition. One key example of that is the founders award, one of the key criteria for winning the award is how you have helped others to succeed.”
“Not only are contributions from all positions and experience levels welcomed, they are expected. I have not worked for another company that offers as many opportunities to contribute directly to new and changing initiatives. Decisions within a given product are arrived at via consensus when possible, and objections or dissenting views are not shunned, even when the ultimate outcome does not change. This has also brought growth opportunities for me, as a people manager, to focus on coaching and mentoring my team, vs directing or dictating to them. It is rewarding to see both the people and the product evolve over time, and know that I’ve made a significant impact to the employee and customer experience.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
11. Fast Enterprises
U.S. headquarters: Centennial, Colo.
Industry vertical: Software, IT consulting
Number of U.S. employees: 1,024
“Working for FAST you can do as well as you want to do. There is tons of responsibility to be had and there is always opportunity to step up and take on more. Achievements are recognized, team building works, and the benefits are great.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
12. Workiva
Employees say:
“I’ve only been here a month but the company has gone out of its way to make me feel like a contributing member. Everyone I’ve met has been incredibly nice and each team makes its point to help other teams if they need it.”
“I believe everyone has an opportunity to grow and change with the company. I have moved both laterally and upward, and have had plenty of support along the way. I have improved my income by 55% since I began here in 2010 by embracing some of the many opportunities that Workiva has made available to me by way of education, training and just the ability to communicate with and observe any employee on any team on any level of the company.”
13. SAS Institute
U.S. headquarters: Cary, N.C.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 7,167
Employees say:
“My manager is so much more than my boss. My manager saw something in me, fresh out of undergrad, and extended an opportunity that has shaped me into the woman I am. Through my manager’s leadership, I’ve earned 2 promotions in my 3 years here.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
14. Cisco
Employees say:
“The amount of exposure that one can expect here is phenomenal, people are praised for their hard work and are recognized. Working here I have always found that there is no shortage of recognizing people when they do something good. As an individual contributor I have opportunities to have a seat at the table, to talk to our executives and to have a voice. I feel that no matter where you may be within the company, people will listen.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
15. Kronos
U.S. headquarters: Lowell, Mass.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 3,523
“I feel empowered, supported, and “community-like” more than any other company I’ve worked for. I am a younger employee, with less experience, but I feel my voice is heard and I’m given fantastic opportunities.”
“I joined Kronos later in my career after working for 25 years at another company. I have been pleased with the opportunity I’ve had to grow and develop in ways that I never had at my former company. The work is rich and the intent behind it is pure. Kronos has an excellent executive leadership team who genuinely cares about the people that work here — not just what they do while they are here, but for the whole person. That is rare in my opinion.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
16. Hyland
Employees say:
“Last night the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Golden State Warriors in game 3 of the NBA Finals. Instead of using the company suite for our Sales team, our CEO hand picked Receptionists, a Facilities Specialist, an IT Support Specialist, an Accountant and other employees (and their guests) who would not normally have this opportunity and invited them to join him for the game. This is the kind of stuff that demonstrates our core value of “Our Employees are Our Family.” Even as our company grows to 2300+ employees, the personal connections remain and all employees are genuinely cared for.”
17. Dropbox
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 1,535
Employees say:
“Dropbox really empowers people to drive impact and innovate irrespective of role, level or seniority. There is frequent and open communication from the C-suite which facilitates transparency into how the work you own connects to the broader business.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
18. Autodesk
U.S. headquarters: San Rafael, Calif.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 3,847
Employees say:
“The culture is one of striving toward a better way of doing business, placing the customer at the center of all improvement decisions. It’s also somehow relaxed and seriously focused at the same time, allowing for employees to be themselves while creatively solving problems. The Autodesk Foundation is unique in my experience, and engages with the community in ways that benefits the community and is consistent with Autodesk’s core strategies – it’s a model for how large corporations can and should (I think) add value to the community. The Employee Stock Purchase Program at Autodesk is an exceptional financial benefit for employees.”
