Why You Want to Be Known as a ‘Best Place to Work’

Hawaiʻi's best employers prove that meaningful work, trusted leadership and a commitment to their people can thrive, even in one of the most expensive places to live in the nation.

Work consumes much of our lives. By most estimates, the average full-time employee will spend close to 90,000 hours on the job over a lifetime. In subtle ways, our work influences our identity, relationships and daily structure.

Steve Jobs captured that reality in his famous Stanford Commencement Address in 2005 when he told graduates, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” I watch this video every year as college graduation approaches.

Jobs challenged the idea of a traditional career, arguing that treating work as a rigid ladder of titles and promotions separates professional life from personal meaning. Instead, he encouraged people to pursue work as a vocation, merging passion with productivity.

As managing editor Ken Wills reports in this year’s Hawaiʻi’s Best Places to Work survey, many local employees say they genuinely enjoy their jobs and respect their leaders. Yet the data also reveal a more complicated picture about compensation, cost of living and work-life balance in the Islands.

Hawaii Business Magazine’s annual survey shows employees overwhelmingly agree with two statements: “I like what I do for this organization,” and “I believe in this organization’s leadership.” In other words, people like their work and they trust their bosses. But another theme runs through the results: work-life balance remains a challenge.

Employers in Hawaiʻi operate within a paradox. Businesses must compete in demanding markets while navigating one of the highest costs of living in the nation. Residents enjoy a natural environment and cultural values admired around the world, yet many families struggle to remain financially stable and sometimes juggle multiple jobs just to stay.

Within that tension, 91 organizations earned recognition this year as Hawaiʻi’s Best Places to Work. They represent industries from finance and healthcare to nonprofits and professional services. What they share is a deliberate effort to build workplaces where employees feel respected, engaged and supported.

“One of the strongest trends we’re seeing across Hawaiʻi-based organizations is that employees feel like they have a really great relationship with their direct supervisor,” says Tracie Foglia of the Hawaii Employers Council. Direct managers often shape workplace culture more than any mission statement.

The survey, conducted by Workforce Research Group, shows many employers investing meaningfully in their people. Nearly all winning companies offer retirement benefits, and employers pay an average of 69% of health insurance premiums.

Even so, compensation remains the most persistent concern. Satisfaction with total pay consistently ranks lowest in employee surveys. Many workers say they value their company culture and community but still struggle with the cost of living.

Leadership plays a critical role in how organizations navigate these pressures. One example is Nash Subotic of WestPac Wealth Partners. Subotic runs the firm with a clear philosophy: culture comes before profit. If the culture is strong, he believes, performance and profitability will follow.

That approach has earned national recognition. WestPac was named the No. 1 Best Workplace in Financial Services in a nationwide Fortune survey and has also been recognized in Hawaii Business Magazine’s Best Places to Work rankings for several years. For more on Subotic’s philosophy on the workplace, please read our profile on Page 7.

If work influences who we are, then the best workplaces must offer more than purpose. They must pair meaningful work and strong leadership with fair compensation and respect for life outside the office. That is what truly defines a best place to work.

The Big Picture: Hawaii Business x Hawaiʻi Community Journal

Hawaii Business Magazine is pleased to expand its coverage through a collaboration with Hawaiʻi Community Journal (HCJ), the new name for Overstory, a solutions-focused newsroom serving Hawaiʻi. HCJ’s community-centered reporting complements Hawaii Business coverage by bringing a deep perspective on how major issues affect people and places across the Islands.

Together, Hawaii Business and HCJ work to help you see how Hawaiʻi’s biggest challenges across business, environment and community life are connected. By sharing select stories and perspectives across both platforms, we’re excited to offer readers a broader, more complete understanding of the forces shaping Hawaiʻi and the solutions emerging across sectors.

You will begin to see select HCJ stories on Hawaii Business platforms, with additional shared coverage and joint features ahead. This collaboration broadens Hawaii Business’ coverage to connect economic insight with community and environmental context, helping readers better understand Hawaiʻi’s future.