Healthcare companies play an essential role in keeping us alive and well. Encompassing major sectors like biotech, pharmaceuticals, health plans, medical equipment, innovation and research, at one point or another each one of us interacts with the healthcare system.
In fact, so ubiquitous is healthcare, the industry recently became the largest employer in the U.S., outstripping other major sources of jobs such as retail and manufacturing. Healthcare spending also accounted for a staggering 17.9% of GDP in 2016.
Nor is this growth likely to slow down any time soon. Healthcare employment is projected to see dramatic growth due to an aging population (25% of the workforce will be older than 55 by 2025) and its increasing medical needs.
With so many people working in healthcare, we wanted to find out who the best employers are and what they’re doing right. Our data science team evaluated our database of more than 18 million employer reviews, crunched the numbers and identified which organizations rate highest. Here’s what they found.
Managed healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente leads the rankings
Coming in first place is healthcare consortium Kaiser Permanente, which has its origins in the Mojave desert during the Great Depression. Since then it has grown to become a serious player in the healthcare industry, employing over 200,000 people in the United States.
Most of us have likely treated ourselves with at least one product from the other top-rated companies. Two in particular are more or less ubiquitous, and responsible for mainstays of our medicine cabinets: Band-Aids (Johnson & Johnson, #2) and aspirin (Bayer, #12).
Other top rated firms are responsible for such household names as Botox (Allergan, # 13) and heart attack and stroke treatment Lipitor (Pfizer, # 3). Meanwhile, the not-for-profit Mayo Clinic (#6) is renowned for the quality of its research.
Alongside these we see other healthcare companies whose names may not be as instantaneously recognizable, but who are responsible for some groundbreaking medical advancements in their own right. For instance, Abbott Laboratories (#10) created the first FDA-approved blood screening test for HIV, while Medtronic (#9) developed the first battery-operated, wearable cardiac pacemaker.
In addition to the important work of healthcare, these companies have broader corporate responsibility initiatives. For example, Stryker sponsors international medical mission trips for groups of employees and has a longstanding partnership with Operation Smile to provide high quality cleft lip and cleft palate care around the globe. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk works to reduce waste and CO2 emissions and conserve water and has set aggressive goals of using 100% renewable power at all production sites by 2020.
While the majority of companies on the list are headquartered in the U.S., there’s a strong showing of international organizations, including Novartis (Switzerland), Roche (Switzerland), Bayer (Germany), Allergan (Ireland) and Novo Nordisk (Denmark).
The best of the best: what makes the top five companies stand out
So what are the best healthcare companies doing right? We took a closer look at the top five companies on the list. Here’s what we found.
Founded: 1945
HQ: Oakland, CA
No. of Employees: 10,000+
The managed care company that encompasses hospitals, clinics and an insurance provider, Kaiser Permanente also has the distinction of being the largest company on our list with more than 200,000 employees worldwide.
And it turns out that the company’s massive number of employees is a major asset. Why? Employees often point to their fellow employees as part of the company’s biggest draw.
“The best part about working at Kaiser Permanente was the professionalism and expertise of my colleagues,” said one employee. “All were hard-working, dedicated over-achievers whose attention to quality was beyond expectations.”
Founded: 1886
HQ: New Brunswick, New Jersey
No. of Employees: 10,000+
This household name may be widely known for baby powder and Band-aids, but the company also produces numerous consumer health products and medical devices. What do employees love about Johnson & Johnson?
Many pointed to the great development opportunities and the potential to gain a range of experience across different parts of the organization. But employees were even more enthusiastic about the company’s excellent work-life balance, with one reviewer saying that Johnson & Johnson “supports working from home when needed and realizes that family needs come first.“
“The most enjoyable part of the job is the family-work life balance where flexible work arrangements are part of the culture,” said another employee.
Founded: 1849
HQ: New York, NY
No. of Employees: 10,000+
The oldest company in the top five, Pfizer is a pharmaceutical giant that invests heavily in research. Reviewers say the work can be demanding at times, but “overall the workplace culture was supportive and positive,” one employee notes.
The company stands out for its strong compensation packages, with one employee saying “salary is competitive and benefits are as good as it gets.”
“The most enjoyable part was having such a stable position with great benefits,” adds another.
Founded: 1980
HQ: Thousand Oaks, CA
No. of Employees: 10,000+
With so many healthcare veterans on the list, Amgen is a relative newcomer, at just under 50 years old. What do employees think about the biotechnology firm?
In addition to raving about the great compensation and “fantastic” benefits, employees are also enthusiastic about the company’s opportunities for learning and professional growth.
“The most enjoyable part of my current role is the highly knowledgeable workforce and the culture that we are serving the patients first,” one employee says.
Another calls Amgen, “a very demanding workplace where you can grow and acquire diverse experiences,” adding that “there's a good opportunity for professional growth and to work in many challenging projects.”
Founded: 1941
HQ: Kalamazoo, MI
No. of Employees: 10,000+
This medical device and equipment manufacturing company is known for giving employees regular recognition and valuing diversity. Employees also rave about Stryker’s excellent job culture:
“The upper management and staff are very professional, friendly and willing to help new employees,” says one employee.
Another employee points to the company’s excellent benefits, saying “They have a terrific 401k match program, an array of different opportunities for advancement, and college tuition reimbursements.”
“Stryker takes good care of their employees,” the employee adds.
Methodology:
Indeed has over 18 million company reviews. Indeed compiled this list by including companies with at least 100 reviews between January 2016 - January 2018. These companies are the most highly rated on overall employee experience in the healthcare sector.