19. Indeed
U.S. headquarters: Austin
Industry vertical: Online Internet services
Number of U.S. employees: 3,189
“I feel Indeed really cares about you as a person. They empower you to do your job and try out new things. They trust you and do not micromanage. They offer regular company functions, which allows you to have some fun and meet new people.”
“I started off as an intern and was always given a voice. Most internships silence the opinion, but I spoke openly with the directors of my department and even the SVP of my department. Now that I have graduated and work as a full-time employee, I still have the same voice I’ve always had. I work on a team that is diverse in race, sexuality, religion, and personality. We all love coming in, after almost 2 years, I still do not ever dread going into work. Teamwork is essential, and I’ve never had an issue working with people from other teams or departments on getting projects done.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
20. Acxiom
Employees say:
“My leadership genuinely cares about me as a person! I have flexibility to be a wife and mother without fear of jeopardizing my job. I’m also treated as an integral part of the decision-making process, and my ideas are considered fairly.”
“The opportunities for advancement for those who show initiative, ownership, and accountability are everywhere. My personal journey began in a non-technical role with a liberal arts background in a supporting position for a new product. While on the job, I was able to learn the technical skills needed to move into software engineering. From there, I was able to move into the leadership track where I continued to move up by taking responsibility for as much as a I wanted and could handle. Every step of the way, I was given the support and training I needed in order to succeed.”
Small & Medium Companies
1. Asana
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 280
“I love the culture of distributed responsibility. It means that all employees get the opportunity to take ownership of things they care about and that the people responsible for things are those in the best position to take that responsibility.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
2. SendGrid
U.S. headquarters: Denver
Number of U.S. employees: 320
Employees say:
“There are many things unique to SendGrid! When I started 1.5 years ago, SendGrid was changing executive leadership (new CEO, just hired a new VP of Engineering). There were many process and organizational inefficiencies. Our new CEO – Sameer – has been incredible. He inspires the organization in every all-hands meeting, he brought on an all-star executive team – CMO, CPO, Chief People Officer, CFO – and they have together turned this company into on the best places I’ve ever worked. I feel motivated and valued to come here every day and I feel that I have the full trust of the executive team to build the type of User Experience process and organization that the company deserves.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
3. KnowBe4
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 302
“It truly feels like a family here. Everyone is kind and it’s just such a great group of people and all of the management and C level associates are awesome and fair and we’re all treated with respect and as equals.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
4. BambooHR
Employees say:
“The CEO and COO don’t act like the typical executives, they act like humans. They respect and care about the people that work for and with them. They are transparent about where the company is going and they trust us enough to share information.”
“The first thing that’s unique is that the executives care more about the employees than they do about the product. Our CEO always says that ‘Our product is our culture, and then it’s our software.’ And I know he means that. They also value work/life balance above any anything else. They want us to be happy and successful at work and at home. The culture at BambooHR is very unique. We aren’t elbowing each other out of the way to try to get to the top. We care about each other and want everyone to succeed because we are all working towards the same thing. We also have benefits that are meaningful. Our executives have been really thoughtful in order to ensure that BambooHR provides benefits that improve the quality of life of the employees.”
5. Service Express
U.S. headquarters: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Industry vertical: Storage/data management
Number of U.S. employees: 330
Employees say:
“The amount of time management puts into each employee – their genuine desire to see us succeed. Vision talks would be the best example of this. Twice a year we meet with our manager to discuss our personal, professional and financial goals. There are no surprises about performance – we review each month and develop strategy for future success – both individually and as a team. This level of communication is supported though frequent team building exercises.”
6. BlackLine
U.S. headquarters: Los Angeles
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 531
“BlackLine celebrates EVERYTHING! When a new client signs on, everyone gets an email. When a new employee starts, everyone gets an email. Each month, BlackLine has a company wide ‘kick-off’ to celebrate the last month’s ‘wins.’ ”
“I have never experienced such great team work and collaboration before, and much of what we do in remote since we are all not in the same office. The desire to do what is right and help each other and our clients to the best of our abilities is a common thread at BlackLine.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
7. Pariveda Solutions
Employees say:
“Pariveda puts an incredible focus on developing people, and providing access to experienced mentoring from the beginning of a career. I’ve been put into challenging situations, but I was always set up to grow and work through new skills.”
