Facebook, Google, Apple, Bain at top — again

Glassdoor released its 10th annual list of the best-reviewed workplaces by employees on Wednesday, and Facebook is ranked No. 1, topping the list for the first time since 2013.

It’s the eighth year in a row the social media giant has landed on the list, known as the Employees’ Choice Awards, since it was started in 2009, back when Facebook had just launched the “Like” button and had “only” 360 million users. (Today there are more than 2 billion.)

But three companies can actually top that record with an appearance each of the past 10 years, according to Glassdoor: Google, Apple and the management consulting firm Bain & Co.

Only two of those — Google and Bain — have been in the top 25 each year, with Bain among the top five every year Glassdoor has done the list. (Consulting giants McKinsey and Boston Consulting Groups are close behind, making the top 25 in nine of the past 10 years.)

Google, of course, is known for being a much-copied trendsetter for technology companies on employee benefits and workplace perks; Bain gets good reviews from Glassdoor users not only for its benefits and employees, but for its worldwide managing director, Bob Bechek, who was the highest-rated chief executive by employees on a Glassdoor list in 2016.

For a list where the difference in scores between No. 1 and No. 100 — Glassdoor expanded its list from 50 companies this year — is only four tenths of a point on a fivepoint scale, looking at repeat performers may be more telling about employee opinion than where it falls from year to year.

Facebook’s rating is 4.6, for instance, while Bayada Home Health Care (No. 100) received a 4.2. The average company reviewed on Glassdoor received a 3.3.

Companies can also make wild swings from one year to the next in terms of their ranking when the difference in their scores is actually quite small.