11 Best Finance Companies To Work For

The best finance companies to work for are not always the well known names in the industry. Instead, many of these great workplaces are smaller companies who take extremely good care of their employees. Globalization has given rise to a wide range of financial products and services, as well as investment options. Finance has been the fastest-growing sector despite the Lehman crisis, generating a large number of high paying jobs, and it is expected that job growth within the sector could outpace the average jobs growth rate as the new Trump administration pushes through greater deregulation of the industry.

People get attracted to financial jobs because of the high compensation, despite the high stress also involved in the financial industry. Working in any one of the 10 Largest Financial Services Companies (by AUM) could be like having a dream job for many, with a potential six-figure salary, good working environment, and comfortable desk job. But we know that high rewards are often associated with high risks. The people working in the financial sector need to adapt themselves not only to changing national and local laws, but also remain well versed with global policies and news. They need to exercise caution and stay alert for any sudden ups or downs in the market.

Nonetheless, these jobs continue to attract skilled applicants, partly because many financial corporations are rated among the best places to work for, thanks to the various amenities they provide to their employees. Since the workplace is the place where you spend the majority of your time away from home, it needs to be a comfortable and happy zone (at least to you), and that’s what these employers strive to accomplish. Many offices today are well equipped with infrastructure facilities like gyms, swimming pools, medical rooms, etc. for the welfare health, and happiness of their employees. Maternity leaves and/or paternity leaves are a thing of the past; today the employee can exercise his free will to work from home, take sabbaticals or even attend meetings virtually. All these have gone a long way towards increasing employee morale and productivity and enabling them to bond well with their fellow workers and bosses.

Keeping all of these factors in mind, we have compiled a list of the 11 Best Finance Companies to Work For, based on rankings compiled by Fortune, as found in their listing of the 100 Best Companies.

11. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) is a global finance company engaged in providing an array of financial services to a diversified client base. Its services range from global investment banking, to mergers and acquisitions advisory services, and brokerage and underwriting services. The firm was bailed out by the U.S government after it was hit hard during the 2008 subprime crisis. With more than 148 years in existence, the firm is a hot favorite amongst potential employees, checking all the boxes they could want: money, wellness, and perks and programs.

10. Allianz SE (ADR) (OTCMKTS:AZSEY) is one of the largest financial services companies, and one of the best finance companies to work for employing nearly 155,000 people worldwide. The company offers various family care services and health insurance coverage to its employees. The CEO of the firm has regular meals with his employees, including with new hires.

9. Bridgewater Associates is an investment management firm founded by Ray Dalio. The hedge fund also ranks amongst the top ten hedge funds of 2016, ranked by AUM. The fund has grown its number of employees from just 100 in 2003 to more than 1,700 today. Bridgewater Associates hires fresh graduates from colleges and Ivy League schools and pays them generous compensation.

8. Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) is one of America’s top-ten largest banks based on deposits and is also rated as one of the best finance companies to work for by Fortune. The company offers a wide range of financial products and services to 45 million customers in the U.S, U.K and Canada. About 89% of its more than 45,000 employees have rated the company as a great place to work.

7. First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF), a U.S financial services company, provides settlement services and home warranties for the real estate and mortgage industries in more than 60 countries. The company give paid time-offs to its employees to encourage participation in various housing-related charities.

6. Citadel LLC was founded in 1990 by Kenneth Griffin as a financial institution. Headquartered in Chicago, the company has more than 1,400 employees today, with offices in North America, Asia and Europe. According to surveys conducted by Great Places to Work, Citadel ranked among the top 10 companies to work for in 2015 as well.

5. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP), the American multinational financial services corporation known for its credit card and traveler’s cheque businesses, accounted for approximately 24% of the total dollar volume of credit card transactions in the U.S in 2014. The company also featured in Fortune’s top 20 Most Admired Companies in the World in 2011. The company is a preferred choice for working parents, as it offers a host of benefits to them.

4. Robert W. Baird is one of the largest privately-held investment firms in the U.S. The company employs more than 3,100 people at offices in the U.S, Europe and Asia. The firm provides investment banking, private equity and wealth management services to individuals and corporations. There is equal office space for every employee and 94% of them say that their workplace is great.

3. Veterans United Home Loans is the U.S’ largest dedicated VA lender, helping veterans own a house. Founded in 2002, VU today has 35 U.S offices and more than 1,990 employees. Based in Columbia, the company offers various perks and programs to its employees. It also organizes annual holiday party events for employees and their families.

2. Two Sigma Advisors is one of the largest quant hedge funds in the world. The data-driven quantitative hedge fund was founded by John Overdeck and David Siegel in 2001 and has consistently posted good returns in recent years. Based in New York, the fund employs 900 people who describe their workplace as being friendly and enjoy the on-site gyms, music studio and Shuffleboard, amongst other things.

1. USAA (United Services Automobile Association) is a Texas-based financial services company. Founded in 1922 by a bunch of U.S Army officers for mutual self-insurance, USAA has come a long way since. The company now offers banking and insurance services to members of the Armed Forces and their families. More than 92% of its 28,738 employees think that USAA is the best finance company to work for.

Thus concludes the list of the 11 Best Finance Companies To Work For. Have you worked for any of these firms? What was your experience like? Or do you feel another finance company deserves an honorable mention? Let us know in the comments.

Disclosure: None