California Business Minute™

Hi, I am Tim Johnson and welcome to the California Business Minute

Most Admired, or Best to Work for, in either case, Fortune has released its
annual rankings of the Top 100.

However, to pick the 100 Best Companies, Fortune partners with the Great Place
to Work Institute to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate
America. Three hundred forty-three companies participated in this year's survey. 

Two-thirds of a company's score is based on the results of the Institute's Trust
Index survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company.
The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management's
credibility, job satisfaction, and camaraderie. The other third of the scoring
is based on the company's responses to the Institute's Culture Audit, which
includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of
open-ended questions about hiring, communication, and diversity.

Last year, the number one company was Cupertino-based Apple.  While the number
one ranked business in 2010 is not from California but is North Carolina-based
SAS.  However, California businesses do rule the Top Ten and comprises 15 percent
of the total.

Google is#4; Nugget Markets is #5; DreamWorks Animation, SKG is #6; NetApp is #7;
and Qualcomm is #9.

Others on the list include: Cisco #16; Genentech #19; Scripps Health #40; Adobe
Systems #42; Brocade Communications #61; Mattel #78; Intuit#94; Orrick, Harrington
and Sutcliffe #95 and Intel #98.

Any company that is at least seven years old with more than 1,000 U.S. employees
is eligible. The deadline for applying for next year's list is April 2, 2010. For
an online nomination form, go to www.greatplacetowork.com      

I am Tim Johnson and this has been the California Business Minute.