Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces 2023: See the full list and read about the companies

The best companies have always promoted from within, but our annual Top Workplaces report spotlights a new workplace trend that is taking that strategy to the next level.

Investing in their people, whether that involves helping them step into strategically valuable new roles or simply ensuring that they have access to top-notch benefit packages and ongoing support, is something that many of this year’s Top Workplaces have in common. These are the best small, midsize and large Chicagoland workplaces, according to rankings released by Energage on behalf of the Chicago Tribune.

Explore the full list of Chicago-area winners

These are the best small, midsize and large Chicagoland workplaces, according to rankings released by Energage on behalf of the Chicago Tribune. Read the full list.

Companies looking to bolster their skills are increasingly looking internally through ‘quiet hiring’

As employers grapple with a talent shortage and uncertainty over where the economy is headed, a growing number are turning to quiet hiring. They’re also doubling down on the traditional tactic of grooming talent from within. Read the full story.

At Kraft Heinz, company culture is key

Kraft Heinz appears for the first time this year on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces, ranking 21st among large employers. The company employs more than 3,300 employees in Illinois, including its headquarters in downtown Chicago, a research and development center in Glenview, and across manufacturing and operations. The company has three manufacturing facilities and three primary distribution campuses in Illinois. Read the full story.

NOW Health Group, maker of natural foods and products, cultivates servant leadership

Bloomingdale-based NOW Health is one of the largest family-owned companies in the natural products industry. The company, which makes everything from daily vitamins and aromatherapy oils to children’s toothpaste, is ranked No. 18 among large employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. Read the full story.

At Ozinga, the family-owned concrete business, there’s a focus on diversity, community and growth

The company has supplied concrete for some of the Chicago area’s biggest projects, including the construction of Comiskey Park and the renovation of Soldier Field. Today Ozinga, which was founded in 1928 as the Ozinga Coal & Coke Co., has more than 2,000 employees in five states. The family-owned Mokena business, which celebrated its 95th anniversary this year, ranks 37th among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces. Read the full story.

At Dream Town Realty, a real estate website grew into a full-service firm

Long before the era of real estate marketplaces like Zillow and Redfin, DreamTown.com was making it possible for Chicago homebuyers to search for properties online. Dream Town, which earned the No. 1 ranking among midsize employers on the Tribune’s 2023 list of Top Workplaces, prides itself on being ahead of the curve in adopting and building proprietary technology. Read the full story.

Nuestro Queso, Hispanic cheesemaker, cultivates a strong culture through investments in the environment, employees

The company, which produces Mexican, Caribbean and Central American-style cheese and creams at its manufacturing site in Kent, Illinois, is ranked No. 94 among small employers on the Tribune’s list of Top Workplaces. Chicago-based Nuestro Queso LLC, which employs 183 people, is a private-brand, co-packaging and ingredients manufacturer. Its customers include national retailers, top brands, distributors and manufacturers. Read the full story.

How the winners were selected

Our annual Top Workplaces report spotlights what companies are doing to recruit and retain the best employees while also cultivating loyalty. Read the full story.