Being the third-largest metropolitan area in the U.S., Chicago dominates the market, contributing more than $600 billion to the economy each year and housing 36 of the Fortune 500 companies. With all of that man-power, it’s no wonder Chicago is filled with top notch employers delivering an incredible workplace experience for many.

Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine recently reflected on the best the city has to offer in an article naming the 50 best places to work for in Chicago. The post details places where employees are compassionate people with pride in their company. More than nine in 10 employees at these companies say their colleagues care about one another, and over 95 percent say they have a friendly workplace, according to Fortune.

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While it may seem unlikely that a friendly workforce could lead to a competitive advantage, that is exactly the case as these bonds provide many business related benefits.

“Chicago is a competitive city for business, but that never gets in the way of a collegial team culture at these organizations,” Holly Petroff, executive vice president of consulting at Great Place to Work told Fortune. “In fact, we found there’s a link. Winning companies were noteworthy for both their friendly, caring cultures and their impressive average revenue growth of 25 percent last year, compared to 15 percent at contender companies.”

When you consider the link between things like employee pride and employer branding however, these statements seem to make more sense. If an employee has pride in their company, they are more likely to tell others where they work, reinforcing commitment and teamwork.

According to Fortune, many of the best workplaces focus on key things like helping colleagues form personal connections to their shared organizational mission and recognizing employee work. Flavorings manufacturer Fona International does this by treating its entire team to a formal Thanksgiving dinner every year where supervisors hand out personal notes and certificates for extra vacation days or cash.

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“When you walk in the door, you feel like part of the family,” one Fona employee told Fortune. “When I got hired, the HR director gave me a hug and welcomed me to the company. They are all great people to work with.”

This kind of healthy workplace improves the productivity of the company as well as the public’s image of the brand. It also promotes retention rates with employees who are more likely to invest a genuine effort into their job, according to Fortune.

Chicago is a huge economic contributor and it’s also a great place to be if you’re looking to feel confident about where you work. It just goes to show, a friendly face can have a lot of impact.

The cost of peak happiness in Chicago

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