Operating in Hollywood will not be as attractive or as profitable because it was, however chances are you’ll need to dangle off on signing up for that coding category simply but. As a result of even amid such unsure financial occasions, the leisure trade nonetheless provides one of the crucial maximum rewarding careers on earth. There are the inventive thrills (whilst you’ve were given a success), distinctive perks (your film evening is opening evening) and probably large payoffs for the ones with the stamina to hold on (have you ever heard about Iger’s new yacht?).
So, what are the most efficient leisure corporations to paintings for? In April, at the same time as contraction roiled the trade, THR partnered with Glassdoor on a data-driven quest to determine, aggregating worker critiques for 163 corporations within the leisure area — studios, networks, streamers, recreation makers, businesses, control corporations and media conglomerates — submitted between June 2021 and Might 2024. To spot the end 25, Glassdoor averaged every corporate’s general worker score in addition to rankings throughout 8 administrative center delight classes (see “How This Record Got here In combination” on web page 38). To complement that records, THR dispatched a staff of journalists to dish (off the file, after all) with pros, assistants and midmanagement varieties about what the paintings tradition at their corporations is truly like, from the perks (unfastened concert events! Omelet Thursdays!) to the pitfalls (administrative center in the midst of nowhere).
Some corporations landed within the peak 25 as a result of they dole out large dollars (right here’s taking a look at you, Netflix!), or on account of their excellent vibes (the magic of running on a historical lot nonetheless has actual enchantment), or as a result of as naive as it should sound to cynics, its staff stay captivated with generating nice paintings that’s fed on by way of billions. After which there are the disrupters, non-legacy outfits like YouTube, Meta and Insurrection Video games, that made the end 25 by way of converting the very definition of what it approach to paintings in leisure.
In case your corporate didn’t make the minimize — or, if you’re in disbelief that it did (to be fair, we have been sometimes shocked ourselves) — simply take note, those scores are in keeping with the critiques of your friends, so be at liberty to stroll down the corridor and feature a phrase. Or, higher but, scroll down the listing and search for inspiration. As a result of whilst Hollywood as of late can have misplaced a bit of glitter, compiling this bundle reminded us of one thing crucial: Regardless of the unfavorable headlines, fierce pageant and loyal agita, this the city remains to be the cultural capital of the sector, and other people nonetheless truly, truly need to paintings right here.
Representation by way of Edel Rodriguez
Profiles by way of Patrick Brzeski, Mesfin Fekadu, Nicole Fell, Ryan Gajewski, Caitlin Huston, Lexy Perez, Zoe G. Phillips, Christy Piña, Jeanie Pyun, Carly Thomas, Beatrice Verhoeven, Brande Victorian and Alex Weprin
Insurrection Video games
Sorry, Hollywood, the end spot in leisure is going to Insurrection Video games, the corporate in the back of the online game juggernauts League of Legends and Valorant. The online game developer, which has 22 places of work globally, provides its staff open-ended paid time without work, a play fund to toughen staffers broadening their horizons with video games in addition to a wellness fund from which staff obtain a per 30 days allowance on health club memberships and massages. The corporate’s leader other people officer, Emily Winkle, emphasizes that “everybody right here is a part of making video games,” regardless of their position. Players aren’t proof against IRL economics, on the other hand: Like different sectors of the trade experiencing layoffs, the corporate has gone through more than one rounds this yr, together with about 530 process eliminations, or 11 p.c of its team of workers.
Netflix
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Netflix, in particular its L.A. leisure department, is also identified for soft reimbursement applications and a tradition of employee-led decision-making, but it surely’s some distance from indulgent. For the reason that early days of Netflix, when co-founder Reed Hastings promoted the concept corporations must deal with their staff like contributors of a sports activities staff slightly than a circle of relatives, the ethos has been lovely hard-core. “Good fortune in leisure calls for us to suppose otherwise,” the corporate’s most up-to-date tradition memo reads. “We focal point on consistent growth, and the resilience had to get there.” That’s now not even bearing in mind its notorious “keeper take a look at,” by which bosses frequently ask themselves if they’d battle to stay a undeniable worker or rehire them figuring out what they know. If the solution is not any, they’re out.
With the corporate’s new focal point on profitability and the swagger that comes from being the envy of Hollywood (with $9.83 billion in Q3 2024 income, it’s earned), even some excessive performers are being proven the door all over the various contemporary efficiency-oriented “reorgs” (which some staff say really feel “endless”). And because Hastings stepped down as CEO in January, there’s been a shift within the tradition, a “transfer clear of radical transparency, which was once Reed’s factor,” says one insider. “Everybody used to understand what everybody above a undeniable point was once making. Now not anymore. Pros used to understand upfront what can be reported at the following day’s quarterly profits file. Now not anymore. Workers have been inspired to take part in 360-degree critiques of peak pros and discuss or criticize freely. I don’t suppose individuals are that at ease criticizing Dan [Lin, film chair] or Bela [Bajaria, chief content offer] or Ted [Sarandos, CEO] at the moment.”
