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Welcoming environments make these 50 companies exceptional.
Welcoming environments make these 50 companies exceptional.

The 50 Best Places to Work in 2019

Powder days and gear bonuses are great, but welcoming environments that prioritize the work-life balance are what really make these companies exceptional

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Originally Published Updated

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1. TDA_Boulder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Full-service advertising agency
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: $103,000
Vacation time: Three weeks paid time off (PTO) to start
Perks: Half-day summer Fridays, local brews and kombucha on tap, powder days, and fun outings like Rockies baseball games
What employees say: “We’re incredibly fortunate to live and work in an outdoor playground. People can leave the office at lunchtime for a trail run up Mount Sanitas or head over to Boulder Creek to wet a line. And it doesn’t hurt that our office looks and feels like a ski chalet, complete with a working wintertime fireplace.” 

2. Forum Phi Architecture

Location: Aspen and Carbondale, Colorado  
Focus: Architecture, interior design, and land-planning services
Number of employees: 29
Average salary: $72,000
Vacation time: 18 days PTO to start
Perks: A complimentary ski pass, powder days when there’s more than six inches of new snow, and hosted outings like river floats, scavenger hunts, hut trips, and BBQs in the park
What employees say: “Our firm’s culture is based on embracing and immersing ourselves in the natural beauty around us and a flexible work schedule, allowing for a solid work-life balance. That immersion allows for a boost in energy and creativity, and the effect is a better work atmosphere for our team and better design for our clients.”

3. GroundFloor Media

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy GroundFloor Media/Stephanie Friday)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Advertising, public relations, marketing
Number of employees: 24
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: On-tap kombucha and beer, a meditation room, a café, a Mrs. Pac-Man machine, and a paid sabbatical after ten years
What employees say: “Our recent office renovation includes a meditation room, which offers a quiet space for employees to reset at any time throughout the workday. Team members are also greeted by a different office dog on various days of the week. These pups immediately energize the mood and bring a smile to our team members’ and clients’ faces.” 

4. Ergodyne

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Ergodyne)

Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota 
Focus: Work and safety gear
Number of employees: 56
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: An on-site gym, twice-weekly yoga, company outings like wine tastings and chili cook-offs, and a wellness program that turns points for healthy activities (endurance events, yoga, eating fruits and veggies) into dollars at the year’s end 
What employees say: “The general vibe, personal freedoms, and high-performing, creative environment is incredibly rewarding, and it’s sticky—meaning it results in good people staying for a long time. And let’s be honest, the few short months we have with gorgeous weather, we like our people to get outside when they can. Monthly 5Ks around the lake, half-day Fridays, tailgating before ballgames, and more allow our folks to enjoy this beautiful state at its best.”

5. Power Digital Marketing

Location: San Diego, California
Focus: Digital marketing
Number of employees: 95
Average salary: $68,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Healthy catered lunches, a dog-friendly office, monthly company events from yacht parties to busing to local breweries, and an annual all-inclusive trip
What employees say: “We prioritize our people over everything—except our office dogs—and strongly reinforce our ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality. When we hit our aggressive company goals at the end of the year, we celebrate big with an all-inclusive, company-wide trip. Past trips have included Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.”

6. BSW Wealth Partners

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Financial advisory services
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: $139,000
Vacation time: Five days PTO after 90 days to start
Perks: Annual, all-inclusive ski trips; whitewater rafting, kayaking, Iron Chef–style competitions, and go-kart racing on summer fun days; local B Corp craft beers on tap; remote work options; and breathing exercises before meetings
What employees say: “We deeply respect the importance of balance and believe it’s also important to have fun. We may find ourselves fly-fishing beautiful waters, skiing a powder day, biking a backcountry trail, or even scaling a 1,000-foot wall. Adventure might also mean yoga, meditation, or simply sharing good conversation over a cup of coffee or tea.”

7. WhippleWood CPAs

Location: Littleton, Colorado
Focus: Accounting, business consulting, and tax services
Number of employees: 26
Average salary: $99,200
Vacation time: 16 days PTO to start
Perks: Half-day summer Fridays, professional massages during tax season, a Zen room, employee-led lunchtime yoga, a 401K, and parking-lot skate “board” meetings
What employees say: “We close the office early for a stress-relief event after the tax deadline. This past year, we went to Main Event for our outing. We provided a hot buffet lunch and drink coupons, and then our staff had unlimited passes for the arcade games, high ropes course, laser tag, and bowling. It was a hit.”

