Fortune Article

The best workplaces are those where employees are able to develop new skills and push their limits.

Opportunities for new projects, leadership roles, and paths to promotion are equitably awarded. Every employee, regardless of role level, has opportunities for special recognition, and every employee is able to innovate and contribute new ideas.

For companies on the 2023 Fortune Best Workplaces in New York™ List, the benefits of helping employees grow are undeniable. Ninety-three percent of employees at these companies said they had a great workplace, compared to just 63% at a typical U.S. company.

Great Place To Work® developed the Best Workplaces in New York list by analyzing surveys from companies that employee 7.5 million people in the U.S. Of the 1.3 million surveys collected, more than 170,000 responses were received from companies eligible for the New York list, and these ranking are based on that feedback.

Here are the top three experiences reported by employees at winning companies:

1. Welcomed when joining the company
2. Having pride in their company brand
3. Holding a lot of responsibility in their role

At these companies, employees are:

—1.8 times more likely to give extra effort if they have a lot of responsibility
—2.3 times more likely to stay if they feel pride in their company
—4.3 times more likely to recommend their employer if they feel pride in their company

“Congratulations to the Best Workplaces in New York,” says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work. “These great companies are laser-focused on their most valuable asset: their people. The result? Higher productivity and performance, and faster rates of innovation.”

“Fortune congratulates the Best Workplaces in New York,” says Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell. “In a challenging economy, these companies have demonstrated the increasing value of ensuring that employees feel valued.”

Who made the list

The list was segmented into two categories: Large companies with more than 1,000 employees and small- and medium-sized companies with 10 to 999 employees.

Here are the companies that top the list of large New York-based employers:

1. American Express
2. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
3. Accenture
4. Deloitte
5. Synchrony Financial

Here are the companies that top the list of small- and medium-sized New York-based employers:

1. Greenhouse
2. Maven Clinic
3. Collibra
4. Daversa Partners
5. Insmed

What employees said

As part of the survey, employees answered two open-ended questions about their experience in the workplace. Here’s what an employee said about the value of flexibility in improving their experience in the workplace:

“I have had the opportunity to work an 80% schedule [Monday through Thursday] for the past 10 years. During this time, I have been promoted and taken on increasing responsibility. I feel lucky that my flexibility and work-life balance have not inhibited my ability to excel at this company.”

—Employee at Accenture, No. 3, large company category

What you can learn

The top performing companies offer clear lessons for leaders looking to improve the employee experience at their company—and perhaps make a list themselves.

1. Provide opportunities for growth. At winning companies, nine in 10 employees say they have lots of responsibility, indicating low levels of micro-managing. Make sure your employees have the space and permission to take on stretch goals and grow into new roles.

2. Offer flexibility. When employees said they could take adequate time off, they had 10% higher odds of wanting to stay with the company long-term. Flexible work is a key tool for promoting well-being, a top priority for many leaders in 2023.

3. Create an inclusive environment for all. When employees report a warm welcome when joining a new team, they have 10% higher odds of also experiencing agility, or the ability to quickly adapt to change. A welcoming environment has also been proven to drive performance amid economic turmoil.