Inside the world’s 15 best female-friendly companies to work for
Whether teams are working together in-house or remotely, an equitable and inclusive culture always drives business success and benefits everyone – including women. But achieving this is not as simple as placing a few women in senior positions or on the board. A company must be proactive in multiple areas to qualify as a great workplace for women.
Which is why it’s so encouraging to see a growing number of companies worldwide being actively transparent and accountable, sharing data on their gender composition, gender pay gaps and measuring the success of their programs that serve to support women.
Companies are stepping up to devise innovative solutions to combat some of the challenges women face in particular industries, and training leadership teams in combating unconscious bias.
Partnering with Fortune magazine, Great Place to Work has drawn on rigorous analytics and employee feedback from more than 640,000 women to determine the most female-friendly companies with at least 1,000 employees.
"These companies showed up for women in new ways, to help them cope with challenges they face wherever they are — both inside and outside of work. Women in these companies are seen, heard and valued," said Michael C Bush, CEO at Great Place to Work.
While hospitality giant Hilton takes the lead when it comes to an equitable workplace, some of the other top players on the 100-strong list surprisingly hail from the world of tech.
Great Place to Work is recognized as a global leader in workplace culture with deep insights into the factors that underpin what makes a great workplace. In this study, the organization has analyzed how fairly women say they are being treated.
15 best workplaces for women
1. Hilton
With a portfolio of 18 brands and 7,000 properties spread across 122 countries, Hilton’s core purpose for more than a century has been to make the world a better place through hospitality.
Over the last few years, the company has been focused on increasing female representation in leadership positions. Currently, 51 percent of women hold management positions at Hilton.
Through its initiative the Executive Committee Networking Program, women are given the opportunity to network with leaders in order to support their growth.
"Leaders would say, ‘you know what, I know of a great opportunity for you’. And they looked to see if they had a match, and if the mentee was interested, they were connected to the appropriate business unit or department," said Matt Schuyler, former Chief Human Resources Officer and current Chief Brand Officer at Hilton.
Hilton has additionally been named one of the World’s Best Workplaces for more than five consecutive years.
2. Pinnacle Financial Partners
With women comprising 65 percent of the company, and with half of its management team female, this financial services firm is synonymous with fairness and equity, according to the women who work there.
The year 2020 was a pivotal turning point for Pinnacle Financial Partners, as the company moved from its 12th position as one of the Best Workplaces for Women in 2018 to ranking fourth in 2020 to second in 2022.
"Since we focused on DE&I [Diversity, equity and inclusion] efforts in 2020, we have doubled the number of women on our leadership team by creating greater consistency and equity across job titles, hiring and elevating women into new roles," said Summer Yeiser, Pinnacle’s Director of Associate and Client Experience.
3. Cisco
Cisco has taken a proactive role in advancing fair pay in forming the Employers for Pay Equity Consortium alongside 24 other companies from a variety of industries. Cisco has also introduced powerful analytics to help determine the effectiveness of the organization’s compensation system.
Women of Cisco was created in 2019 to continue the company’s mission to "attract, develop, retain and celebrate women at Cisco". This organization has created a powerful platform for women in tech to embrace new opportunities and to grow professionally on a global scale.
In an attempt to attract more women to the tech world, Cisco’s Women Rock-IT showcases the work of female leaders in the tech space and includes a comprehensive events program. This is one of many initiatives Cisco provides to nurture in a gender-inclusive future.
4. American Express
In fourth place is credit services company American Express, which is focused on supporting the ambition of its female staff and providing them with the opportunity to network.
Employees benefit from both flexible work arrangements and equal pay.
In 2020, American Express also introduced an initiative called The Ambition Project, which recognizes and encourages women at all levels of the organization to be ambitious through the sharing of content and honest conversations.
5. Comcast NBCUniversal
Ranking in fifth place is Comcast NBCUniversal – one of the fastest growing media companies in the United States.
Initiatives such as the Women’s Network, Tone Networks and The Cru provide staff with opportunities to connect and advance their careers, particularly leaders.
6. CIENCE
CIENCE is a global data company headquartered in the American city of Denver that has a meritocratic system in place to empower its staff members to progress in their personal and professional lives. Fun, transparency and data-driven decision making are some of the company’s core values.
"The bias-free care with which people are treated, the fairness of workplace decisions, and team camaraderie are all hallmarks of why it’s great to be a CIENtist," said August Keating, President and Chief Operating Officer at CIENCE.
7. Slalom Consulting
Slalom Consulting jumped from its 31st position in 2021 to ranking seventh in 2022. Women comprise 42 percent of the Slalom workforce and 38 percent of women hold management positions.
