Airbnb beats Google as the best firm to work for in the US

Airbnb is a website for people to list, find, and rent lodging; the list released by Glassdoor is based on employee feedback

Not only has Airbnb made its first appearance on career website Glassdoor's list of top places to work but it has also taken the top spot.

The company beat a previous title holder, Alphabet (formerly Google) for top honours from Glassdoor, which publishes an annual ranking based on ratings submitted to the site by employees. Airbnb, founded in 2008 as a way to facilitate short-term rentals by homeowners, has expanded to more than 34,000 cities. It has seen its fair share of controversies but if Glassdoor's survey is an indication, this hasn't damaged its appeal with employees. Airbnb is a website for people to list, find, and rent lodging. Headquartered in San Francisco, US, it has more than 1,500,000 listings, in 34,000 cities and 190 countries.

"Amazing people, vibrant workplace, and an unbeatable culture that is real and not just something posted on a wall/website. I literally could not ask for a better work experience. Also, pay, insurance, perks, food, parties, and growth opportunities are top notch," an anonymous Airbnb employee from San Francisco wrote on the website.

In order to be considered for Glassdoor's survey, a company must have at least 1,000 employees. It is then ranked on its overall employee ratings over the previous year. Rounding out the top five employers were Bain & Co, Guidewire, Hubspot, and Facebook.

This year's list has 50 companies from a variety of industries. Thirteen made the cut for the first time in the eight years since Glassdoor began publishing the survey.

 

Other newcomers included Expedia, Delta Air Lines and Red Bull. According to Glassdoor, some of the common themes among these companies are a clear direction, a sense of feeling valued, advancement opportunities, and great benefits.

Although Alphabet slipped from first place, it remained in the top 10 and is one of only four employers that have made the list each year.

The others are Apple, Chevron, and Bain & Co. For some reason, Apple doesn't do as well in these lists. Apple was down to the 25th spot from 22nd last year. Microsoft, too, didn't make the list (it didn't last year or the year before that, either).

"For anyone hoping to find a job and company they love, these companies stand tallest for providing outstanding work environments and company cultures," Robert Hohman, Glassdoor's chief executive officer and co-founder, said in the press release.

Previous winners include Google, General Mills, Southwest Airlines, Facebook, and Bain & Co.