Invest in These Great Places to Work

These companies do well by their workers, which can translate into gains for investors.

- ADAM SHELL

LOVE YOUR JOB? LUCKY YOU. Being employed at a great place to work is a career plus. And if you’re an investor, there’s also good news tied to job satisfaction: Companies that treat their workers well are increasingly being viewed as good investments.

Of course, it’s vital for companies to increase their sales and profits to attract investors. But in a time when fair treatment of workers, racial equality and health safety protocols dominate the national discussion, a company’s people skills can rival its priceearnings ratio when evaluating a stock’s potential.

Investor attention to the workplace is more than a passing fad. Job perks that are good for workers—think competitive wages and benefits, a healthy work-life balance, ample family and sick leave, and a workplace culture committed to diversity and equal pay—also tend to boost a company’s bottom line. “Investing in your employees is going to pay off in the long haul,” says Jade Huang, a portfolio manager at Calvert Research and Management.