Fortune magazine released its top 100 companies to work for in 2021, and two St. Louis-area companies once again made the list.
Edward Jones came in at No. 20 on the yearly list, while World Wide Technology ranked No. 73.
To be considered for the list, companies must employ at least 1,000 U.S. employees. Fortune worked with its partner Great Place to Work, an analytics and consulting firm, to speak to more than half a million employees. They were surveyed on how trustworthy, caring and fair a company is in times of crisis, the employee’s emotional and financial health, and the company’s broader community impact.
“The 2021 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For list honors the most heroic companies supporting their people and communities in the U.S. during this historically challenging year….” Great Place to Work said. “Particular attention was paid to how employees’ experiences varied depending on their job role, gender, race/ethnicity, payroll status, and other characteristics to ensure that the company is creating a great workplace for all.”
The list’s methodology was different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each company’s score was based 60% on confidential employee feedback and 40% on the programs they created to support employees and communities during the pandemic.
Edward Jones, a financial services and insurance company, made the list for the 22nd time.
“Our firm was founded on the core values of working in partnership and respecting and valuing the contributions of each individual – and those core values never change, although our ways of working did in the pandemic,” said Edward Jones Chief Human Resources Officer Kristin Johnson.
“The unique circumstances of this past year have, in many ways, helped unite our firm in our purpose to improve the lives of our clients and colleagues and, together, better our communities and society. We are working together to create a deep sense of belonging where our associates can make a meaningful difference.”
World Wide Technology, which deals in information technology, made the list for the 10th consecutive year. The company also ranked No. 14 in Fortune’s 2021 list of best workplaces in technology.
“At WWT, our employees are the foundation of our company’s success and how we run our business. That’s why we are invested in them, their safety and well-being, and why we strive to create a culture that empowers, supports and celebrates inclusion of all people,” WWT CEO and co-founder Jim Kavanaugh said in a statement. “We are incredibly honored to have earned a place on the Fortune 100 Best list for the past 10 years and thank our employees for making WWT a great place to work for all.”
The top-ranked company was San Jose-based Cisco. Veterans United Home Loans in Columbia, Missouri, also made the list at No. 33.