8. Global Citizen Year

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Global Citizen Year)

Location: Oakland, California
Focus: A gap-year program that offers cultural-immersion fellowships in Ecuador, Brazil, Senegal, and India
Number of employees: 22 
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: A $500 annual stipend for professional-development courses, another $100 annually to learn something new, a trip to a host country after two years, a book club, and periodic staff retreats in a host country
What employees say: “After three years, we get to—and are encouraged to take—a one-month paid sabbatical to learn, grow, and recharge our batteries. One staff member went to Mexico City to do an intensive language-immersion course, and another did a trek in Nepal.”

9. Western Environmental Law Center

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Focus: Litigates on wildlife, climate, and public-land issues happening throughout the American West
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: $71,300
Vacation time: 20 days PTO annually, with a maximum ten days that can roll over to the following year
Perks: Periodic days off for good weather, an annual staff retreat, and a three-month paid sabbatical every five years
What employees say: “We’re small enough that we all know and care about each other but big enough to take down powerful corporate polluters and government scofflaws. Likewise, we get to do high-level, large-scale work and execute it in places we know and love to explore—places like the Valle Vidal in New Mexico and the Rogue River in Oregon.”

10. SheerID

Location: Portland and Eugene, Oregon
Focus: Digital-verification services
Number of employees: 103
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO, but a minimum of three weeks each year is mandatory
Perks: Cold brew on tap, monthly catered meals, an on-site gym, a stocked kitchen, and commuter reimbursement
What employees say: “Our designer commutes and doesn’t have a car. She had her bike stolen, and literally within a day, everybody had chipped in to buy her a new bike. That speaks to our culture here. It’s an environment where everyone is together. Even our work is based on helping out others.”

11. Duft Watterson

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Duft Watterson)

Location: Boise, Idaho, and San Francisco, California
Focus: Full-service branding and advertising agency
Number of employees: 15
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Minimum three weeks PTO to start, plus more on request
Perks: Periodic Friday afternoons off to ride, ski, or float the Boise River to a microbrewery; a refrigerator stocked with microbrews; paid lunches out and happy hours; profit sharing; and an annual, all-expenses-paid weekend to a mountain resort for staff and families
What employees say: “‘One hundred and eighty degrees from Madison Avenue’ isn’t just our tagline, it’s our mantra. Look outside our windows [in Boise] and you see views of our tree-lined historic downtown and the Boise Mountains and Bogus Basin. We take breaks for mountain-bike rides, skiing, or float trips down the Boise River to clear our heads.”

12. The Frontier Project

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus: Boutique management consultancy
Number of employees: 18
Average salary: $77,500
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO the first year, unlimited PTO thereafter
Perks: A twice-annual health and wellness credit toward things like race fees, meditation retreats, Reiki treatments, or stand-up paddleboards; CEO-led yoga and meditation sessions; paid days off for volunteering
What employees say: “When you’re ‘in it,’ you can take yourself too seriously and lose sight of the good stuff, so we have very intentionally set-up practices to help us stay sane, healthy, and grounded. We bring our dogs to work, welcome new babies to join their parents during post-leave transitions, and invite friends to set up shop at our studio for the day.”

13. Pairin

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Pairin)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Professional-development and hiring software
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: $95,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: An annual mountain retreat, Friday happy hours, indoor bike racks, team hikes, a local climbing-gym discount, musical jam nights, and employer-paid health care
What employees say: “As a company founded by coaches, the Pairin team walks the walk of professional development. Each manager is trained as a coach, and each employee is individually coached to grow professionally and personally.”

14. SmartEtailing

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy SmartEtailing)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Websites, marketing, and integrations for independent bike shops
Number of employees: 57
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 14 days PTO to start
Perks: Happy-hour rides to local breweries, a dog-friendly office, back-patio meditation twice a week, partially reimbursed gym memberships, profit sharing, and deals on bikes and gear
What employees say: “Employees can earn commuter credits for riding their bike into the office, which can be used toward purchasing cycling gear. What we do is bigger than helping people sell bikes. The company encourages, rewards, and supports active lifestyles and giving back.”

15. Choozle

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Digital-advertising software platform
Number of employees: 53
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start
Perks: Board-game lunches, a kickball league, a $100 monthly health and wellness stipend, a $250 quarterly education stipend, day trips to ski Arapahoe Basin, and a biannual summit in Colorado’s mountains with a free day for massages, skiing, or whitewater rafting
What employees say: “I was told my first week by both cofounders that, as a team member at Choozle, my opinions and ideas are not only heard and valued but encouraged. That sentiment means more than stocking the kitchen with beer kegs and snacks—although that helps. I’ve never felt like I couldn’t bring an idea to the forefront, not even in my first few days.”

