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

MICHIGAN — Forty-two companies headquartered in Michigan 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 Michigan companies on the list are:

1. Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan, Education founded in 1817 and now employing 52,258 people; CEO Santa Ono

2. Jackson-based Consumers Energy, Utilities founded in 1856 and now employing 7,500 people; CEO Garrick J. Rochow.

3. Kalamazoo-based Stryker, Health Care Equipment and Services founded in 1941 and now employing 27,000 people; CEO Kevin A. Lobo.

4. Zeeland-based Gentex, Automotive founded in 1974 and now employing 4,998 people; CEO Steve Downing.

5. Detroit-based Ally Financial, Banking and Financial services founded in 1919 and now employing 11,000 people; CEO JB Brown.

A full list of the 1,39 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.