Companies discovering that pay, benefits, and flexible work are no longer enough to retain talent.
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Best Practice Institute has unveiled the 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces®, featured in The Economist, and recognizing 100 companies that are discovering that competitive pay, flexible work, and modern benefits are no longer enough to retain talent.
Every company on this list was evaluated using the Love of Workplace Index®, a proprietary sentiment measurement tool developed by the Best Practice Institute that captures how employees actually feel about where they work.
"The companies recognized on the 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list understand that people want to be respected, heard, and valued from the CEO to the front line," said Louis Carter, Founder and CEO of the Best Practice Institute and creator of the Most Loved Workplace® certification and rankings. "What separates these organizations is that accountability does not belong to a select few. People throughout the organization are encouraged to contribute ideas, take ownership, solve problems, and help move the business forward. They create opportunities for people to grow, respect one another, and turn ideas into action. When people know their contributions matter and see their efforts making a real difference, they are more committed, perform at a higher level, and help drive stronger business results."
Why These Workplaces Stand Out
The 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® range from fintech to biopharma to insurance, healthcare, telecom, and gaming.
Some of the organizations on the 2026 list include:
- Donnelley Financial Solutions (DFIN). No. 1 on the 2026 Top 100 list, DFIN has a voluntary turnover rate of less than 6%. This isn't the result of any specific program or initiative, but a specific set of operating decisions designed to engage and develop employees and respond to their feedback. For example, DFIN rebuilt its internal communications function and launched "In the Loop," a company-wide session covering finance, artificial intelligence and service topics. Attendance regularly exceeds 600 employees per session. The company also runs "Leadership Loop," a forum in which VP-level leaders engage directly with executives on strategic direction. Unlike scripted town halls, these forums are designed to move information in both directions.
- O2E Brands, the parent company of home service brands including 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, builds respect by sharing revenue numbers with employees in a daily seven-minute huddle. The practice eliminates the information asymmetry that erodes respect in most organizations.
- IDEAL Industries, a manufacturer with a 100-year operating history, where every annual performance evaluation includes explicit cultural goals. Culture improvement is a measurable responsibility for every employee at the company. Its Unsung Hero award program recognizes employees quarterly for specifically demonstrating the company's values, culminating in an annual awards ceremony hosted by the chief executive and chairwoman of the board. When IDEAL's leadership identified roughly half a dozen senior leaders who were not operating in alignment with the company's cultural goals and values, they were asked to leave the business.
- Kyndryl, one of the world's largest IT infrastructure services providers, which uses what its leadership calls an entrepreneurial operating model, with global industry guilds and a leadership development framework called "The Kyndryl Way" that involves frontline teams in strategic decision-making. This resulted in 90% of Kyndryl employees reporting that they were treated with respect at work and 87% saying they can be themselves at work.
- Synopsys, a chip design software maker, which invites the whole company, not just engineering teams, to participate in innovation. It hosts Pitch Fest, an annual competition where employees from any function develop new ideas and compete for funding to bring them to market. This approach is shared by the highest scorers on the list: they don't treat capability-building as the responsibility of a single part of the organization.
What the Highest-Scoring Companies Have in Common
Based on Love of Workplace Index® data across certified companies globally, the organizations that score highest share specific, measurable practices, Carter said.
"Employees at all levels feel respected, connected to the company's mission, and confident that their voices and contributions matter," Carter said. "In the best organizations, accountability is not limited to leadership. People at every level are empowered to contribute ideas, solve problems, and take action. Organizations move forward when employees and leaders alike focus less on explaining problems and more on owning solutions. A culture of action creates workplaces people love and results that benefit employees, customers, and the business."
How the Rankings Were Determined
The 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list is grounded in proof from employees themselves. Research was conducted by the Best Practice Institute (BPI) using the proprietary Love of Workplace Index® and advanced sentiment analysis. This methodology captures how employees truly experience their workplace, measuring emotional connection, collaboration, respect, alignment of values, and achievement.
Millions of employees were surveyed across companies of all sizes and industries. Hundreds of executives were also interviewed to provide context on culture, leadership, and strategy.
This independent validation ensures the rankings reflect both the lived experiences of employees and a rigorous external assessment of workplace practices.
In the AI era where candidates and employees want to know "what's real" and separate noise from reality, the 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® provides credible, data-driven recognition that employees themselves stand behind.
Explore the Full List
To see the complete 2026 Top 100 Global Most Loved Workplaces® list and company profiles, visit:
https://bestpracticeinstitute.org/top-100-global-most-loved-workplaces-2026
To view the feature in The Economist, visit:
https://insights.economistenterprise.com/projects/2026-top-100-global-most-loved-workplaces
About Most Loved Workplace®
Most Loved Workplace® is a global certification and recognition platform powered by Best Practice Institute. Organizations certified as Most Loved Workplaces® outperform peers in retention, productivity, and customer satisfaction. Based on the Love of Workplace Index®, the model is featured in the bestselling book In Great Company (McGraw-Hill, 2019). To learn more about certifying your company, visit https://certcheck.mostlovedworkplace.com/.
About Best Practice Institute (BPI)
Best Practice Institute (BPI) is a leadership development and benchmark research organization that partners with corporations worldwide to optimize culture, performance, and talent strategy. BPI is the exclusive certifier and research body behind Most Loved Workplace®.
Media Contact
Todd Raphael, Best Practice Institute, 1 714-401-8633, [email protected], https://www.bestpracticeinstitute.org/
SOURCE Best Practice Institute
Share this article