16. BridgeView IT

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Technology consulting
Number of employees: 16
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start, unlimited after five years
Perks: Half-day summer Fridays, office dogs, work-from-home flexibility, an on-site gym and professional massages, a stocked fridge with beer and wine, opening-day Colorado Rockies games, annual ski trips, quarterly paid days off to volunteer, and a luxury watch on your fifth anniversary  
What employees say: “In-office massages, team outings, ski trips, an early out on Friday—those are just the pluses. The real deal is in the daily work rhythm. [The company] supports us individually in how we each perform our best, in the office and outside the office.”

17. Lone Cone

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Lone Cone)

Location: Boise, Idaho
Focus: Outdoor gear for kids, and selling and marketing outdoor brands on Amazon
Number of employees: 18
Average salary: $58,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Flexible scheduling, the ability to work remote, a downtown office just steps away from the foothills, gear discounts, routine “play days” for boating or skiing, and “Amazing Race” runs through Boise
What employees say: “The great outdoors and driving sales on Amazon might seem like polar opposites, but we find ways to bridge the gap. When the weather’s nice, we open the warehouse door and bring the outside in during group meetings.”

18. Mathys+Potestio

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Mathys+Potestio)

Location: Portland, Oregon
Focus: Boutique creative staffing
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: $70,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Every other Friday off in the summer, fully funded health care, a commuting stipend, a Costco membership, and twice-annual “fun days” for hiking, whitewater rafting, wine tasting, brewery hopping, and cutthroat cornhole tournaments
What employees say: “We love our perks, from office dogs to Trail Blazers tickets to our beer-and-snack-stocked fridge. But the true benefit of working at M and P is the high level of trust and responsibility each employee has. It’s a simple—but still rare—recipe: hire great people that know how to perform and have fun, and give them the freedom and support to do both.”

19. Bonusly

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Bonusly)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Recognition and rewards software for enriching company culture
Number of employees: 28
Average salary: $99,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Organized outings, like twice-weekly afternoon climbing trips, hikes around Boulder, and skiing; $500 annually toward gym memberships or yoga classes; year-round bonuses for fitness gear; sparkling water, local beer, and kombucha on tap
What employees say: “We use our own Bonusly product to recognize and thank team members for helping each other out, accomplishing great results, and going above and beyond. Team members get to both feel appreciated for their contributions and also turn their accomplishments at work into rewards, like hiking and camping gear, donations to their favorite charity, and even a new puppy.”

20. Spawn Ideas

Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Focus: Full-service advertising agency
Number of employees: 43
Average salary: $88,500
Vacation time: 12 days PTO to start, and an additional four weeks (on top of 21 days) after 15 years
Perks: An in-office kegerator, an in-office gym, half-day summer Fridays, paid time off for volunteering, weekly organized hikes, employee stock ownership, family ice fishing, a “Pawternity leave” to bond with new pets or grieve when one passes, and a $200 annual bonus to put toward state-park passes, ski passes, and race-entry fees
What employees say: “Spawners often do more recreationally in a weekend than people dream about for their bucket list. Our Anchorage office overlooks the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail—walking, skiing, biking, and ocean views—and as bona fide perpetual adventurers, we enjoy the camaraderie that comes with challenging work and enviable outdoor fun.”

21. Uncharted

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Social-impact accelerator
Number of employees: 15
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 25 paid flex days, plus 10 holidays, and your birthday off
Perks: Work from anywhere on Tuesdays and Fridays; a snack-stocked kitchen; an annual staff retreat in the mountains; a monthly team activity, such as biking to a local park, re-creating school field days, or cheering for the Rockies; and impromptu get-togethers, like the staff volleyball-league games, board-game nights, and concerts at Red Rocks
What employees say: “Our team works tirelessly to support people who are tackling the world’s biggest problems, but we know it’s important to make time for our other passions. Our incredible time-off policy has led to visiting slobbery sled dogs in Alaska, exploring and eating our way across Europe, and braving extended backpacking trips in Colorado.”

22. Montana Wilderness Association

Location: Helena, Montana
Focus: Nonprofit conservation organization
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: $52,800
Vacation time: 24 days PTO, plus a week off during the winter holidays
Perks: Four paid trail days annually to explore the Montana wilderness; an annual three-day staff adventure, like backpacking or a river trip; a paid three-month sabbatical after five years; bonuses for green commutes and exercise; walking meetings; indoor bike storage; and an annual WildFest shindig around the state for work, with hiking and beers.
What employees say: “We have six dog-friendly offices, and each one is in a skiing, paddling, biking, hiking, fishing or climbing hot spot across the state, so a dawn-patrol or after-work adventure is always on the cards.”

