These Are The Best Employers In FL, Forbes Says In New Ranking

FLORIDA — Ninety companies operating in Florida are among America’s Best Employers By State ranked by Forbes.

“These aren’t the best large or midsize employers nationally, but a deeper look at which companies are closer-to-home options for every American worker,” Forbes said with the release of its fifth annual ranking Tuesday.

The top five companies in Florida on the list are:

1. NASA, aerospace and defense industry, headquartered in Washington, D.C., founded in 1958 and now employing 17,330 people; CEO Bill Nelson.

2. Costco Wholesale, retail and wholesale industry, headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, founded in 1983 and now employing 202,000 people; CEO Walter Craig Jelinek.

3. Google, IT, internet, software and services industry, headquartered in Mountain View, California, founded in 1998 and now employing 156,500 people; CEO Sundar Pichai.

4. Sarasota Memorial Hospital, healthcare and social industry, headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, founded in 1925 and now employing 7,000 people; CEO David Verinder.

5. Microsoft, IT, internet, software and services industry, headquartered in Redmond, Washington, founded in 1975 and now employing 122,000 people; CEO Satya Nadella.

“Our extraordinary leaders and staff, and longstanding public mission, truly set us apart,” Verinder said in a statement. “Sarasota Memorial has cared for this community for nearly a century. There is a sense of pride and community ownership here that has endured through decades and continues to inspire us today.”

A full list of the 1,392 organizations that made the list is found on Forbes. To be considered, they had to have at least 500 employees nationwide. Forbes and its data partner Statista surveyed workers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The survey questions reflect a recent Pew Research Center survey that showed only about half of workers nationwide are extremely or very satisfied with their jobs. Work satisfaction and compensation are closely tied, and workers with higher incomes tended to like their jobs more than lower-income workers, the survey found.

“We found an interesting disconnect in terms of how workers are experiencing their jobs,” Kim Parker, Pew’s director of social trends research, told Forbes. “Most say they are highly satisfied with the human side of work — their relationships with their coworkers and supervisor. They are much less satisfied with their compensation and the opportunities they’re given for promotion or advancement.”

The anonymous survey asked workers if they would recommend their employer to friends and family, and to evaluate their employer on working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, the potential for development and company image. They were also asked about other employers in their states and were given the opportunity to rate employers anywhere within their respective industries.

Of the 1,392 organizations on the list, 1,123 of them were ranked in only one state. The others were ranked in more than one state.