Long story short: These companies are making work better for everyone

It’s time to make work better, for everyone.

After almost two years of the pandemic, employees have a different relationship with their jobs, and the expectations for what their employer provides are higher than ever. Fortunately, many employers are stepping up to the plate: experimenting with a 4-day workweek, providing top-notch culture, and rethinking ways to support all employees’ diverse needs.

In this week’s top stories, Glassdoor released its annual Best Places to Work list — ranked by employees themselves, these companies stand out for putting their values into action, while offering appealing perks. One forward-thinking benefit gaining steam is the 4-day workweek, an idea that’s becoming more popular as employers consider the necessity, and true productivity, of a 40-hour week.

Check out what other companies are doing to rethink work:

10 companies that have adopted the 4-day workweek

Just 15% of U.S. employers offer a four-day schedule, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, yet the rise of flexible and remote working arrangements, as well as advancements in technology, could soon make this idea a reality for more workers.

While this practice is increasingly common in European countries, associate editor Amanda Schiavo rounds up which companies are leading the way: Wonderlic, Bolt, and Service Direct are a few of the U.S.-based companies experimenting with this truncated schedule.

Read more: 10 companies that have adopted the 4-day workweek

Want to design a better office? Talk to your employees with diverse needs first

The traditional workspace isn’t actually working for everyone — and maybe never has. Executive editor Alyssa Place connects with workplace historian Jennifer Kaufmann-Buhler to explore how the office can be better designed for people with disabilities and diverse needs.

“We're seeing a moment in which after years and years of accessibility being treated as an afterthought, we have this benefit where access actually could be a real thing for people with very different life situations or with very different bodily needs,” she says.

Read more: Want to design a better office? Talk to your employees with diverse needs first

Are fertility benefits a right or a privilege? An infertility specialist weighs in

According to the CDC, 6.1 million women struggle to get or stay pregnant. Yet, only 15 states require private healthcare insurers to provide some sort of fertility treatment. Still, larger employers have upped their fertility offerings for employees. Between 2015 and 2020, companies with over 500 employees saw an overall 4% increase in drug therapy, IVF and egg-freezing benefits, according to Mercer’s National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans.

Associate editor Deanna Cuadra speaks to an infertility specialist on what infertility means for employees, and why employers and health insurers need to up their coverage, if they haven’t already.

Read more: Are fertility benefits a right or a privilege? An infertility specialist weighs in

Glassdoor names its top 25 places to work in 2022

Instead of 401(k)s and company holidays, employees want support for family building, a focus on women’s health, more action on DEI and robust financial wellness resources to meet pandemic-related challenges.

And some employers are really stepping up: career insight platform Glassdoor gathered the top-ranked companies over the past year for their annual list of the Best Places to Work. The rankings are based on employee feedback from Glassdoor reviews, and companies are scored on a five-point scale, based on factors like diversity and inclusion efforts, compensation and benefits, culture and values, and work-life balance. Associate editor Paola Peralta rounds up the top 25.

Read more: Glassdoor names its top 25 places to work in 2022
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