SAS Number One Employer in New Fortune Rankings

Fortune Magazine’s annual list of best companies to work for hits newsstands February 8 and software company SAS tops the list. According to Fortune SAS offers fantastic benefits and a low turnover rate. Benefits include an on site 66,000 square foot recreation center that houses a gymnasium, weight room, billiards hall, sauna, hair salon, manicurist, and an Olympic size swimming pool offering aqua kickboxing classes. For $55 an hour an SAS employee can enjoy an invigorating Swedish or orthopedic massage.

There are three subsidized cafeterias serving 500 breakfasts and 2,300 lunches a day.. If you’re an SAS employee with children there are two subsidized day care centers on their campus for 600 children, and a summer camp. And if you need to drop off your dry cleaning, get your car detailed, buy a book, see a tax prep consultant, mail a package through UPS, buy a book or visit a meditation center you need not go further than SAS’s campus.

Many consider the best perk to be the on site health center. Open from 8 to 6 most days, the center has a staff of 56, including 4 physicians, 10 nurse practitioners, nutritionists, lab techs, physical therapists and a psychologist. The health center is modeled on a clinic and provides basic care such as allergy shots, pregnancy tests and blood counts. The service is absolutely free to employees.

SAS is the largest privately owned software business in the world with annual revenues of $2.3 billion dollars. It is located in Raleigh, North Carolina. Most employees on average have worked for the company 10 years. 300 employees have worked at SAS for 25 years or more. The annual turnover rate was 2% in 2009 while the national average of the software industry was 22% Women make up 45% of their employees with an average age of 45. The company hired 264 employees in 2009 and usually receives 100 resumes for every open position.

Most employees work a 35 hour work week and there is no monitoring of sick days. Many are able to set their own schedule.