Slalom Women was created for women to reach their full potential through communities that support women to thrive in the technology space.
While Women in Tech encourages women to develop their technical and business skills, Women Who Build is designed to foster a sense of belonging in order for the company to stand out in the fiercely competitive tech industry.
8. White Glove Community Care
White Glove Community Care prides itself on providing quality, skilled care for its patients and is driven by an 80 percent female-led workforce.
In addition to a healthy work–life balance, fresh graduates receive free training to boost their nursing careers and a rewards program is on offer as well as employee discounts on a wide range of services and products.
9. Asana
Driven by the mission to "help humanity thrive by enabling the world’s teams to work together effortlessly," Asana recognizes that business success depends on creating a diverse and inclusive culture in the workplace. Thirty-seven percent of executives within the company are women.
In 2017, Asana established AsanaWomen, which involves monthly group discussions and other events that invite industry leaders to speak.
"Whether teams are working apart or together, hybrid or remote, inclusivity drives innovation and this recognition of Asana as a leading workplace for women is a testament to the priority we place on fostering an equitable culture for all of our global employees, no matter where and when they are working," said Stephanie Hess, Head of Global Corporate Marketing and Communications at Asana.
10. The Progressive Corporation
Adopting a research-based approach to creating opportunities for employees, the company has been encouraging female workers and people of color to participate in the Progressive Boot Camp. In 2021, both the IT Programmer Boot Camp and the Analyst Boot Camp resulted in participants taking on new roles within the company thanks to on-the-job training programs.
Over the last few years, the third-largest provider of auto insurance in the United States has been focused on ensuring that there is a gender balance represented in the company’s workforce. Today, women comprise 58 percent of the company and 47 percent of management roles are held by women.
11. White Glove Placement Inc
White Glove Placement is the largest recruiter of nurses in the United States with a workforce of healthcare professionals driven by 87.5 percent women.
The company empowers its staff by equipping them with a support system, including social events where nurses feel that they are part of a wider, supportive community of other women.
12. Intuit
Intuit is a software company that serves millions of customers around the world with technology platforms, including Mailchimp.
Tech Women at Intuit (TWI) is designed to encourage females in the tech space to progress in their careers and expand their networks through mentorship, sponsorship and professional development workshops. TWI also partners other tech organizations, such as Girls Who Code, AnitaB.org and National Center for Women and Information Tech.
"We’ve got great programs at Intuit to support women," said Sharon Hutchins, Vice President and Chief of Operations at Intuit. "One of our key programs is Tech Women at Intuit. It’s an internal initiative where we focus on attracting, retaining and advancing women. So it’s a great way for women across technology to support one another."
13. Robert Half International Inc
Specialized recruitment agency Robert Half has women comprising more than half of its global workforce and 58 percent of its management roles.
One of the company’s more recently established initiatives – the Global Women’s Employee Network (GWEN) – is helping its 1,000 global members to build professional connections and create opportunities for long-term change.
"The impact that GWEN has made in the remote world is impressive," said Stephnee Greenwood-Leathers, Senior Director, Global Creative at Robert Half. "GWEN has helped others feel seen and heard, creating belonging and meeting our members where they’re at as we work apart."
14. HubSpot
HubSpot is led by Yamini Rangan, the company’s first female CEO. She was named the Best CEO for Women in 2022 by Comparably, which is based on feedback from female employees.
As a female leader in the male-dominated world of tech, Rangan’s path to success wasn’t easy. Consequently, she’s on a mission to minimize biases so that the workplace is more equitable.
The company’s Culture Code states that the diversity of its customers should be reflected internally. Today, HubSpot’s efforts to improve in this area has led to 57 percent of women operating at leadership level and now 47 percent of women make up the entire workforce. Additionally, 70 percent of women are on the board.
The key areas HubSpot invests in are leadership development, mentorship opportunities and helping women to get back on their feet after a break from work.
"The company truly believes in culture and they walk the walk. It’s positive, very woman- friendly (the most women I’ve ever worked with at a tech company) and truly energizing to be here," a HubSpot employee said.
15. Bain & Company Inc
This global consultancy is committed to ensuring gender diversity at every level of the organization and helping women to grow in their careers.
Having undertaken research on gender parity, Bain & Company has unveiled that women are less likely to seek out sponsors, which is essential to career progression. For this reason, women who work for the company have mentors they can turn to and senior women can participate in a formal sponsorship program that’s tailored to their needs.
There is also flexibility in terms of work arrangements and career path options to allow employees the freedom to explore different roles within the company and for women to fulfill their caregiver role.