Glassdoor's Best Places To Work In Canada Features Microsoft On Top

If you’re looking for a new employer, these companies may have what it takes to woo you over. 

Careers website Glassdoor has released their list of best companies to work for in 2020  Tuesday, and for the second year in a row , Microsoft came out on top. The tech giant has now made the list for each of the past four years. 

The awards were based on anonymous feedback from workers who completed a review of their job, work environment and employer over the past year. Users were asked about their experience working at a company, weighing in on topics such as career opportunities, compensation and benefits, culture and values, senior management and work-life balance. 

Glassdoor president and chief operating officer Christian Sutherland-Wong says the annual awards highlight employers that prioritize “culture, mission and employees at the heart of everything they do.”

“This year marks the shift to a culture-first decade in the workplace,” Sutherland-Wong said in a statement. “In addition to putting culture and mission at the core of how they operate, this year’s winners stand out for promoting transparency with employees, offering career growth opportunities and providing work driven by impact and purpose.”

Here’s the full list of Glassdoor’s best places to work in 2020: 

1. Microsoft
2. Salesforce
3. VIPKid
4. Keg Restaurants
5. G Adventures
6. City of Toronto
7. Ericsson-Worldwide
8. Aecon
9. Government of Canada
10. PURE Canadian Gaming
11. Cisco Systems
12. Manpower
13. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
14. Harris Computer
15. Glentel
16. Purdys Chocolatier
17. University Health Network
18. Videotron
19. RBC
20. Costco Wholesale
21. Toronto District School Board
22. Ikea
23. Apple
24. Accenture
25. Nestle

The list was determined using a five-point scale for employees to voluntarily rank their workplaces. Winners were ranked based on a rating scale with 5.0 being the highest, or “very satisfied,” and 1.0 being the lowest, or “very dissatisfied.” 

Microsoft was the only workplace in Canada to receive a 4.5 rating. The four businesses that followed received a 4.4 rating. Companies ranked between No. 6 and 16 all had a 4.3 rating. 

So what helped Microsoft stand out from the crowd for the second consecutive year? Some employees have a “limitless” ability to learn and grow on the job, online reviews suggest. 

“The culture is all about learning, growing and working together to deliver the company’s mission,” one Calgary-based field engineer wrote.

Other employees spoke about the ability to get involved in other areas of the business while travelling for work and receiving “incredible” compensation. 

Watch: These are the hardest jobs to fill in Canada in 2019, according to Indeed. Story continues below.

There was plenty of praise for other companies, as well. Salesforce was complimented for having “unlimited resources to make sales happen,” while Keg Restaurants were touted for having “great benefits once they kick in.”

While most of the positive reviews touched on wages and benefits, there was also talk of how some workplaces allow their workers to develop both professionally and personally.

“Employee centric-drives a culture of really focusing on the employees and ensuring they feel empowered in their jobs every day,” a Toronto-based employee said of Cisco Systems.

The list was determined using a five-point scale for employees to voluntarily rank their workplaces. Winners were ranked based on a rating scale with 5.0 being the highest, or “very satisfied,” and 1.0 being the lowest, or “very dissatisfied.” 

Fourteen of the 25 companies on the 2020 list were featured for the first time, including six of the top 10. 

Microsoft, Keg Restaurants, RBC, Ikea and Apple were all included on Glassdoor’s 25 best places to work list for 2019, making them repeat winners.