23. Creative Alignments

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Creative Alignments)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Recruitment firm
Number of employees: 30
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start
Perks: Catered lunch every Wednesday, impromptu midday group walks on a creek path, in-office showers, a softball team, healthy snacks, a dog-friendly office, and an annual paid ski day and hiking day
What employees say: “CA has a very open and flexible work environment, with people supported and empowered to do their job well. This does not just apply to professional support. If someone in the company is in need, professionally or personally, there is a line of people available to help them at the drop of a hat.”

24. commonFont

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy CommonFont)

Location: Bozeman, Montana
Focus: Experience-management technology solutions
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Company-volunteer events to maintain trails, animal-T-shirt Fridays, themed bowling parties, fully stocked snack bar, craft-brew kegerator, catered lunches, and company happy hours
What employees say: “commonFont’s high-energy teammates engage in monthly fitness challenges that often develop spontaneously. When visitors arrive and the entire office is doing wall sits, burpees, or star jumps, we try to encourage them to join in.”

25. Avid4 Adventure

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Operates day camps, resident camps, and expeditions in Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, and Minneapolis
Number of employees: 22
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Monthly outings to crags, tails, and creeks; free use of Avid4 gear (mountain bikes, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards); free bike tune-ups; an annual, paid-for multi-day adventure to Moab, Utah, each spring; reimbursed climbing-gym memberships; an annual three-day mountain retreat; pro deals on gear; and an anniversary program that rewards full-time staff annually with branded merchandise, money for outdoor equipment, and a one-month paid vacation with a flight and a stipend to anywhere in the world
What employees say: “We’re lucky. We get to go rock climbing and mountain biking, paddling, and hiking with kids, so it’s a relatively easy job for us. And we have a lot of fun stories about people meeting at Avid and falling in love.” 

26. CampMinder

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Web-based platforms and solutions for summer-camp operators
Number of employees: 55
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Weekly seasonal-produce deliveries; a meditation room; a $300 annual wellness allowance; outings to breweries, arcades, and camp-inspired relay races; a program called Love Leaves in which employees enter for an end-of-year prize, like an all-expense-paid trip to South America
What employees say: “Our office is full of ‘camp people,’ which in our humble opinion are the absolute best kind of people: The ones you’d want to skip rocks on the water next to at sunset. The ones you love to laugh with, or at, as they plunge their face into a whipped-cream pie to fish out exactly ten Skittles as fast they possibly can.”

27. LifeOmic

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy LifeOmic)

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Focus: Cloud-based health care software company
Number of employees: 69
Average salary: $125,000
Vacation time: 16 days PTO to start
Perks: Annual pool parties; free gym memberships; weekly catered lunches; flexible work schedules; a breakroom with beer, wine, and snacks; and a biannual all-expenses-paid retreat in Salt Lake City (skiing in the winter, camping in the summer)
What employees say: “How many companies get to go spend two weeks at their CEO’s house in Utah with 70 of their coworkers each year? These trips include a professional chef, morning yoga, skiing down the Park City slopes, and camping in the Uinta Mountains. Companies that tent together, with no electricity, plumbing, or cell service, win together.”

28. Trineo

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Trineo)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Digital products for enterprise companies
Number of employees: 15
Average salary: $110,000
Vacation time: Four weeks PTO
Perks: A paid volunteer day, weekly yoga, an on-site gym, and the annual TrineoCon, consisting of mountain biking, ski trips, helicopter rides, or water-skiing 
What employees say: “We’ve introduced a new program called Seva Days. Seva is the Sanskrit word for “service,” and formally, it means “selfless service.” During our 2019 TrineoCon, we will be spending part of our day helping improve our planet and the impact we have on it.” 

29. SportRx

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy SportRx)

Location: San Diego, California
Focus: Custom prescription sunglasses and snow goggles
Number of employees: 65
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Annual ski trips to Mammoth and Big Bear, California; Padres games; lunchtime mountain-bike rides; an on-site warehouse gym; and free or discounted bike and snow gear
What employees say: “Yeah, we’ve got beer on tap, and there’s free food, and we go to baseball games, and we do mountain-biking and skiing events. All that stuff’s cool. But the really special thing at SportRx is that if you have some greatness in you, this is the place you can let it out, and it will shine, and it will be noticed, and we’ll help get it out of you. If you think you were meant to live a big life, then your goals can be achieved here.”

