Economic uncertainty, shifting work expectations, AI upheaval. The workplace is changing fast, but one thing hasn’t: employees know which companies actually deliver. Today, they're looking for honest leadership, real career growth, and flexibility that works in practice, not just on paper.
Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work 2026 list reveals which employers are meeting that standard. Alongside returning favorites, we saw notable industry shifts — manufacturing and retail companies gained representation, while tech, healthcare, and biotech saw fewer wins. Geography shifted too: San Francisco's presence dropped sharply while New York rose significantly, now claiming 10 of the top companies.
Whether they're making semiconductors or burgers, this year's winners share common ground: inclusive cultures, genuine work-life balance, meaningful career development, transparent leadership, and competitive pay. It's a useful cheat sheet for any company trying to improve.
What makes this award different?
No nominations. No entry fees. No corporate PR campaigns. The 18th annual Employees’ Choice Awards are based entirely on what employees say in their anonymous Glassdoor reviews. In offices, warehouses, labs, and retail locations, these 2026 winners earned their spots the hard way: by creating cultures their people believe in.
Best Places to Work 2026: Top 10 U.S. large companies
Each year, 100 large companies in the U.S. land a coveted spot on our list. Out of these winners, 10 rise to the top as the best of the best. For 2026, those companies are:
- Crew Carwash
- In-N-Out Burger
- NVIDIA
- Ryan
- Keller Williams
- Mars
- ServiceNow
- Bain & Company
- Houston Methodist
- EPAM Systems
What are workers saying about these winning employers? Here’s a quick rundown:
#1 Crew Carwash
Industry: Retail & Wholesale
What employees are saying:
“The management is very invested in the success of their employees in and out of work. The incentive money is a great benefit, and the work environment cultivates leadership and communication skills.”
Industry: Restaurants & Food Service
What employees are saying:
“They reimburse you for school as a full time manager and are very helpful when it comes to teaching you what you need to know to be successful.”
#3 NVIDIA
Industry: Information Technology
What employees are saying:
“Great pay and equity plan. Flat hierarchy. If you are motivated not much can stop you from making an impact. Bonus is working with some genuinely smart people.”
#4 Ryan
Industry: Financial Services
What employees are saying:
“Tremendous resources and talented teams in place for almost every aspect of any business need you might have or could even contemplate.”
Industry: Real Estate
What employees are saying:
“Amazing environment and community of people who want to help you learn while also being amazing mentors and leaders.”
#6 Mars
Industry: Manufacturing
What employees are saying:
“Mars is the most purpose-led, inspiring company that I know, with talented, caring leadership, iconic brands, and principled associates.”
#7 ServiceNow
Industry: Information Technology
What employees are saying:
“This company knows how to retain its employees. If you seek challenging work and diverse peers, ServiceNow is THE place to be.”
Industry: Management & Consulting
What employees are saying:
“The culture here is genuinely supportive — there’s a strong sense of camaraderie across teams, and leadership actively invests in our development.”
Industry: Healthcare
What employees are saying:
“Great environment. Great people. Great benefits. Upper management truly cares about their employees.”
#10 EPAM Systems
Industry: Information Technology
What employees are saying:
“You get to work on cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions that have real-world impact. My expertise is valued and I have opportunities to contribute ideas that shape project direction.”
Dig deeper: Industry-specific rankings
Looking for benchmarks in your sector? We've expanded our 2026 awards to include Top 25 lists across five key industries: