A large company does not necessarily have the greatest job security.
In fact, the largest U.S. companies were twice as likely to have layoffs as the nation’s best workplaces, according to 
GreatPlaceJobs.com, a Web site that lists employment opportunities only at companies named to various “great workplaces” lists.
GreatPlaceJobs compared the layoff records of companies on Fortune magazine’s 100 Largest U.S. Companies and Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. The results:
- 44% of excellent employers have laid off workers since January 2008
- 86% of the biggest companies have had layoffs.
The great workplaces also had a little better financial performance. The first-quarter revenue growth rate was 2.3% better and the average stock price was 1.1% higher than at the largest companies, reports GreatPlaceJobs co-founder Miriam Salpeter.
Both groups had lower revenues in Q1 2009 than Q1 2008, but the great workplaces experienced a 7.1% decline, whereas the big workplaces had a 9.4% drop.
GreatPlaceJobs is the brainchild of Orange County native and UC Irvine grad Asher Adelman, who also founded eBossWatch and Workplace Democracy Association.
The findings are more evidence that there’s less security than imagined at giant corporations. A pleasant work environment is a better predictor of long-term job prospects than a well-known name or massive revenues.
“By providing an excellent work environment, great employers benefit from employees with higher levels of motivation, Loyalty and creativity,” Adelman said. “It should come as no surprise that happy employees work harder and smarter.”
Other business stories….
- These baby blankets are made of bamboo?
- O.C. firm signs $51 million Saudi Arabian deal
- Former NASA programmer creates ‘Wow’ environments
- Out-of-town companies buy 2 O.C. firms
- O.C. college buys a trade school
- Do you have O.C.’s ugliest bathroom?
- O.C. company buys its 10th business
- O.C. businessman to lead global entrepreneurs group
- Welcome to Kazakhforneeya
- Small-business profits hit hardest in 35 years
- Print shop closing after ejection from Platinum Triangle
- Three O.C. hospitals lay off 159
- Christmas in July at Toys “R” Us
- Update: IRS suspends some tax fines until Sept. 30
- State business tax income down $531 million through May
- Businesses, taxpayer groups launch anti-tax campaign
- Are you paying this cell phone tax?
My vote for the OC company most likely to lay off workers: The Orange County Register. How could it not. 1-On the verge of BK 2-Dying industry 3-Bad management choices 4-Poor onine revenue to make up for lost print revenue.
hahahaha so true. all these newspapers will layoff peeps.
All of them?
Very clever, Ed. I should have thought of it.
Jan Norman
i hope! ocr blows!
look at some of the cheap labor they hire!
I have heard there will be lay-offs at Boeing, which is a major employer in So Cal.
The OC Register is so out of touch. All I see are female writers which have a liberal biased view of the world. When did this newspaper stop becoming an advocate for the people. They no longer do investigative journalism. All they do is copy stuff off the API and print it. They are no longer objective and unbiased. Their grammar is awful and they constantly miss-spell words. Heh OC Register, here is a tip for you. Did you ever think to investigate the widespread fradulant use of social security numbers at Cal Jobs. Ineligible people are receiving state benefits by using SSN’s that don’t belong to them. All you have to do is go out and mingle with the people to find these things. Oh, I’m sorry, you can’t leave your nice air conditioned office and hot latte. Bummer.