McLean, Virginia’s Capital One, Hilton make Fortune’s 2021 list of best workplaces

As its team looks to reflect the changing ways we work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Fortune magazine’s 2021 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the country includes a few DMV-based companies.

This year’s list debuts in the wake of more than a year of COVID-19 shutdowns, remote work and biz pivots. The ranking was based on surveys of half a million employees on issues of trustworthiness, caring and fairness in a time of crisis, as well as employees’ physical, emotional, and financial health and the company’s broader community impact. Fortune also changed its essay question to focus on actions taken specifically in response to the challenges of 2020.

“The takeaway seems clear: Businesses that treat employees well during the toughest of times will attract talent, even when the war for talent heats up,” Fortune wrote.

In 2021, McLean, Virginia-headquartered Hilton came in at No. 3. It was the highest ranking among DMV companies we spotted, though a fall from last year’s No. 1 ranking. (Cisco and Salesforce took the top two spots this year.) While it furloughed 45,000 people last year, the hospitality chain got points for its “compassion” and connecting former employees to new jobs. Hilton now reports 141,000 employees and revenue of $4.3 billion.

McLean’s Capital One Financial ranks at No. 9, up from No. 24 in 2020, thanks to boosting hourly wages for bank and call center staffers early in the pandemic. Capital One counts 51,985 employees and a revenue of $31.6 billion.

Richmond’s CarMax came in at No. 36, and Vienna’s Navy Federal Credit Union ranked at No. 59. Over in Maryland, Bethesda’s Marriott International is No. 15, and Baltimore’s Brightview Senior Living is No. 92.