Best, Worst Cities for Employee Satisfaction from Glassdoor

 According to the second annual Employment Satisfaction Report Card by City (2014), which was released by Glassdoor, San Jose ranked first for the second consecutive year in a comparison of the 50 largest metropolitan areas by overall employee satisfaction, number of employers hiring, business outlook expectations and other criteria. San Francisco was ranked second in the survey. Both cities are home to several companies that won a 2014 Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award, which recognized the 50 best places to work.

Washington, D.C., climbed five spots to third place, followed by Norfolk, VA., and Salt Lake City, UT. Salt Lake City also ranks first in employee optimism for business outlook. More than half of Salt Lake City employees believe business will improve in the next six months. Local employees report several benefits of working in Salt Lake City, including enjoying a healthy work-life balance, in part comprised of working reasonable hours and being able to take advantage of both urban and outdoor attractions.

The Top 10 Cities for Employee Satisfaction:

1. San Jose

2. San Francisco

3. Washington, D.C.

4. Norfolk, Va.

5. Salt Lake City

6. San Diego

7. Seattle

8. Oklahoma City

9. San Antonio

10. Austin

The Bottom Ten Cities for Employee Satisfaction:

41. Milwaukee

42. Charlotte

43. Riverside, Calif.

44. Portland, Ore.

45. Buffalo

46. Phoenix

47. Tampa

48. Las Vegas

49. Denver

50. Pittsburgh