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25 Best Places to WorkThese are the top 25 workplaces in Seattle, and they’ve got the foosball tables, unlimited vacationtime, and bonuses to prove it. Check out the results of our regional survey.

BY ALLISON WILLIAMS • 12/19/2012 AT 9:00AM

Hardly Working? Employees at Zillow relax under a whiteboard illustration by Jason Thompson.

IMAGE: MICHAEL CLINARD

What makes a kickass workplace? Is it perks? Pay? Paid time off? It’s all of the above onour Best Places to Work list. The HR departments and employees of Seattle-area officescompleted in-depth surveys of every aspect of their workplace, and the experts at BestCompanies Group tallied the responses. The result: the region’s 34 best places to pull apaycheck. (See the full list here.)

Simply having a Ping-Pong table in the break room wasn’t enough—the top 25companies have Call of Duty tournaments, paid sabbaticals, on-the-job mentoring, andfunded volunteer vacations. And they all offer a fabulous place to spend a workday.

 

How We Did It

The Best Places to Work in Seattle is a joint effort of Seattle Met magazine, LakeWashington Human Resource Association, Seattle Society for Human ResourceManagement, Downtown Seattle Association, and Best Companies Group. The surveywas open to all publicly and privately held companies with at least 15 employees in theSeattle area. Best Companies Group, an independent research firm, managed theregistration process, conducted the surveys, evaluated the data, and ultimately chose thefirms good enough to make the list. BCG manages 41 other regional, state, and industryprograms across the country and internationally.

Three-quarters of each company’s score was based on a confidential 76-questionEmployee Engagement and Satisfaction Survey, which was used to evaluate employees’workplace experience and company culture. One-quarter of each company’s score wasbased on the employer questionnaire, which queried HR managers on company benefits,policies, and practices. BCG analyzed the two combined sets of data to determine which

qualifying companies best demonstrate workplace excellence.

 

1 SEOmoz  The Work SEO—or search engine optimization—hardly existed a decade ago, but now itmakes the web, and therefore the world, go ’round. SEOmoz has become a softwaremanufacturer and educational clearinghouse for anyone looking to control the all-important web search. Mozers split work time with poker tournaments, a Ping-Pongtable, scavenger hunts, and Wii dance competitions—that is, when they’re not off usingtheir 21 days of annual paid time off. From 401(k) contributions to stock options to asubsidized gym membership, the company delivers virtually every employee perkpossible. To put it in SEO terms, they’re the very first result in a Google search for“Seriously Awesome Seattle Workplace.” The Team More than 95 staffers work from thePike Place office, where the fit flock to an in-office rock climbing wall, and the lazierlounge on beanbag chairs. The Way In seomoz.org/about/jobs

2 PeopleFirm  The Work When your whole mission is to consult at other companies, showing themhow to run a tight ship, then you’d better be on the ball yourself. PeopleFirm models ahappy workplace with team meals and awards for standout work—plus every staffer gota free iPad when the group scored a “Best of” ranking from Consulting magazine in 2011. The Team The consultants at PeopleFirm can spend 12 weeks or even 12 months on ajob site working on a client organization, but most migrate back to the Belltown homebase on Fridays. The Way In jobs@peoplefirm.com

+PeopleFirm Perk Unlimited PTO: PeopleFirm really and truly gives its workers as manydays off as they want? No limit? No lie? Yep, it’s the truth, and it requires a lot of trust.The idea is that if they treat their workers like grown-ups, they’ll make grown-updecisions. PeopleFirm consultants take an average of three or four weeks off every year,even given the free rein. The entire staff has resisted the urge to milk the policy for, say,

an eight-week jaunt to Thailand. So far, that is.

