Mountain View, CA is the happiest city to work, followed by Detroit, MI; Boulder, CO; and Cleveland, OH, according to the CareerBliss Happiest and Unhappiest Cities to Work for 2018. Des Moines, IA and Knoxville, TN rank as two of the unhappiest cities to work. To create the report, CareerBliss evaluated thousands of independent company reviews by employees, analyzing the key factors that impact workplace happiness.
(Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Noah_Loverbear)
“We are excited to recognize cities where employees are happiest around the country,” says Chief Happiness Officer and Cofounder, Heidi Golledge. “Cities are continuing to compete to bring companies such as Amazon to their cities to increase job opportunities and happiness for their residents. CareerBliss has also noted that when cities provide opportunities for higher education, personal growth, and year-round activities, they are more likely to have happier residents and employees.”
The CareerBliss data evaluates key factors that affect work happiness including one’s relationship with their boss and co-workers, their work environment, job resources, compensation, growth opportunities, company culture, company reputation, daily tasks, and job control over work performed daily. CareerBliss respondents are asked not only to rate their employer on key factors that impact happiness but also how much they value that factor. If a factor is not of value to a participant it is weighted lower.
In addition to key factors, CareerBliss evaluates where there are the highest number of happy reviews in cities within the United States. Employment, job opportunities, and salaries also impact the CareerBliss Happiest Cities list.
BlissScore: Overall job happiness score assigned by employees. The CareerBliss BlissScore is derived from company reviews, which evaluate each of the key factors that contribute to the overall happiness in the workplace on a scale of 1-5.
Happiest Cities
Mountain View, CA, home to some of the most notable technology companies including Google and LinkedIn, ranks as the happiest city to work in right now. Perhaps surprisingly, Detroit, MI, a city that has struggled with economic turmoil for decades, comes in as the second happiest city. Companies such as Quicken Loans and Blue Cross Blue Shield have helped stimulate Detroit’s economy, and play a part in the city’s revitalization.
In Detroit, Quicken Loans employees say the company’s culture has a lot to do with their happiness: “You have an extreme likelihood of being promoted and growing in your career. Quicken Loans isn’t just a job or a company – it’s a culture, and it’s one-of-a-kind.”
