Why People Who Love Their Work Love Their Work: Part I

Employer rating site Glassdoor has just unveiled what their users consider to be the best places to work in the country, based on averages from anonymous reviews.

New York-based management consulting firm Baine & Company topped the list, followed closely by social networking giants Twitter and LinkedIn. Tennessee-based global chemical company Eastman came in fourth and the top five was rounded out by social behemoth Facebook.

But it isn’t just high pay and catered lunches that make people love their jobs. Glassdoor has identified a set of six criteria that all the happiest workplaces have in common, as reported by FastCompany.

Today, we’ll introduce the first two and finish the rest of the list next week.

Mission

People need a sense of purpose in their work to find it satisfying, to make them want to come in and punch the online time clock. The happiest people are the ones with the most meaningful jobs, even if they’re also the ones with the most difficult jobs. We all want to feel like what we’re doing is having a positive impact.

Collegiality

It isn’t just the quality of the work, it’s the quality of the people you’re working with. Having a team of inspiring, creative and friendly people keeps colleagues happy to work together.