The University of Vermont has been ranked in the top 30 of this year’s Forbes “America’s Best Midsize Employers” list.
Only eight colleges and universities rank higher than UVM’s 27th spot on the list, and only one of them (Boston College) is in New England. UVM ranks ahead of Princeton and Baylor universities, who took the 29th and 30th spots, respectively. The University of Vermont Health Network was ranked 36, up from 51 last year.
“It is a great feeling for UVM to stand out as one of the best employers of its size in the country,” said Wanda Heading-Grant, vice president for human resources, diversity and multicultural affairs. “One of our top priorities is ensuring that members of our university community are recognized as our most valuable resource, and that we make the appropriate investments to support our employees in a diverse learning and work environment.”
The list, compiled by Statista Inc. in partnership with Forbes, includes the best 250 mid-sized employers across 25 industry sectors. They also compiled a list of the best 500 large employers. More than 30,000 employees were asked to rate their employers based on 30 work-related attributes. The six main drivers of the employer’s attractiveness were:
- Atmosphere at work and potential for development
- Image
- Working conditions
- Salary/wage
- Workplace
- Diversity
According to a Statista report, the study that produced the lists was motivated by recent changes in the jobs market. “The U.S. labor market is in its strongest position since the financial crisis,” the report states. The report also points out that in January the unemployment rate reached its lowest level in eight years, and that after six years employees are starting to see their earnings increase, making the labor market more competitive.
“In this context,” the report continues, “a number of questions are particularly important for American employers: How do I compare to other employers on the job market? How can I build a better reputation, conduct better practices within my company, and ultimately attract and retain the best candidates?”
The full list of America’s Best Midsize Employers is available at: http://www.forbes.com/best-midsize-employers/list/#tab:rank