30. Sterling-Rice Group

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Brand consulting and creative services
Number of employees: 132
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 17 days PTO to start
Perks: Beer and kombucha on tap; yoga at the local farmers’ market; paid fees for sports teams like kickball, basketball, and volleyball; an all-company powder day at the local ski hill; company bikes; and on-site massage and acupuncture
What employees say: “We’ve participated in the Ragnar relay race since 2015. This year the SRG team consisted of eight employees, which won the corporate division by more than an hour.”

31. FlexJobs

Location: Remote
Focus: An online service for professionals seeking flexible jobs
Number of employees: 57
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Virtual desk flow yoga and belly-dance classes; annual subscriptions to a meditation app; and a “clean living” stipend for fitness activities like race registrations, paddleboard classes, or fitness boot camps
What employees say: “We’ve hiked and biked a total of 335-plus miles as a team over the course of a month, by logging our miles in a Slack group and holding one another accountable to our fitness goals.” 

32. Shine United

Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Focus: Advertising, public relations, and marketing
Number of employees: 44
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start
Perks: A rock-climbing club, sport-watching parties, weekly “Beer 30” gatherings at the downstairs bar, half-day summer Fridays, and a $10,000 sabbatical stipend after ten years
What employees say: “Working at Shine means turning up in the morning to find a mimosa and Bloody Mary bar after a big campaign win. Or biking to the food carts at lunch or the downtown farmers’ market with colleagues.”

33. Realeflow

Location: Parma Heights, Ohio
Focus: Real estate investing software and education
Number of employees: 39
Average salary: $74,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Half-day summer Fridays; work-from-home flexibility; company outings, like Cleveland Indians games; a three-week paid sabbatical after six years with two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world; and a fridge stocked with healthy snacks, local beer, and spiked seltzer
What employees say: “We are totally dedicated to making working at Realeflow a fun, laid-back experience that allows everyone the time and flexibility to always be able to put family first.”  

34. Young & Laramore

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Young & Laramore)

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Focus: Full-service advertising agency
Number of employees: 60
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start
Perks: Company bikes for riding around downtown; showers and lockers for workday runs and rides; a subsidized YMCA membership; a room for meditation, prayer, or quiet time; beer Thursdays; company events, like softball, euchre nights, or citywide pedal-pub races; and a two-day retreat each spring in the hills of southern Indiana 
What employees say: “We offer every employee a hundred bucks to spend on something that feeds their creative side. We call it the Y&L Creativity Fund. And people are doing cool stuff with it: taking cooking classes, learning calligraphy, studying improv, getting a new guitar. Anything counts, as long as it inspires you or helps you see the world differently or gives you tools to create.”

35. Promotional Products Association International

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Promotional Products Association International)

Location: Irving, Texas
Focus: A nonprofit serving the promotional-products industry
Number of employees: 78
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 18 days PTO to start
Perks: An annual animal-themed obstacle race to raise money for animal rescue; team-building fitness challenges, like marshmallow archery, black-light dodgeball, ax throwing, and escape rooms; volunteer walks for a cause; chair massages; an outdoor patio; and flexible summer hours
What employees say: “PPAI is dedicated to our team’s quality work life, which involves committees that organize our annual Race for the Rescues and cornhole Tournament and host two annual staff outings, along with quarterly birthday celebrations, Halloween-costume contests, chili cook-offs, and food-truck treats.”

36. East West Partners

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy East West Partners)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Develops, manages, and sells real estate
Number of employees: 773
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 12 days PTO to start
Perks: Regular ski and hike breaks; organized ski days; an annual wellness incentive equal to the value of a local mountain-resort ski pass; free fitness classes; organized events, like kickball games, softball leagues, Rockies games, and trips to Moab, Utah; a company snowshoe-running team; and an annual ski-hut trip
What employees say: “East West commits to supporting wellness by sponsoring an employee snowshoe team to participate in the Beaver Creek Mountain Running Series and funding windbreaker team jackets. These races are really a fun way to meet some other coworkers and enjoy a healthy mountain adventure.”

37. Southwest Michigan First

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Focus: Economic-development organization
Number of employees: 27
Average salary: $97,000
Vacation time: 15 days PTO to start
Perks: Fully stocked kitchen, half-day summer Fridays, chair massages, and HIIT and yoga classes in the courtyard
What employees say: “Some of the best parts of working at Southwest Michigan First are the little things—they really add up. In the summer months, we have half-day Fridays to take advantage of the beautiful Michigan weather while it lasts. And for every day in between, our kitchen is always fully stocked with our team’s favorites, which we each add to our shopping list.”

