Aflac offers full tuition reimbursement for employees who earn degrees related to their jobs.
As an industry, IT is constantly changing and evolving. It’s important for IT professionals to understand developments and trends in the industry, including how workplaces are changing and what is expected of them in these new environments. Here are some key takeaways from the new ComputerWorld Top 100 Places to Work in IT list.
1. Collaboration is a top value.
The employees of the top 100 companies on the list agree on one thing: it’s the people that make their workplace valuable to them. Many of the top companies report high degrees of collaboration between IT and other parts of the company and cite their “wonderful” co-workers as a reason why they stay at their jobs. It only makes sense that companies with great employees would be able to attract even more great employees, which definitely seems to be the case for the companies on this list.
2. Benefits are key.
Eighty-five percent of companies in the top 100 offer tuition reimbursement, with Aflac offering 100 percent reimbursement if the employee stays three years after graduation. Paid maternity and paternity leave is a growing benefit, with some companies offering 8 to 12 weeks of paid leave for parents, including adoptive parents. Nearly all of the top 100 companies offer to match employees’ 401(K) and 403(B) retirement plans. More unusual benefits include paid time off to do community service, $8 haircuts on site, and an annual company-wide movie day for employees.
Tech jobs that offer a positive work environment are preferred by employees.
3. Global possibilities are growing.
Due to the global nature of today’s companies, many of the companies in the top 100 may offer opportunities to work in IT all around the world. At the top of the list, Owens Corning is based in Toledo, Ohio, but has operations that require IT personnel in Korea, China, India, South America, and Europe, among other locations.
4. A positive work environment ranks highly.
Features editor Val Potter made it clear that it takes more than great benefits and opportunities to make it on the Computerworld Top 100 list. Careful consideration is given to employees’ comments about their workplaces, and if the company isn’t a place with a positive work environment that makes employees want to come to work, it probably won’t make the list.
5. Give employees a voice.
Giving employees input into their jobs, working conditions, and the leadership of their company is an essential part of being a top company. Smart company executives have figured out that their organizations benefit from employee input, realizing that it is essential to their success.
Whether you decide to put your IT skills to work for a top 100 company or one that most people have never heard of, you can look for the qualities ComputerWorld says are shared by top companies. Collaboration, desired benefits, advancement opportunities, a positive work environment, and employee input are some of the qualities that make the best places for IT professionals to work.
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