New England Biolabs has been voted the Best Place to Work in Industry 2010 (small company) by The Scientist
(Philadelphia, PA) – April 28, 2010 – The Scientist, magazine of the life sciences, announced today the winners of its 8th annual "Best Places to Work in Industry" survey. Despite economic hardships in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries over the past year, many of the 2010 winners represent companies who have reported positive growth in their workforce.
New England Biolabs based in Ipswich, MA placed 1st overall and among small companies. Wyatt Technologies in Santa Barbara, CA and Infinity Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, MA were awarded 2nd and 3rd place in both the overall rankings and the Top Small Companies category; thus maintaining their top standings from 2009.
Otsuka Maryland Medicinal Laboratories in Rockville, MD saw the most improvement in their overall ranking, which soared from 18th in 2009 to 4th in this year’s results. They also placed 4th amongst small companies. Monsanto also saw a jump from the previous year to take 5th place in the overall standings and 1st in the Top Large Companies category.
The 2010 results reflected efforts made by the top ranking companies to increase staff morale with additional perks and benefits, such as flexible working hours and, in the case of Wyatt, allowing employees to bring their dogs to work. "Dr. Philip Wyatt [owner] brought his dogs in and decided what was good for him was good for the company," says Steven Trainoff, Director of Engineering at Wyatt. Furthermore, Monsanto, a global agricultural biotechnology company, focuses on giving back to the farming community while also taking care of their own employees with shuttle service, on-site daycare, and other perks.
Next to remuneration & benefits, survey respondents cited training, educational development, and a sense of community as predominant factors in establishing a positive workplace. Part of that sense of cohesion comes from employees taking pride in their company's environmental awareness. New England Biolabs, for example, has a water-treatment plant on site, recycles their laboratory disposables and other equipment, and offers employees fresh produce from local farmers.
"We are pleased to present the results of our 8th ‘Best Places to Work in Industry’ survey," says Associate Editor Edyta Zielinska, who oversees the Best Places surveys. "This year's winners include innovative companies that value scientific creativity and encourage employees to give back to their community."
The Top 10 Large Companies:
- Monsanto; St. Louis, MO
- Dow AgroSciences; Indianapolis, IN
- Pioneer Hi-Bred International; Johnston, IA
- Abbott Laboratories; Abbott Park, IL
- Quintiles Laboratories; Durham, NC
- Amgen; Thousand Oaks, CA
- Novartis; Basel, Switzerland
- Pfizer; New York, NY
- Astellas Pharma; Deerfield, IL
- AstraZeneca; London, UK
The Top 10 Small Companies:
- New England Biolabs; Ipswich, MA
- Wyatt Technology; Santa Barbara, CA
- Infinity Pharmaceuticals; Cambridge, MA
- Otsuka Maryland Medicinal Laboratories; Rockville, MD
- PTC Therapeutics; South Plainfield, NJ
- Integrated DNA Technologies; Coralville, IA
- GeneDx; Gaithersburg, MD
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals; Cambridge, MA
- Dynport Vaccine Company; Frederick, MD
- Exelixis; So. San Francisco, CA
The full article with detailed survey results can be found in the May issue of The Scientist and is available online at www.the-scientist.com/bptw.
About The Scientist
The Scientist, the award-winning magazine of the life sciences, has informed and entertained life science professionals around the world for over 23 years. We provide innovative print and online coverage of the latest developments in the life sciences including trends in research, new technology, news, business and careers. We reach the leading researchers in academia and industry who are interested in maintaining a broad view of the life sciences by reading insightful articles that are current, concise, accurate and entertaining. For more information about The Scientist, visit www.the-scientist.com.
4/28/2010
