Five MO Companies Among Best 100 To Work For: Fortune

ST. LOUIS, MO — Five Missouri companies are among the 100 best in the country to work for in 2018, according to a new list released by Fortune.

The No. 1 company on the list was Salesforce, which Fortune credits for forging an “unusual corporate culture from the beginning.” Salesforce has paid out $5.5 million to employees who have referred new hires and they help strong performers find new challenges.

The grocery chain Wegmans was No. 2 on the list. Fortune says employees at the company find the work fulfilling and it gives them a sense of purpose.

The five Missouri companies that made the list are:

Edward Jones (number 5)

The St. Louis-based financial advisory firm Edward Jones has been on the list for 19 years and has more than 42,000 employees globally. According to Fortune, employee perks include Starbucks gift cards, free breakfast and regular bonuses.

Read more about Edward Jones here.

Veterans United Home Loans (number 32)

Veterans United, based in Columbia, Mo., provides mortgages for members of the military and has made the list for the third year running. It employs 2,419 workers, who get free gym memberships and all the snacks they can eat, along with the office dodgeball tournaments and subsidized mission trips overseas.

Read more about Veterans United Home Loans here.

World Wide Technology (number 45)

This St. Louis IT company has more than 4,000 employees and has been on Fortune's list for seven years. On-site medical care and free sports tickets keep employees happy and driven to succeed, Fortune says.

Read more about World Wide Technology here.

Burns & McDonnell (number 50)

Based in Kansas City, Mo., this engineering company is employee-owned, which Fortune says motivates workers to succeed. Employee perks include an on-site pharmacy and day-care center, in addition to frequent trivia competitions. Burns & McDonnell has 5,543 employees and this is the company's eighth year on the list.

Read more about Burns & McDonnell here.

Build-A-Bear Workshop (number 55)

The final Missouri company on the list makes teddy bears, so you know it has to be a fun place to work. Fortune says the hiring process is intense and employees get offer letters delivered along with their own personal "messenger bear." The company has more than 4,500 employees nationally and has been on the list for a decade.

Read more about Build-A-Bear Workshop here.

To be considered for the list, Fortune says a company has to have at least 1000 employees. The list measured companies in the U.S. on characteristics like innovation and people-focused programs. Fortune scores each company on an analysis of anonymous employee responses to a survey along with an evaluation of company programs and practices. You can read more about Fortune’s methodology here.

Fortune said it received feedback from more than 315,000 employees to determine the winners.

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