 

3 MetLife—Financial Planning DivisionThe Work The planners at MetLife assess a family’s entire financial situation (and theydo it without making jealous or horrified faces), then go to work on risk management,retirement planning, and insurance juggling. Their workplace is fun, but it also respectswisdom: The average age for advisors is 55. A Working on Wellness program rewardsphysically active employees with a dividend payment, but the planners don’t ignore thefinancial health they preach: 401(k) matching is available from an employee’s first day.The Team The 85 local staff members work out of Bellevue and Tacoma, where theyoversee territory in Washington and Oregon. The Way In mcowman@metlife.com 

 

4 CRG EventsThe Work The all-female executive team leads a fleet of corporate party planners, eachof whom is always in a good mood. Okay, maybe they’re not all chipper, but twice-monthly Morale Committee meetings organize employee outings and awards. And whynot be upbeat? When workers aren’t throwing giant conferences, business summits, andawards banquets—Microsoft is a big client—they’re taking 24 hours of paid leave tovolunteer or raking in a profit-sharing bonus. The Team All 50 event planners work outof a waterfront office, and 92 percent of the staff is female. The Way Incrgevents.com/who-we-are/careers-crg

+CRG Events Perk Sabbatical: After just four years on the job, CRGers score a three-weekvacation, which is loaded on top of their existing vacation time. Past sabbaticals involvedhome-building charity work in Guatema la, getting married, moving into a new house,and taking a vacation to Vietnam.  

 

5 Brightlight ConsultingThe Work Where do you keep your data? In a data warehouse, of course. Well, the techpractice of data warehousing is a little more complicated than that, but the technologyand business intelligence consultants at Brightlight are experts. A special committee inthe office oversees the publishing and educational outreach that the company does in itsfield, keeping everyone at the cutting edge. The bosses hand out sizable bonuses whenunderlings bring in clients, and IRA matching starts with the first paycheck. The TeamAll 47 employees work from an office in Redmond that’s within walking distance ofshops and restaurants. The Way In brightlightconsulting.com/careers

 

6 The Mosaic CompanyThe Work There’s energy everywhere you look in Washington, what with our electricdams, nuclear power plants, and wind turbines, but these energy consultants don’trestrict their expertise to the Northwest—they’ve increased productivity on far-off oilrigs and organized natural gas public utilities in Michigan. And they don’t consider fossilfuel plants a masculine domain; the company is women owned and operated. Mosaicsupports charitable works, even sponsoring two employees who built a school in Ghana.The Team While 41 people are based in the Renton corporate headquarters, there’s ahuge amount of remote and flex work done by the consultants—and they’re rewardedwith luxury hotel stays on work trips and a whopping 26 days of paid time off per year.The Way In jobs@themosaiccompany.com

 

7 World FamousThe Work The good news is that you don’t have to be an expert at Call of Duty to get a jobat Seattle’s funky film company. The bad news is that if you do suck, you’ll be subject toyour coworkers’ friendly trash talk on a near-daily basis. When they’re not blowing offsteam, the team creates video special effects, movie title sequences, and memorableWashington Lottery commercials. The company is supportive of its creative types, manyof whom are members of rock bands or independent filmmakers; the staff gets 21 days of

vacation a year for their own pursuits. The Team The lunch table at World Famous’sCapitol Hill office holds all 15 staff members, which is key for their daily lunches. TheWay In info@worldfamousinc.com

 

8 ZipcarThe Work Not a single staffer at the Seattle Zipcar outlet drives a personal car to work.Why would they? They run the popular car-sharing service, and they know that hourlyrentals are parked all over the city. Employee appreciation is all over the place: Weeklybreakfasts are for everyone, but the hardest workers can snag Caught in the Act quarterlyawards or be named Zipster of the Year. The Team The 21 staffers in the downtownSeattle office know where all the Zipcars are parked downtown (and they especially lovethe Audi A3s), but don’t worry—they’re careful not to book them all at the same time. TheWay In zipcar.com/about/jobs

 

9 Substantial The Work When this software company constructs programs, they’re not necessarilyfor the small screen—one recent project involved making 10-by-12-foot interactive wallsfor Citibank branches. The group also manages digital strategies and builds smallerapplications, like the traditional mobile and web types. The front door to the office is agiant sheet of metal, embodying the Substantial name, but not everything is heavy: A DJstation made of reclaimed Oregon fir is suspended from the ceiling inside. The Team Inthe office overlooking Cal Anderson Park in Capitol Hill, there are 50 workers to dance towhat the DJ is spinning; they can head to the roof deck if they aren’t feeling the tunes.The Way In substantial.com/company/jobs

 

Signal the Frog GPS technology meets the outdoors at Groundspeak.

