3 companies with S. Fla. HQs get nod in Fortune
Ultimate Software, JM Family Enterprises, Baptist Health South Florida ranked among the ‘100 Best Companies to Work For’
Ultimate Software founder and CEO Scott Scherr strives
Three companies with headquarters in South Florida got some Valentine’s Day love from their employees. Ultimate Software, JM Family Enterprises and Baptist Health South Florida were ranked among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” when Fortune released its 2019 list on Thursday.
The ranking is based on anonymous feedback from employees.
The coveted annual list also ranks two other companies headquartered in Florida: Publix Super Markets, based in Lakeland, comes in at No. 12 and Bay Care Health System in Clearwater at No. 37.
Weston-based software developer Ultimate Software, which has 5,100 employees, including 1,650 in South Florida, is the only
Florida company to make the top 10, coming in at No. 8. Ultimate was ranked No. 3 last year.
A review of Ultimate points to two unusual company perks: Employees get $300 per year toward kids’ extracurricular activities, and veterans get an annual cash bonus.
Ultimate Software announced on Feb. 4 that it has agreed to be sold to private equity firm Hellman & Friedman of San Francisco for $11 billion.
Automotive giant JM Family Enterprises, based in Deerfield Beach, employs 4,200 people, including 1,700 in South Florida. The company was ranked No. 17 on Fortune’s list, up from No. 51 in 2018.
The 2019 ranking is the third-highest for JM Family since 2003, when it was No. 14, according to spokeswoman Christie Caliendo.
In April, JM Family began a $150 million remodeling of its headquarters campus to make it more pedestrian-friendly and add amenities for employees.
Fortune notes that JM Family provided grants, time off and counseling to employees affected by hurricanes and the Parkland school shooting on Feb. 14, 2018.
Baptist Health South Florida, based in Coral Gables, is No. 40 on the 2019 list, slipping from No. 25 in 2018. The hospital and medical operation, which has nearly 18,000 employees, provides access to free legal help, advice from immigration experts, and no-interest loan options to help defray application fees, according to Fortune.
Fortune’s research organization, Great Place to Work, conducts anonymous surveys of workers to rank employers on Fortune’s annual list, considering company perks as well as opportunities for innovation. Only employers with at least 1,000 U.S. employees are considered.