Out of 2,375 organizations surveyed, only 1,661 earned the prestigious USA TODAY Top Workplaces recognition in 2026. This distinction cannot be bought, according to The Coloradoan. Energage surveyed these organizations throughout 2025 for the award, with 714 failing to achieve the required employee satisfaction benchmarks.

Many industry awards require financial investment or sponsorship. However, the USA TODAY Top Workplaces award explicitly states there is no cost to employers and cannot be bought, according to The Coloradoan. This process relies solely on employee feedback.

The Top Workplaces list likely represents a more authentic measure of employee satisfaction and organizational health than many other corporate accolades. The Top Workplaces system potentially influences talent attraction and retention strategies for both recognized and aspiring companies.

The Unbiased Process: How Top Workplaces Are Identified

  • The USA TODAY Top Workplaces award cannot be bought, and there is no cost for employers to survey their employees, according to The Coloradoan.
  • Energage analyzes employee feedback through responses to 26 specific questions, as detailed by Princeton Review.
  • These questions cover critical factors like pay, benefits, direction, leadership, meaningfulness, and appreciation, according to The Coloradoan.

Based on The Coloradoan's reporting that the USA TODAY Top Workplaces award 'cannot be bought and there is no cost to employers,' companies seeking genuine validation of their employee-centric culture should prioritize this recognition over pay-to-play industry accolades. The fact that Energage analyzes feedback across 26 questions, as detailed by The Coloradoan, suggests that organizations truly committed to employee well-being must focus on a holistic approach to workplace culture, not just superficial perks or compensation.

Meeting the Benchmark: What It Takes to Be Top

Employers earn Top Workplaces recognition only if their aggregated employee feedback score exceeds national benchmarks, according to Princeton Review. This means recognized companies are not merely "good" in isolation. They demonstrably outperform their peers in workplace culture.