IMAGE: ANDREW WAITS

10 GroundspeakThe Work If you’re ever lost, hope you have a Groundspeak staffer in your car. Asoverseers of the geocaching community, they’re quick with a GPS. The recreationaltreasure hunting permeates the Fremont offices, where workers work off their dailycatered lunches by climbing, skiing, hiking, and geocaching in their spare time. Every

employee has received a bonus in the past five Decembers. The Team There are 70 in theSeattle office just off the Burke-Gilman trail, but they’re not always there: The LackeyEvolution program sends employees to U.S. and international geocaching events for free.The Way In groundspeak.com/jobs.aspx

+Groundspeak Perk Unlimited Free Ski Lift Tickets: Go skiing, buy a ticket, bring backyour receipt, and get reimbursed: It’s no wonder there are a lot of prayers for snow atGroundspeak. Even trips as far afield as Whistler or Europe are covered, along withcross-country trail passes for the fearful of heights.

11 Sila Solutions GroupThe Work The business and technology consultants at Sila love their gigs so much thatthey rush to refer their friends for open positions. Of course, that might also be becausereferring staffers and the new hires are treated with a trip to Las Vegas, Hawaii, orMexico. When they’re not wading through the intricacies of aircraft network security orreorganizing a Fortune 500 company, they’re kicking the ball around on the companyteam, Sila Soccer FC. But it’s not all sports and travel: The furiously philanthropiccompany partners with Special Olympics Washington, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, andSeattle Works. The Team The Tukwila office is one of three national locations andhouses 62. The Way In silasg.com/careers

 

12 ImpinjThe Work Imagine you’re Walmart (just roll with it). Do you know where your millionsof pieces of clothing inventory are? You would, actually, because many are tagged withtiny chips made by this Seattle company. The chips allow each Big Bird T-shirt and pinkfuzzy slipper to be tracked through radio frequency identification (RFID). It’s like a GPSsystem on a very small scale. Impinj also uses its chips on the shoes of marathon runnersand on Coke freestyle machines, which automatically measure syrup levels. Employeeperks include on-the-spot monetary rewards and personalized Jones Sodas for work well

done, but in the middle of the office is something even better: a company nap room. TheTeam Tucked next to the Fremont bridge, the Seattle headquarters holds just over 100workers. The Way In impinj.com/careers

 

13 Evergreen Home LoansThe Work The CEO of this Bellevue company has been at the helm for a quarter century,meaning he’s handled home loans at times when they were considered a godsend, anecessity, and even a curse. The company has weathered every mortgage storm byemphasizing education and ethics, but the team itself stays chill with monthly visitsfrom a masseuse. The Team Evergreen has 225 employees in 19 branch offices fromKahului, Hawaii, to Clatskanie, Oregon, but there are 150 workers in King County. TheWay In evergreenhomeloans.com

14 ZillowThe Work Everything you wanted to know about your neighbor’s house is on Zillow, awebsite that will offer an estimated market value for any abode on the block. Turns out alot of people are house shopping, or morbidly curious about foreclosure listings—theweb company recently added a fourth floor of offices. Staffers are fed with treats ofvarying healthiness: There is free espresso, a game room, and organic M&Ms.Discussion of Zillow’s stock price isn’t allowed in the open office, even thoughemployees get stock options, so November’s precipitous drop did little to temper morale.The Team There’s an expansive waterfront view from the Second Avenue office, whereall 370 workers sit in an open floor plan. The Way In zillow.com/jobs 

+ Zillow Perk Hack Week: Twice a year, Zillow workers put away their assignments andgo to town on whatever they like for a full five days. Since the company started givingemployees free rein in May 2011, several of the informal “hack” projects have turned intoreal products, like the iPad app and Zillow’s Draw Your Own Search feature. But notevery Hack Week endeavor is quite so serious: Last year an enterprising staffer used his

time to mount a video camera above the office Starbucks espresso machine, so everyonecould monitor the lines from his or her own desk.

