Gore Named a Best Employer by Fortune Magazine

No big bosses. No strict schedules. No bureaucracy.

No wonder W. L. Gore & Associates is among the nation’s top 25 companies for which to work. Fortune magazine ranked the Newark, Del.-based electronics, fabrics, industrial and medical product manufacturer 22nd in its annual listing of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” Though it slipped a notch from its 2013 standing (21), the company nevertheless eclipsed such respected firms as Plante Moran (23), Atlantic Health System (25), Qualcomm (32), Stryker Corp. (42), Mayo Clinic (53), PricewaterhouseCoopers (65) and Microsoft (86). Perhaps more importantly though, Gore maintained its perfect record — being one of only 13 companies that have made Fortune’s top 100 list every year since its 1998 inception.

“‘Make money and have fun’ is an oft-repeated company objective at the manufacturer of Gore-Tex fabrics and other advanced products,” notes the “100 Best Companies” website hosted by CNNMoney, the online home of Fortune magazine. “Gore dispatches with traditional hierarchy and titles in favor of small teams and direct communication among employees. Many plants have dedicated to ‘fun committees’ to plan activities like Scrabble tournaments, scavenger hunts and Thanksgiving potlucks. Leaders are encouraged to surprise employees when announcing profit shares.”

While the abolition of corporate echelons certainly is admirable, it is Gore’s corporate culture of freedom, fairness and collegial collaboration that have made it a Fortune’s “100 Best” list staple. Ninety-five percent of the company’s employees say they are proud to work there, according to The Great Place to Work Institute Inc., a San Francisco, Calif.-based research and management consultancy. “The Gore culture is a fantastic business advantage that recognizes and practices a firm belief in the individual while at the same time promoting innovation and creativity through teamwork,” one employee told the Institute. “The enterprise is concerned about individuals first, and in return, it gets the most out of those individuals.”

Trust, flexibility and direct communication also help. Idea-hatchers and those working through a challenge are free to seek help from anyone they think are best suited to help them. Employees can tweak their own schedules or suggest new ways of accomplishing tasks as long as the changes don’t negatively impact their team or the organization. More than nine out of 10 employees say they receive the necessary resources to perform their jobs; the same number claim they are trusted enough to complete their work without interference from managers, the Institute reports. Ninety-one percent say they are encouraged to find a work-life balance and 96 percent claim they can take time off as needed. Exercise facilities and sports courts at some of the firm’s 34 locations gives workers the chance to flex their muscles during business hours rather than evenings or early mornings. Employees who work at least 20 hours a week qualify for core benefits, including medical coverage at 50 percent, sick pay, vacation and tuition reimbursement. Employees working 30 hours or more receive full benefits.

Gore also gives its workers a paid day off each year to volunteer, and provides dollar-for-dollar matches to contributions to United Way campaigns. Ninety-three percent of employees say they feel good about the company’s contributions to the community, the Institute notes.

“As I listen to family members and friends talk about their experiences at their places of employment, I realize how fortunate and blessed I am to wrk at Gore,” one employee said. “It is a company of integrity that works hard to uphold and sustain its core values.”

To pick its 100 Best Companies, Fortune partners with the Institute to conduct extensive employee surveys; more than 252,000 employees at 257 firms 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 management’s credibility, job satisfaction, and camaraderie.

The other third is based on 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 practices, methods of internal communication, training, recognition programs, and diversity efforts. After evaluations are completed, if news about a company comes to light that may significantly damage employees’ faith in management, it may be excluded from the list.