“Pariveda has a culture of transparency and equality. Everyone at the same level is paid the same amount, and everyone knows what everyone else makes. Employees are never ranked against each other. The culture is cooperative rather than competitive. We have guidelines for what is required to get promoted, and when you hit that benchmark you get the promotion. You don’t need to wait for existing employees in that role to get promoted or leave. Employees are purposefully assigned to projects that will broaden their skills. Pariveda has done a great job building a company where you can spend your entire career if you want to.”
8. TCG
U.S. headquarters: Washington, D.C.
Industry vertical: IT consulting
Number of U.S. employees: 131
“The executive team is both highly competent and very caring. They take an active interest and play a meaningful role in the professional lives of all the employees. Real 1:1s with commitment from the executive team are a staple here.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
9. WP Engine
U.S. headquarters: Austin
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 409
Employees say:
“WP Engine is amazing. It truly is. We are a family. We are bright. We are loving. We are dedicated. And we are doing something amazing here. There are literally hundreds of things we do that make this place amazing. But it all springs from the executive leaders and a culture that was started by its first few dozen employees. There is a real determined and intentional focus on creating a work place where people feel honored and empowered. We are all people at WP Engine and we recognize that we are more than just employees. Our CEO is very good at keeping this vision alive.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
10. Burwood Group
U.S. headquarters: Chicago
Industry vertical: IT consulting
Number of U.S. employees: 199
“From the CEO on down leadership is supportive of new ideas and opportunities. The open door policy is a great asset to the organization; I have never once approached a leaders door and not been asked to come in and talk about what’s on my mind.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
11. Yext
Employees say:
“Our CEO does a great job promoting our company culture and holds company-wide meetings to provide everyone with updates about the company as a whole. This transparency is key in making sure everyone feels they are contributing to a common goal.”
“I work in an entry-level job at Yext and have had the opportunity to meet and form professional relationships with individuals at every level of the organization. More significantly, the support of our management and executives for employees personal and professional growth has been great. Leadership has provided each member of my team with the resources and opportunity to develop better public speaking, negotiation, and networking skills. They invested in a sales trainer to help better develop our methodology and worked to create appropriate goals when they were not aligned with my team’s progress. In essence, they have consistently done right by me and my coworkers. Overall, I think it’s just a part of our culture here. Work hard, help one another, and success will come.”
12. Thumbtack
U.S. headquarters: San Francisco
Industry vertical: Online Internet services
Number of U.S. employees: 559
Employees say:
“It’s one of the friendliest cultures I’ve experienced in my career. People genuinely care about each other and the vision of the company; so we’re collaborative. There is a high level of trust, and understanding that there is good intent.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
13. Health Catalyst
Employees say:
“We have humility and transparency as core values/operating principles and our leadership are examples of both (they walk the talk in both regards). I have never seen those values exemplified to the degree they are here and in contributes to all of us trying to live those principles, which creates for a terrific company culture. Some specific examples are members of the leadership team taking responsibility (including incurring a financial loss) for missed bonus targets, talking about the decision making process that led up to larger initiatives/bonus targets so all of us understand not just the specific decisions made, but the factors that went into that decision. Another great example is the opportunity to meet with an executive with some regularity where we get a chance, in a small group (10 people or less), to get to know them and share perspective on what the company can do better.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
14. Justworks
U.S. headquarters: New York City
Industry vertical: Online Internet services
Number of U.S. employees: 169
“I’ve never worked somewhere where I never see negativity. Everyone I have interacted with here has a positive attitude. Management is extremely transparent and easy to approach. I never feel like I can’t talk to anyone including our CEO.”
