Two years ago, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos vowed to make the e-commerce giant "Earth's best employer" — and now, he might be one step closer to achieving that goal.
Amazon is the No. 1 company to work for in the U.S., according to new research from LinkedIn: For the third year in a row, Amazon has claimed the top spot on the networking platform's annual Top Companies list, followed by Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase.
To determine the ranking, LinkedIn rated each organization on several factors, including upskilling opportunities for employees once hired and the frequency and speed at which employees are promoted.
Here are the top 10 companies to work for in the U.S., according to LinkedIn:
- Amazon
- Wells Fargo
- JPMorgan Chase
- Bank of America
- Alphabet
- AT&T
- UnitedHealth Group
- Apple
- Thoughtworks
- Kaiser Permanente
LinkedIn also considered factors like attrition and layoffs — companies that have laid off 10% or more of their workforce between January 2022 and April 2023 were ineligible for the list.Meta, which ranked twelfth on LinkedIn's list last year, was not eligible for this year's list after announcing it was eliminating approximately 13% of its workforce in November 2022.
Some companies, including Amazon, have conducted mass layoffs right under this threshold over the past year. Just last month, Amazon told its staff the company would lay off 9,000 more employees in the coming weeks.The cuts follow an earlier round of layoffs that began in November 2022 and affected more than 18,000 staffers.
In an emailed statement to CNBC Make It, an Amazon spokesperson said the company is "proud" to rank No. 1 on LinkedIn's list for the third consecutive year. "We know there's even more to do as we work to make every day better for our employees and our customers," they added.
The most competitive, sought-after companies are offering hybrid work arrangements; niche health-care benefits, like fertility and menopausal programs; or social impact initiatives that promote sustainability or diversity and inclusion in the workplace, per LinkedIn's research.
For example, Verizon (#12) has pledged to plant at least 20 million trees and recycle 10 million pounds of community e-waste before 2030, while Synchrony (#48) has no meetings on Fridays, with the work day ending at noon.
However, some companies in LinkedIn's top 10, such as Apple and JPMorgan Chase, have increased their in-office requirements for employees in recent months.
While flexibility is still top of mind for many jobseekers, don't underestimate the importance of upskilling, says Dan Roth, the editor-in-chief and vice president at LinkedIn.
"We all crave stability in our lives, and want to be in places with strong profits," says Roth. "But in the long run, where you really want to be is in places that will continue to invest in your career growth and skills, so you can excel no matter what you do."
Amazon maintained its top spot after making a "significant investment" to support employees' upskilling and raise salaries, says Roth.
In September 2022, Amazon announced pay increases for its frontline employees — a nearly $1 billion investment — along with new career development programs for employees.
It's important to note, however, that Amazon continues to face a barrage of criticism for its treatment of warehouse employees and for allegedly fostering a brutal workplace culture.
Last year, Amazon warehouse workers suffered serious injuries at more than twice the rate of comparable facilities, according to a recent report by the union coalition Strategic Organizing Center.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told CNBC that the SOC's findings "paint an inaccurate picture."
"The safety and health of our employees is, and always will be, our top priority and any claim otherwise is inaccurate," she continued. "We're proud of the progress made by our team and we'll continue working hard together to keep getting better every day."
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