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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallComputerworld’s 2004 Best Places to Work in IT scorecard compares the final 100 selected companies across five workplace categories: diversity, training, career development, retention and benefits. Its category leaders were Freddie Mac, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Cerner Corp., American Fidelity Corp. and SAS Institute Inc., respectively. These are historical survey results—not a current employer ranking or a single overall top-100 order.
What the 2004 scorecard measured
Computerworld published the scorecard on June 14, 2004, as part of its annual Best Places to Work in IT coverage. Nominated organizations received a 100-question survey in January 2004. It covered salary and bonus increases, IT promotions and turnover, training and development, workforce representation, rewards, retention programs and benefits. The feature also incorporated employee feedback: a June 17, 2004 announcement from State Street said more than 17,000 IT workers were surveyed and their responses factored heavily into the rankings. Computerworld’s 2004 scorecard · State Street’s June 17, 2004 announcement
The scorecard’s categories use different measures rather than one shared scoring scale. Diversity considered representation of women and minorities among IT staff and managers. Training considered training days and spending per worker. Career development looked at mentoring and tuition reimbursement for college courses and technical certifications. Retention considered satisfaction surveys, turnover, promotions and corporate communications. Benefits included offerings such as sabbaticals, health and vision benefits, and long-term care.
Category leaders
| Category | 2004 leader | What the category considered |
|---|---|---|
| Diversity | Freddie Mac | Women’s and minorities’ representation in IT staff and management |
| Training | Wal-Mart Stores Inc. | Training days and training cost per worker |
| Career development | Cerner Corp. | Mentoring and tuition reimbursement for college and technical certifications |
| Retention | American Fidelity Corp. | Satisfaction surveys, turnover, promotions and corporate communications |
| Benefits | SAS Institute Inc. | Benefits including sabbaticals, health and vision coverage, and long-term care |
These are category winners, not evidence of an overall winner. The scorecard page does not establish a complete 1-to-100 ordering or show that a company leading one category ranked first overall.
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What was typical among the selected companies
The following figures are Computerworld’s reported 2004 aggregates for the final 100 selected companies. They describe that survey group only.
- Company profile: Typical revenue was $13.3 billion; the typical company had been in business 73 years, with 47,067 total employees and 1,380 IT employees.
- Representation: Women accounted for 33% of IT staff and 32% of IT managers; minorities accounted for 23% of IT staff and 14% of IT managers.
- Training and work: The typical IT budget was $301 million. Companies reported $1,825 in training spending per IT employee and seven training days for IT staff. The reported average workweek was 43 hours.
- Staffing: Average IT staff turnover was 6%, and an average 11% of IT staff were promoted in the latest fiscal year.
- Pay and company performance: All surveyed companies had budgeted salary increases for IT employees in 2004, while 94% had budgeted bonuses. Computerworld reported that 88% were profitable in 2003 and 46% had layoffs that year.
Benefits: common offerings and the outlier
Paid vacation was offered by all surveyed companies. Flexible hours and health insurance were each offered by 99%; tuition reimbursement was offered by 95%. Paid sabbaticals were much less common, offered by 11% of the surveyed group. These percentages describe the 2004 respondents, not present-day benefit policies.
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In the same contemporaneous coverage, Computerworld editor in chief Maryfran Johnson said, “The most-desired benefits have remained consistent in recent years. IT pros still want access to leading-edge technologies, training and flexible work schedules.” That observation reflects the 2004 feature’s context, not a measurement of current employee preferences.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to use this scorecard today
Use it as a snapshot of how Computerworld assessed IT workplaces in 2004: compare employers within the category that matters to you, and keep the underlying measure in view. Training spend and days, representation, turnover, promotion rates and benefit availability answer different questions; the article does not combine them into a defensible single score. The figures are historical and do not establish what any listed employer offers or how it performs now.
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