 

15 NoviniumThe Work Our city’s power cables aren’t getting any younger, but this Seattle start-upcan perform a nip-and-tuck procedure that takes years off—or rather extends their life byup to 40 years. The workforce is diverse in age and background, made up of journeymenline workers, technicians, managers, and directors. Stock options and spot awards areavailable to every employee, and the group recognizes silly holidays like Pi day andInternational Star Wars Day. The Team Only 27 of the staff work from the Federal Wayheadquarters; about 100 more work around North America on cable jobs. The Way Innovinium.com/employment.aspx 

Best-Laid Travel Plans A coffee conference at Expedia headquarters

IMAGE: ANDREW WAITS

 

16 206The Work There are many levels to the “creative development” offered by 206. It rangesfrom traditional PR and web design to qualitative analysis of a company’s social media(they’ll tell you when you’re tweeting well) and event production. During the 2012election, the company turned NYC’s Rockefeller Plaza into a carnival of patriotic games,where visitors could follow electoral counts on the skating rink map and get a picture

with a President Obama cutout. The Team There are about 40 humans and a few dogs inthe downtown Seattle offices, and both species call it a week around 4pm on Friday for afull-office happy hour. The Way In 206inc.com/careers

+ 206 Perk 206 Gives 40: Employees can use 40 hours a year on any kind of philanthropicendeavor. Last year some of the web designers made a website for the Music forMarriage Equality campaign, and others took a service trip to South Africa.  

 

17 CypressThe Work The boutique firm designs mobile apps and websites, and the group built theplatform that allowed Xbox Live users to stream Fox TV shows. When the companybehind Jameson whiskey came knocking, Cypress set up an event management systemfor shindigs like their Bartenders Ball. In the office bar, however, the drink of choice isbeer—the Kegerator holds a different brand of beer every month. The Team There are 60employees working and drinking out of the Pioneer Square office. The Way Incypressconsulting.net/pages/careers/index 

 

18 Queen Anne HealthcareThe Work The staff of this rehab center says this workplace is more like a cruise shipthan a health center; the housekeepers, nurses, doctors, and chefs all manage therecovering patients staying there. The women-led staff has such varied backgrounds thatQueen Anne’s diversity day meal has grown into Diversity Month, where each continentgets a week of themed potluck meals. For the rest of the year, cultural calories comethrough weekly Waffle Wednesdays. In an industry known for its high turnover, lessthan 10 percent of the workforce chooses to leave Queen Anne every year. The Team Atfull capacity, 120 patients are treated by 88 Queen Anne staff members. The Way Inqueenannehealthcare.com/careers

 

19 University of Phoenix, Western Washington CampusThe Work The nationwide university has more locations (115) than degree programs(though it has more than 50 of those), but the Tukwila campus offers in-person teachingto make the experience more personal. The administrators enjoy regular Wii gamebreaks, access to bike trails, and, naturally, tuition assistance. The Team Though theuniversity employs 12,500 nationwide, the Tukwila area is home to a cozy 37 staffers.The Way In phoenix.edu/about_us/employment

20 Data I/O CorporationThe Work The Redmond company has been making the machines that programcomputer chips since before many of us had even heard of computers or chips (or wereborn); founded in 1972, they now program microcontrollers in cars, make software forsemiconductors, and do technology consulting. The Team Many of the 53 staffmembers telecommute or work unusual hours. The Way Indataio.com/company/careeropportunities.aspx

+ Data I/O Corporation Perk ”Biggest Loser” Competition: Staffers compete several timesa year in a weight-loss contest, likely necessary given the company’s quarterly pubevents and monthly BBQs. 