38. Fuse

Location: Burlington, Vermont
Focus: Teen and young-adult marketing
Number of employees: 35
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start
Perks: Office dogs; an annual season ski pass; rec space with a skateboard halfpipe, fitness equipment, and weekly yoga classes; an annual stipend for outdoor activities, gear, race fees, or gym memberships; and an extra week of vacation and special gifts, like surfing, snowboarding, or diving trips, every five years 
What employees say: “Fuse has stand-up paddleboards for staff to use on nearby Lake Champlain or anywhere in Vermont. We also have a camper van to use to access camping, hiking, and climbing areas. In addition to our staff getting a season’s pass to their resort of choice, we have an annual Fuse ski and ride day at Stowe Mountain Resort.” 

39. Geocaching HQ

Location: Seattle, Washington
Focus: A geocaching-adventure app
Number of employees: 74
Average salary: Not provided 
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start 
Perks: Two paid hours of geocaching each month, access to a stocked gear closet, unlimited ski and snowboard lift tickets to any mountain in the world, an internal geocaching program with global travel opportunities, and a paid four-week sabbatical every seven years
What employees say: “From the unique perks to the collaboration and support you get from your coworkers and leaders, Geocaching HQ truly embodies the meaning of work-life balance and playing where you work. We are driven by passion, authenticity, and effectiveness, and these core values are illustrated throughout the organization, from its leadership to each and every lackey.”

40. Small Giants

Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
Focus: Full-service marketing for commercial real estate
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start
Perks: Team activities like monthly hikes, daily walks, and lunch workouts; a dog-friendly office; paid-for continuing education; a midyear retreat that includes kayaking and wine tasting at a vineyard; and an annual two-night, all-expenses-paid retreat for staff and families
What employees say: “In June, the entire company determines the status of how our annual goals are tracking, and then we have lunch and a kayaking day. In December, the company heads to Prescott, Arizona, for a two-night, all-inclusive retreat to plan and set goals for the coming year and enjoy needed downtime. We have a hiking club, wine club, book club, wellness club, and many more. Additionally, we offer yoga classes and a completely flexible work environment for all.”

41. First Descents

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy First Descents)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Outdoor-adventure programs for young adults impacted by cancer
Number of employees: 20
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 27 days PTO
Perks: Kombucha and beer on tap, adjustable sit-to-stand desks, weekly office meditation, a monthly health and wellness stipend, paid maternity leave, an annual ski day, and pro-deal gear discounts
What employees say: “We are a community of people ‘Out Living It,’ so it only makes sense we’d spend quality time outside as often as possible. We have what we refer to as quarterly Freaky Fridays, where we spend time outside the office as a team. Past excursions have included an annual A-Basin ski day, tubing down the South Platte River, and a day adventuring at Wellington Lake.”

42. BrainStorm

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy BrainStorm)

Location: American Fork, Utah
Focus: Helps large organizations adopt and use software
Number of employees: 133
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 12 days PTO to start, plus three paid volunteer days
Perks: Corporate ski passes to a local resort; bimonthly out-of-office activities, like Provo River floats, volleyball tournaments, or snow tubing; bimonthly service outings to volunteer at animal shelters or clean up parks and rivers; adventure-grant opportunities; and a paid sabbatical after ten years
What employees say: “Perks like being able to volunteer at local schools every week or the Boom Campaign, where employees can accomplish a big goal, like climbing Machu Picchu or learning to make chocolate in France, allow employees to grow and develop personally, not just professionally.”

43. Foundant Technologies

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Foundant Technologies)

Location: Bozeman, Montana
Focus: Grant-management software
Number of employees: 95
Average salary: $75,000
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: A dog-friendly office, office sports teams, Mountain Bike Mondays on nearby trails, wellness benefits to offset the cost of fitness and ski packages, and a $1,000 annual-vacation bonus ($1,500 after five years)
What employees say: “Because of our open-vacation policy and added vacation bonus money, many team members have been able to take trips they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford. One team member took his honeymoon in Croatia. Another has been to Norway for an extended photography and hiking trip. And still another is went on a two-week exploration of Thailand in April.”

44. Buzz Franchise Brands

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Focus: Multi-brand franchiser of home services
Number of employees: 25
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO to start, plus a paid volunteer day
Perks: Weekly happy hours, a discounted gym membership, monthly social events, an office pool table and Ping-Pong table, a workout room (the “sanity suite”), an annual off-site company trip, professional-development opportunities, and a nearby beach
What employees say: “Between our regular Lunch and Learns and monthly social events, we are constantly learning something new, from finance and software to ax throwing, shuffleboard, painting, and more. The best part is that we’re doing it with a great group of people—a.k.a. Buzzards—who we truly enjoy spending time with.”

