Penguin Random House | New York, 05/03/2018

Penguin Random House Ranks #1 on Forbes List

Penguin Random House is America's Best Midsize Employer. The publishing group surged from No.32 to No.1 in the survey of employees and industry representatives. The company went to the top of the ranking for the freedom and responsibility it gives its employees, for its social commitment, and its culture of empowerment, which “helps turn entry-level hires into lifetime employees.”

Penguin Random House is #1 on the newly released Forbes list of “America’s Best Midsize Employers 2018.”  The company rose to the top spot after placing #32 on last year’s list. Penguin Random House has been featured on the list since 2016, and in celebration of ascending to the number one position in 2018, Penguin Random House CEO Markus Dohle said: "What makes this recognition so special is that it is based on an independent survey of our employees and on the public perception among our industry peers. We are approaching our five-year anniversary as Penguin Random House, and over the years the dedicated and talented people here have created a culture and company that is not only valued internally, but now also recognized externally with this impressive and prestigious honor. I am so proud of what we have achieved in the U.S. and of all that our American team continues to achieve for our books and authors day after day, year after year."

Heralding this year’s list with a prominent feature article, Forbes staff writer Vicky Valet focused on Penguin Random House, noting that “the company is celebrated by its workforce for being an employer that values freedom.” Madeline McIntosh, U.S. CEO of Penguin Random House, commented: “People are given a great deal of ownership to make independent decisions. If you do the right thing by the books and by readers and by authors, you’re rewarded by being given new challenges.”

Forbes further recognized that “the entrepreneurial spirit that shapes the employee experience at Penguin Random House has proven key to the publisher’s recruiting efforts, much of which focus on college campus outreach and the company’s internship program. It has played an important role in retention, too. Access to online courses and a mentoring program allow Penguin Random House’s 5,000 North American workers to take career development into their own hands, as do events like Company Week, an annual series that invites employees and authors to gather for days of panels, presentations and community service. This culture of empowerment—coupled with unique benefits like a sabbatical program, student loan repayment assistance and, yes, free books—helps turn entry-level hires into lifetime employees. ‘So many have risen through the ranks,’ says McIntosh. ‘I was an assistant 24 years ago, and I’m not an unusual case.’”

Penguin Random House’s commitment to the communities it serves was also acknowledged, including the company's literacy sponsorships and the more than $2 million in creative writing scholarships it has awarded to New York City public high school students over the past 25 years.  Looking globally, Forbes referenced PRH's ongoing partnerships with worldwide organizations like Save the Children, and its employee volunteers who journeyed to Rwanda in January.

In addition, Penguin Random House was on Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity list for the first time this year, placing at #64 overall for both large and midsize employers.

The Forbes feature concludes with these words from McIntosh: “We’re not just a bunch of people who like to read. We believe books have the power not just to help people’s days through entertainment or inspiration, but to really change the conversation and the culture at large.”

In compiling this list, Forbes worked with market research company Statista, which surveyed 30,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees.  All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions. The respondents were asked to rate, on a scale of zero to 10, how likely they’d be to recommend their employer to others. Statista then asked respondents to nominate organizations in industries outside their own.