 

21 Projectline The Work Projectline’s three founders met while consulting for Microsoft, then joinedforces to create a boutique destination for their marketing and business savvy. Thatsmall company has since gone global, and the firm has opened offices in Philadelphia,Toronto, and London. Back at home base, employees are allowed $1,500 per year forprofessional development. The money doesn’t stop flowing: Workers can apply for two$3,500 grants to fund a volunteer vacation. The Team The 127 Seattle employees arerelocating to a Smith Tower office in January. The Way Inprojectlineinc.com/home/about/careers

 

22 Guidant Financial The Work Thinking about cashing in your 401(k) to fund a business start-up? Thefinancial advisors at Guidant don’t think that’s so crazy; they’ve managed the processesfor individuals in all 50 states, helping retirement funds turn into shops like DogtopiaPet Care in Nashville, Coastal Coffee Roasters in South Carolina, and Urban Yoga Spa indowntown Seattle. When they’re not carefully extricating cash from the death grip ofIRAs and 401(k)s, Guidant staffers rev up in their Xbox room, chill down in the office Zenroom, or just kick back to enjoy 100 percent–funded medical, dental, and vision benefits.The Team The Bellevue office houses all 70 employees, but clients are countrywide. TheWay In guidantfinancial.com/about/jobs

+ Guidant Financial Perk Guidant Olympics: Yes, just like that episode of The Office.Every summer for an entire week, the first hour of the workday is taken over with eventsthat don’t quite make the regular Olympics: Real Angry Birds (catapulting kickballs intoshipping boxes) and Stick the Velcro Balls to the CEO. Trash talk, a team draft, and amedal ceremony round out the bonding experience.

  

Almost Vacation A break room at Expedia might as well be the lido deck.

IMAGE: ANDREW WAITS

23 ExpediaThe Work Though the group of travel websites began as a wing of Microsoft, it  wassold and then spun off and is now a thriving business of its own, employing almost 5,000across the U.S. Headquarters holds almost half of them, where they run expedia.com andhotwire.com, as well as other booking and travel sites. Employees stay tied to home basewith stock options and bonus incentives, but it is a travel company, after all: Everyonegets hotel discounts for their own vacations. The Team When they’re not dreaming offaraway travel, staff at the downtown Bellevue office can take laptops to the Wi-Fienabled patio. The Way In expediajobs.com

+ Expedia Perk Leisure Travel Reimbursement: From year one on the job at Expedia,employees get extra cash for their own trips: $250 annually until they’ve been aroundthree years, and then it bumps up to $500, and eventually $750. The benefit is extremelypopular, but any staff member who fails to use it will get a friendly reminder from HR. 

 

24 Bridge PartnersThe Work Anything middle management needs—a product launched, a revenue streamcreated—can be done by this virtual organization of consultants. Coworkers are linkedmore through technology than by physical workspace, but when consultants are in theoffice, massages are sometimes offered before meetings. The Team Few of the 83 staffwork from the Eastlake office; most toil from home or a client site. The Way Inbridgepartnersconsulting.com/careers

 

25 Sleep Country USA The Work Employees own this mattress emporium, whose success is due to theuniversal need for a good night’s sleep. The local staff is made up of sales reps who helpdifferentiate between all those plain white rectangles, drivers who deliver stock,

warehouse workers, and corporate administrators. Everyone gets two days off forcommunity service, and they can all attend concerts sponsored by the company at WhiteRiver Amphitheatre; recent trips were for performances by Toby Keith, Blink-182, andWeezer. The Team The corporate office is in Kent, but the area’s 194 employees work inmore than 40 local stores and a regional warehouse. The WayIn sleepcountry.com/careers-openings.aspx

 

Published: January 2013

This article appeared in the January 2013 issue of Seattle Met Magazine.

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