45. Ascent360

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus: Digital marketing and customer data mining
Number of employees: 33
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Three weeks PTO to start
Perks: Monthly team-building events, like hikes, happy hours, and cornhole; a dog-friendly office; an annual company ski day; paid time off to camp and run the Ragnar relay race in Snowmass, Colorado; a subsidized gym membership; stock options; and pro deals on gear
What employees say: “Ascent360 is nestled in the foothills, only a short drive away from downtown Denver or the solitude of the Rocky Mountains. We have great views and amazing options for mountain biking, trail running, road cycling, CrossFit, and more right outside our doorsteps.”

46. Skullcandy

Location: Park City, Utah
Focus: Makes headphones and earbuds
Number of employees: 130
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Unlimited PTO
Perks: Powder days; an in-office halfpipe skate ramp, basketball court, foosball and Ping-Pong tables, beer on tap, a band room with musical instruments, and an event space; an outside patio with a fire pit; half-day summer Fridays; food trucks every other Thursday and team BBQs every other Friday; ski-pass and gym-membership reimbursements; weekly yoga; indoor storage for bikes and boards; a custom skate deck awarded on employees’ three-year anniversary and every year after; and an annual company ski day at Park City Mountain Resort
What employees say: “One of our company values is First Chair, Last Call, which is our way of saying work hard, play hard, and we live this every day. With three different ski areas within 15 minutes of our office and 450 miles of trails out our back door, we work hard so that we can get out and play at every opportunity, winter or summer. When we aren’t playing outside, we’re hosting beer-making competitions, chili cook-offs, themed BBQs, and a very competitive Halloween-costume competition.”

47. The Garrett Companies

Location: Greenwood, Indiana
Focus: Development, construction, and asset management
Number of employees: 60
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Four weeks PTO
Perks: A 24-hour fitness center, weekly yoga classes (twice weekly in summer), monthly massage therapy, and haircuts all on-site; half-day summer Fridays; office teams for adventure racing, 5Ks, and Spartan races; office Ping-Pong, standing-long-jump, and 100-meter-dash challenges; and a one-week, all-expenses-paid ski retreat in Telluride, Colorado
What employees say: “In short, our company is awesome because our perks are over the top, we provide incredible career-growth opportunities, no one feels captive, and people can see the results of their talents every day.”

48. C1S Group

Location: Dallas, Texas
Focus: Engineering, construction, and sustainability consulting
Number of employees: 22
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: 15 days PTO, plus one paid service day
Perks: A remote work policy, “walk and talk” meetings on a trail behind the office, a flex-time summer schedule, standing desks, and a fitness team that competes in paid-for challenges and fun runs
What employees say: “We are incredibly proud of the work we do, but we always remember that our people are so much more than employees. They are fathers, mothers, first-time uncles, church leaders, world travelers, caregivers, rock climbers, surfers, music lovers, newlyweds, sports fans, and fashionistas. C1S embraces and supports the whole person.”

49. Infinite Energy

Location: Gainesville, Florida
Focus: Natural-gas utility company
Number of employees: 299
Average salary: $95,000
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO after one year to start
Perks: An on-campus, 24-hour gym; CrossFit, yoga, and tai chi classes; a half-mile campus walking trail; outings to zip lines, local springs, and ropes courses; chair massages; on-campus food trucks; free concert tickets; and a new in-office escape room
What employees say: “Most days, Infinite Energy is buzzing with excitement. Whether it’s a Ping-Pong tournament going on outside, a dunk tank being set up to raise money for charity, or a team packing up to head to the beach for the afternoon, there’s rarely a dull day in the office. We’ve had goats stop by, been given a crisp $100 bill for meeting a goal, or surprised with a catered breakfast just to say thanks.”

50. Powder7

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus: Retail ski equipment
Number of employees: 21
Average salary: Not provided
Vacation time: Two weeks PTO after one year 
Perks: Flexible scheduling (and midweek ski days), ski-pass reimbursement, company-paid ski trips, biking and running trails near the office, company happy hours and bonding events, and a professional-development budget for each full-time employee
What employees say: “If you want to go skiing, whether it’s a blower pow day or a ripping groomer day, you can grab skis from our employee demo fleet of 50-plus pairs. You’ll also have no trouble finding someone to go with you—and stopping for a spicy chicken sandwich and Colorado IPA on the way back. In summer we nerd out on mountain biking, trail running, and boating together.”


