Best Companies to Work for for Professional Development

Feb 17, 2023

Career News

Feb 17, 2023

One way to guarantee career growth: Never stop learning. In fact, a recent study shows that a whopping 96% of respondents said it’s important or very important for them to continuously develop their work-related skills, with the top driver being personal growth. But it’s one thing to educate yourself, and quite another to have the full support of your company behind you. (In the same survey, 58% of workers said they are likely to leave their company if they don’t have access to professional development opportunities.) Thanks to perks like tuition reimbursement and free trainings, the companies below have made learning a celebrated part of their culture.

Professional development is just one of the seven perk and benefits categories we highlight in the 2022 VIBE Awards. “VIBE” stands for “voted in by employees.” As the name suggests, our methodology combined our own data as well as votes from employees, who ranked the strength of their company’s perks and benefits. Each category includes winners and honorable mentions for small (up to 250 employees), medium (251 to 5,000), and large (more than 5,000) companies.

Employees at Good Apple, a winner among the small companies, celebrate the company’s dedication to internal mobility and opportunities to attend conferences and receive training from professional coaches. “I’ve been at Good Apple for six months and have already done more in my team here than I did in the last two years at my previous agency,” says one employee. “I’m grateful to the company for helping me continue to grow in my career.”

A medium-sized company winner, Brilliant Earth, offers a variety of ways for team members to learn and grow. “I’ve taken countless courses on LinkedIn Learning and Coursera, many focused on diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as excel, data analysis, and talent acquisition,” says an employee. “I’ve also participated in a few cohorts with LifeLabs Learning, which have allowed me to improve my leadership, time management, organizational, and collaboration skills tremendously.”

And at Boston Consulting Group, which earned one of the top spots for large companies, new hires feel supported the minute they join the company. “From day one, BCG connected me with mentors and resources to make sure that I’m always learning and advancing in the exact direction I want my career to go,” says one respondent.

Read on for the full list of winners in the professional development category.

SMALL COMPANIES

GOOD APPLE

Who they are: This independent ad agency that works with clients in a range of industries, from fashion to healthcare.

What employees are saying: “Good Apple encourages us to attend industry conferences in person and virtually. They also provide coaching and pay for us to get certifications in all necessary platforms and study on company time.”

INTRADIEM

Who they are: Intradiem develops AI-powered technology that allows back-end offices and contact centers handling customer service issues to work more efficiently.

What employees are saying: “Leadership is always asking what I want in my own career progression and what they can do to ensure I have the tools needed. They aren’t just empty words since I know many people, including myself, have been internally promoted or made lateral moves into another department to pursue a different path.”

MOMNT

Who they are: This fintech company offers a platform that businesses and consumers can use to streamline digital lending and payments.

What employees are saying: “Opportunity at Momnt is here for the taking. My career has grown exponentially since joining the company.”

HONORABLE MENTION: GAMECHANGER

HONORABLE MENTION: PROMENADE GROUP

MEDIUM COMPANIES

BRILLIANT EARTH

Who they are: Brilliant Earth sells jewelry made with ethically sourced diamonds and other gemstones.

What employees are saying: “I have utilized our tuition reimbursement program to take a negotiation course as well as earn my diversity leadership certification, which helped me found and lead our Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council. Our internal training teams have created a vast amount of content related to leadership development, general business skills, and interesting industry-specific topics.”

FLATIRON HEALTH

Who they are: The healthtech company is focused on accelerating cancer research and improving patient care.

What employees are saying: “I have used the generous external learning allowance to attend conferences and purchase materials that are relevant to my work and professional development. ‘Learn, Teach, Grow’ days provide dedicated time to devote to professional development activities.”

KINAXIS

Who they are: This software company provides supply chain planning solutions to industries ranging from aerospace to consumer products.

What employees are saying: “We have a generous professional development budget that I’ve used to take courses and attend conferences. We also have a company-wide LinkedIn Learning subscription that I use when I need to quickly brush up on topics for my daily work. Both options help me stay current in my industry and grow as a people manager.”

HONORABLE MENTION: DOLBY

HONORABLE MENTION: DTCC

LARGE COMPANIES

BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP

Who they are: This global consulting firm works alongside other businesses to help solve real-world problems.

What employees are saying: “BCG has learning and development coaches available at any time. Whether it’s a personal question, a one-time professional issue, or longer-term career development planning, there is a wealth of expertise and resources to lean on. Additionally, we have one of the most comprehensive online learning platforms as well as regular trainings, mentorship programs, and consistent feedback and evaluation so that you are able to grow quickly in your career.”

CHICK-FIL-A

Who they are: Chick-fil-A is one of the largest American fast-food chains and is known for its chicken sandwiches.

What employees are saying: “There are so many development opportunities available with Chick-fil-A, it could nearly be a part-time job. In-house offerings are available to employees, and there’s a stipend to gain additional development so we can meet personal professional goals. In addition, there is a true open-door policy when it comes to connecting with others across the organization, including executives and those in the C-suite.”

PALO ALTO NETWORKS

Who they are: This cybersecurity company provides cutting-edge defense against cyber attacks.

What employees are saying: “We have so many options for development. In the past year, I’ve been able to hear from leaders in everything from leadership to mental health, attended a Marketing Learning Day, and was funded to attend an industry conference. All of these have reinvigorated my passion for the job, given me new tools, and made me feel valued.”