Giant corporations that give us unlimited free food when we work for them? Sign this generation up.
Much has been said about young people’s proclivities for small business. We love keeping it scrappy and artisanal when it comes to our pickled vegetables and industry-disrupting bathing suits. But as it turns out, we all want to work for multinational conglomerates.
Morning Consult recently conducted a survey of over 22,000 adults in the US to find out which companies they admired most, and while there was interesting differentiation between generations, it seems we’re basically all in awe of Google. Or at least by the legendary free meals they give to their employees.
But do the top 10 employers most admired by millennials stack up when it comes to expectations versus reality? We did a little digging to figure out if these companies are actually as great to work at as they seem.
10. BMW
Unless you drive one, BMW tends to function as something of a synonym for “people that drive like assholes.” Really, there are studies to back it up. But for those on the inside, it’s seen as a pretty awesome place to work.
Good work-life balance is cited in 34 reviews, and 25 mention a positive working environment. Average salaries range from $20,927 per year for a lot attendant to $106,750 per year for a sales manager, and on Glassdoor, a recent software engineering intern cited being able to work on “real projects,” with international travel, and housing provided as pros.
9. Nike
Since being founded in 1964, Nike has remained one of the most high-profile sports apparel and accessories brand in the world. They’re pretty good at that whole slogan and logo thing, too.
On Glassdoor, 143 reviews cite great work-life balance, and 207 mention a collaborative work environment. The average salary ranges from $18,331 per year for a stocking associate to $141,977 per year for a general manager.
8. Sony
The multinational conglomerate is a beast, with divisions in electronics, gaming, entertainment and financial services. A good work-life balance and a positive work environment appear most often as the biggest pros of the job.
Average salaries range from $16,000 per year for data entry clerk to $135,896 per year for a production worker.
7. Apple
There may be no more sweeping a symbol for the millennial generation than the iPhone. This tech monolith has revolutionized everyday technology and made itself virtually inseparable from modern life.
Workplace culture and compensation and benefits come in at the top of the list based on over 3,600 reviews on Glassdoor, and salaries range from an average of $28,995 per year for a back of house team member to $159,459 per year for user experience designer.
6. Netflix
What started out as the little DVD-delivery service that could in 1997 has evolved into a leader in streaming media and video-on-demand. Freedom to manage responsibilities as well as compensation were cited as the biggest pros, and average salaries range from $27,421 per year for a customer service representative to $293,068 per year for engineering managers.
5. YouTube
The scrappy video sharing platform was founded in 2005 and sold a year and a half later to Google for $1.65 billion. Who wouldn’tadmire that kind of success? Unlimited free food is mentioned as a big perk in 10 reviews on Glassdoor, and flexible hours are also cited as a bonus.
Average hourly salaries range from $10 per hour for a retail sales associate to $28.16 per hour for marketing managers.
4. Microsoft
While positive views of work-life balance appeared in 1,787 reviews on Glassdoor, it also came up negatively in 1,031 reviews, so do with that what you will. Having smart colleagues was mentioned in 1,615 reviews, however. Average salaries ranged from $38,211 per year for an SEO specialist to $163,185 per year for art directors.
3. Amazon
Amazon has pretty much singlehandedly transformed delivery from a convenience into a lifestyle. They’re clearly trying to take over the world by having a hand in pretty much everything, and judging by their placement on this list, their employees are A-OK with that.
The biggest pros cited on Glassdoor are ample opportunities to learn and work-life balance. Average salaries range from $23,738 per year for a warehouse worker to $139,291 per year for a buying manager.
2. Walt Disney
Disney sinks its claws into our bitty hearts before we’re old enough to articulate any of the words to the songs and for a great many, it never lets up. Hence the robust market for adult swimsuits modeled after Disney princesses.
In addition to access to Disneyland whenever you want, other pros cited on Glassdoor include good benefits and a great work environment. Salaries ranged from $20,000 per year for greeters at the parks to $142,507 per year for directors of business development.
1. Google
Poor Jeeves never really stood a chance. Google reigns supreme as the god of the internet, and its reputation as having the best unlimited food program is clearly no joke: It’s mentioned as one of the biggest perks on Glassdoor in 591 reviews.
Work-life balance is cited as a strength in 363 responses, but also as a drawback in 285—which seems to suggest that it depends a lot on what you view as “life” and “work,” and whether they’re really just one in the same. Average salaries range from $39,399 per year for a field technician to $191,014 per year for creative directors.
