Heading into 2025, many workers may be looking for a new place to advance their careers and get more of what they want from their jobs.
Thankfully, U.S. News and World Report has put together a list of the best companies to work for in the nation — and more specifically, Florida.
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The study examines six factors — rated between 1 and 5 — to determine which companies employees may want to seek out. These factors include:
- Quality of pay and benefits: Whether employees feel adequately compensated for their work, as well as living wage data and a company’s compensation as compared to competitors
- Work-life balance and flexibility: Based on flexible work policies and employee perceptions of work-life balance
- Job and company stability: Data regarding corporate governance quality and attrition rate of a company’s senior leadership
- Physical and psychological comfort: Defined as a “safe work environment”
- Belongingness and esteem: Reflects whether employees feel connected to the organization and appreciated for their contributions
- Career opportunities and professional development: Encompasses factors like mobility rates within a company and opportunities for benefits like tuition assistance, as well as growth opportunities perceived by employees
Unsurprisingly, the ever-popular grocery chain Publix was one of 26 Florida-based companies to make the list. The company first opened in Lakeland back in 1930 as a local shop, though now it employs thousands of workers across several states.
While Publix rated 3 for many of the factors used in the ranking, it scored a solid 5 when it comes to the work-life balance for its employees. The study shows that Publix offers matching 401K contributions and tuition assistance, as well as insurance plans for vision, medical and dental.
But that’s not the only popular company to find itself on this list. Margaritaville also appeared, scoring 5s for stability and comfort, as well as 4s for pay quality, work-life balance and belongingness.
Meanwhile, other well-known groups included Carnival, Hard Rock, L3Harris, NASCAR and even Spirit Airlines.
The full list of Florida companies included in the study is as follows:
| Company | Type | Quality of Pay | Work-Life Balance | Stability | HQ Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthrex | Health Services | 3 | 4 | 4 | Naples |
| AssuredPartners | Financial Services | 4 | 4 | 4 | Orlando |
| Carnival | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 5 | 3 | 3 | Miami |
| Crowley | Transportation | 5 | 3 | 5 | Jacksonville |
| Darden | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 3 | 4 | 5 | Orlando |
| Everbank | Financial Services | 3 | 4 | 4 | Jacksonville |
| FIS | Professional Services | 4 | 5 | 5 | Jacksonville |
| Fanatics | Consumer Products/Services | 3 | 3 | 3 | Jacksonville |
| Guidewell | Healthcare Services | 5 | 3 | 5 | Jacksonville |
| Hard Rock | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 3 | 5 | 5 | Orlando |
| JM Family | Manufacturing | 5 | 3 | 4 | Deerfield Beach |
| L3Harris | Manufacturing | 5 | 3 | 5 | Melbourne |
| Lean Solutions Group | IT, Software and Services | 2 | 5 | 3 | Coral Springs |
| Margaritaville | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 4 | 4 | 5 | Orlando |
| MarineMax | Retail | 3 | 4 | 4 | Clearwater |
| NASCAR | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 4 | 5 | 5 | Daytona Beach |
| PetMeds | Personal Care, Drug and Grocery Stores | 3 | 5 | 4 | Delray Beach |
| Publix | Consumer Products/Services | 4 | 5 | 3 | Lakeland |
| Rooms To Go | Consumer Products/Services | 4 | 5 | 3 | Seffner |
| Roper Technologies | IT, Software and Services | 3 | 5 | 4 | Sarasota |
| SBA Communications Corporation | Real Estate | 5 | 4 | 4 | Boca Raton |
| Saddle Creek | Transportation | 5 | 4 | 5 | Lakeland |
| Southeastern Grocers | Consumer Products/Services | 5 | 4 | 5 | Jacksonville |
| Spirit Airlines | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 5 | 3 | 3 | Dania Beach |
| Travel & Leisure | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 3 | 4 | 4 | Orlando |
| Westgate Resorts | Hotels, Restaurants, Leisure | 4 | 4 | 4 | Orlando |
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