Honorable Mentions

AmeriCan Adventures

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy AmeriCan Adventures)

Location: Santa Rosa, California
Focus: Operates active, small group trips to national parks and wilderness lands

Asia Transpacific Journeys

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Travel agency and tour operator

Backbone Media

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
Focus: Brand marketing and PR agency

Beach Cities Health District

Location: Redondo Beach, California
Focus: Preventative health care

Best Version Media

Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Focus: Publishes neighborhood publications across the U.S.

Bluetent

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Bluetent)

Location: Carbondale, Colorado
Focus: Digital agency for travel and tourism

Carrot

Location: Roseburg, Oregon
Focus: Real estate investment

Charles Cunniffe Architects

Location: Aspen, Colorado
Focus: Architecture, planning, and interiors

Colorado Outward Bound School

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Outdoor learning and leadership programs

EverCheck

Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Focus: Health care license monitoring

FBC Remodel

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy FBC Remodel)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: A design-build remodel firm

G5

Location: Bend, Oregon
Focus: Real estate marketing cloud

Gcommerce

Location: Park City, Utah
Focus: Hotel digital marketing

Geographic Expeditions

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus: Adventure travel

Gu Energy Labs

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Gu Energy Labs)

Location: Berkeley, California
Focus: Hydration and recovery nutrition products

Haberman

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Haberman)

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Focus: Advertising, public relations, and marketing

Hanson Dodge

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Hanson Dodge)

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Focus: Integrated marketing

Hurricane Island Outward Bound School

Location: Camden, Maine 
Focus: Outdoor learning and leadership programs

IDX Broker

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Focus: Software for the real estate industry

JRF Ortho

Location: Centennial, Colorado
Focus: Matches tissue donors to patients for reconstruction surgery

JumpCloud

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Cloud-based directory services

Kion

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Peak-performance products, consulting, and coaching

Maui Resort Rentals

Location: Lahaina, Hawaii
Focus: Vacation rentals

Mazama Media

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Mazama Media)

Location: Bend, Oregon
Focus: Social-media and digital marketing

Mondo Robot

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Creative digital agency

Moving Mountains

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Moving Mountains)

Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Focus: Vacation rentals

N2 Publishing

Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Focus: Neighborhood publishing

Namasté Solar

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Employee-owned renewable-energy cooperative

Natural Habitat Adventures

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Natural Habitat Adventures)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Adventure travel and nature tours

New Belgium Brewing

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy New Belgium Brewing)

Location: Fort Collins, Colorado; Asheville, North Carolina
Focus: Employee-owned craft-beer brewery

Ninkasi Brewing Company

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy Ninkasi Brewing Company)

Location: Eugene, Oregon
Focus: Microbrewery

Nuun Hydration

Location: Seattle, Washington
Focus: Electrolyte tablets

Outward Bound California

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus: Outdoor learning and leadership programs

Pax8

Location: Greenwood Village, Colorado
Focus: Cloud distribution

Putney Student Travel

Location: Putney, Vermont
Focus: Summer-abroad programs for high school and middle school students

R&R Partners

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy R&R Partners)

Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Focus: Marketing and advocacy

RA Nelson

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy RA Nelson)

Location: Avon, Colorado
Focus: Full-service general contractor

Scott Dunn USA

Location: Solana Beach, California
Focus: Luxury tour operator

Spire Digital 

Location: Denver, Colorado
What it does: Custom software development

Spyderco

Location: Golden, Colorado
Focus: A knife and accessories outlet

Stasher

Location: Emeryville, California
Focus: Reusable silicone bags

Stio

Location: Jackson, Wyoming
Focus: Outdoor apparel

SummitCove Vacation Lodging

Location: Keystone, Colorado
Focus: Short-term vacation lodging

TeamSnap

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy TeamSnap)

Location: Boulder, Colorado
Focus: Integrated sports-team, club, and league management

The Honest Kitchen

Location: San Diego, California
Focus: All-natural pet food

ThrivePass

The Best Places to Work in 2019
(Courtesy ThrivePass)

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: A comprehensive platform for managing employee benefits

Toad&Co

Location: Santa Barbara, California
Focus: Eco-friendly apparel

Turner

Location: Denver, Colorado
Focus: Public relations, social media, and digital communications

Wilderness Travel

Location: San Francisco, California
Focus: Adventure travel tours

Workshop Digital

Location: Richmond, Virginia
Focus: Digital marketing agency

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