According to a press release from employee branding company Universum, young professionals in the U.S. would rather work at tech companies than investment banks, government agencies or healthcare organizations.
In Universum's study, over half of the ten most popular places to work were tech-related, while every investment bank on the list had become less desirable since the previous year's rankings, reports The Wall Street Journal. Bank of America Merrill Lynch saw the most dramatic decline, dropping 29 spots to number 77.
The data comes from a survey of 6,700 workers under 40 who have been employed for 1-8 years, according to a statement Universum provided The Huffington Post. Participants were asked to choose one to five top workplaces from a list of 200 companies.
How a potential employee perceives a company's brand is apparently an important factor when he is considering whether or not he wants to work there. As a Universum representative told CNET earlier this year, "Companies that have appealing consumer brands generally also succeed in being perceived as attractive employers."
It's not just that people want to work at the places that produce their favorite products and services, they want to work at places where corporate culture is important. The three most popular companies in Universum's study all had corporate cultures that are almost as well-publicized as their products and services. Young professionals who participated in the study were apparently looking for well-rounded work places that offer more than just a typical desk job. At one of the top three companies all meals are provided by the employer. At another, employees get free laundry service, photo processing and leather repair.
The benefits of a strong corporate identity don't stop once you're hired. In a separate study examining employee satisfaction, Universum found that more satisfied employees worked for companies that had a strong image associated with them. "Employers who have a strong and clear employer image have more satisfied employees," research analyst Melissa Burdette said, according to Universum's release of that study. "Therefore it is important for employers to understand and define who they are as an employer and make sure they demonstrate this internally to keep employees satisfied, as well as externally to attract new talent."
Take a look at Universum's list of the most desirable companies where young professionals want to work (below). Visit Universum's website to view the entire list of American young professionals' top choices for employers in 2011. Then, check out our recent slideshow featuring top tech companies where engineers most want to work, as well as the top 10 fastest-growing trends in tech jobs.