“The company really excels at building trust throughout the organization by practicing a high level of transparency throughout and encouraging dialogue over ego. In contrast to my past experiences, the company also fosters trust by affording an unusually high level of agency and autonomy to its employees. Within the first three months of joining Justworks, I had multiple opportunities to take on more leadership roles within my immediate team and throughout the organization. Beyond the professional development in my immediate job function, Justworks also places a strong emphasis on professional growth through a regular cadence of skills workshops, leadership development sessions, team off-sites, and individual coaching. This company is a great place to work because it creates an environment that fosters both personal and professional growth as well as conscientious leadership.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
15. Limeade
Employees say:
“Limeade has a very special culture where leaders, managers and colleagues support each others well-being. Each employee creates a well-being goal on a weekly, monthly, quarterly and/or annual basis that is shared (if interested) with their manager so employees have manager support to accomplish that goal. We have a well-being program focused on the ‘whole person’ (physical, mental, financial and work well-being).”
16. ReliaQuest
U.S. headquarters: Tampa
Industry vertical: IT consulting
Number of U.S. employees: 191
Employees say:
“ReliaQuest makes great strides to ensure their employees are happy, educated, and taken care of. The company funds employee study and certifications. There’s great investment in the individual and it’s something that is very unique.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
17. WillowTree
U.S. headquarters: Charlottesville, Va.
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 187
Employees say:
“WillowTree’s executive team is unique in its openness and approach. Everyone is truly approachable and rules apply to everyone. WillowTree has a strict ‘no-devices’ policy in meetings and I’ve seen new employees tell the CEO to get off his phone during a meeting. There aren’t many places where this would be allowed; at WillowTree its encouraged. Everyone is considered a part of a larger team and it shows everyday.”
18. Sentinel Technologies
U.S. headquarters: Downers Grove, Ill.
Industry vertical: IT consulting
Number of U.S. employees: 444
“Our company encourages a very collaborative/team-oriented atmosphere. This leads to numerous instances each week where individuals across distinct work groups band together to make something significant happen for a customer.”
“Sentinel is a family. They care about your personal growth and well-being. They get to know you and are not so ‘corporate’ that they lose sight of the humanity of their team. For example, if they know your family member is sick or has had surgery, they don’t care that you take personal calls–they encourage it. They will make your schedule flexible so you can take the time off needed to be there for them.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
19. Atlassian
Employees say:
“There is a very clear sense of respect among colleagues. Despite my relatively low amount of experience as a leader, I’ve been given plenty of opportunity to be a leader in my team as I’ve shared my desire to be a leader at some point in my career.”
“Atlassian is an amazing place to work. I’ve never worked at a company where I’ve felt more welcome and open to be myself as part of the LGBTQ+ community and in other interests and hobbies as well. Creativity and openness are a big part of the company culture and on my team as well. On top of that everyone is trying to do their best work. Everyone I’ve worked with is intelligent and willing to help and happy to do what they can. There’s a spirit of cooperation always with helping the customer in mind. There’s always a goal of sharing information freely and openly and I love that about this company. They stand behind their values and it makes it easy and enjoyable to be part of the team.”
20. TimeClock Plus / DMI
U.S. headquarters: San Angelo, Texas
Industry vertical: Software
Number of U.S. employees: 277
“I’ve mentored many young men and women that come to work here without much work experience or goals for the future. Many have learned to contribute and make a difference to our customers and our community, thus themselves and their families.”
Read Great Place to Work review here.
Methodology
More than 79,000 U.S. employees provided input to this year’s Best Workplaces in Technology list.
- Do employees trust the people they work for?
- Are they treated fairly and with respect?
- Are people proud of their work?
- Do they enjoy the folks they work with?
- Are great experiences available to everyone—or does it depend upon who you are and what job you perform?
- How effective are executives at leading the organization and giving everyone an opportunity to innovate and contribute to the organization’s success?
- How does the workplace compare to others in this industry?
Great Place to Work also collected demographic and program data from companies, but rankings were driven by employee feedback. To be considered, companies had to meet the Great Place to Work-Certified standard and their survey results needed at least a 95% confidence level, and a 5% margin of error or lower.
To learn more about Great Place to Work Certification and be considered for Best Workplaces lists published by Fortune, visit greatplacetowork.com.