But those that keep on the streamer are properly sorted and revel in an A-list lineup of facilities, together with a sponsored cafeteria, beneficiant parental go away and PTO, fertility remedy toughen and rideshare commuting advantages galore. On the other hand, if money-is-everything isn’t your mantra, this will not be the administrative center for you, as put by way of an insider worker: “You’re very well-paid, however you’re residing in concern and dealing your ass off, and agree with me, there are many individuals who used to drink the Kool-Support and are wealthy however depressing as a result of this position simply isn’t for them.”
DreamWorks Animation
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After a tricky patch, DWA is again in motion morale-wise, between the 2024 field administrative center hits Kung Fu Panda 4 and The Wild Robotic. And even if occasions were given lean, one perk hasn’t ever long past away: The greater than 1,400 staff on the corporate nonetheless revel in complimentary breakfasts and lunches day-to-day, a convention carried over from the times of Jeffrey Katzenberg. “Don’t underestimate how nice this is in constructing a staff,” says one former worker. “At lunchtime, as a substitute of going our separate tactics, our workforce would stroll over to the commissary, take hold of meals, sit down across the lake and chat, consuming in combination, guffawing in combination.” Workers lengthy have flipped for “Omelet Friday,” which has since shifted to Thursdays to permit for far flung paintings on Fridays. Like a lot of town, the corporate has been impacted by way of the downturn, resulting in layoffs ultimate yr. Regardless of the squeeze, insiders emphasize that artistry remains to be valued, and one needn’t stroll for lengthy around the lush Glendale campus ahead of recognizing an illustrator running outdoor on a cartoon. DWA additionally celebrates longevity — the ceremonies feting staffers who’ve labored there for 25 years or longer occur quarterly as a result of such a lot of staff hit the quarter-century mark; presents are also doled out for more moderen anniversaries, together with a Shrek statue after twelve months. Workers are inspired to view screenings of associates’ works-in-progress and percentage comments, permitting everybody to really feel invested in corporate good fortune. Including to the camaraderie are bars right through the studio, providing glad hours and minutiae nights.
Pixar Animation Studios
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Recognized for the ones cute youngsters’s motion pictures that still are nice at making oldsters cry, reminiscent of this yr’s Within Out 2, the top-grossing animated movie of all time, Pixar provides an extended listing of perks to its staff, together with child-care toughen, commuter advantages and an annual training allowance, which VFX technical director Max Gilbert makes use of to fund his journeys to SIGGRAPH, the pc graphics conference. “The convention is incessantly in Los Angeles, so I steadily mix that with a Disneyland go back and forth the use of the passes Disney and Pixar supply us with,” he says. Gilbert additionally takes good thing about the Emeryville administrative center’s basketball courtroom, the place he performs with colleagues all over lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “It looks like I’m at summer season camp for the hour,” he says. “Sure, I bathe ahead of the following assembly.” Now not that Pixar, which lately employs greater than 1,000 staff, hasn’t had its bumps, with layoffs following a string of earlier field administrative center misses and pandemic-related demanding situations.
Nickelodeon
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Traditionally, longtime staff of Nickelodeon have described a tradition outlined by way of levity and excellent outdated a laugh. (One former staffer, who since has decamped for Netflix, references “sure vibes … you were given to check out numerous various things — and I in truth did see any person get slimed within the administrative center!”) However because the trade moved clear of cable, and such deep-pocketed streamers as Netflix, Apple TV+ and Amazon made main performs for children fare, Nick were given hit by way of reorgs. Including to the undercurrents of tension is the possession transition underway at Paramount World (the mum or dad corporate took an impairment rate of $5.98 billion on its cable networks in the second one quarter). A up to date hit documentary detailing the alleged abuse of Nick hitmaker Dan Schneider almost definitely didn’t lend a hand morale a lot, both. However Nickelodeon’s management (Brian Robbins, who additionally oversees its mum or dad corporate and is by way of many accounts a reassuring presence, a minimum of for the ones in his outdated fiefdom) plus decent advantages applications — beneficiant 401(okay) and well being plans, a DEI means and ever-abundant swag — have helped take care of worker delight regardless of the tumultuous broader industry backdrop.
Apple TV
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Regardless of being the leisure department of a tech corporate, Apple TV could be very company: “With the exception of for the occasional time that you just see some weirdo status up from his dice, waving his arms dressed in a Imaginative and prescient Professional [VR set], you need to be running any place,” an insider tells THR. (Any other tech-culture holdover, says a content material govt, is the embody amongst some staff of consciousness-raising aids, from ketamine to ayahuasca to shamans.) Not like numerous media corporations, the tradition at Apple TV isn’t so cutthroat. Workers don’t reside in concern, and the surroundings feels safe “as a result of Apple doesn’t reside and die by way of us,” a supply says of the enormous, tech products-first corporate. (Estimates position Apple TV+’s subscriber depend round 25 million, plus an extra 50 million audience bundled with merchandise bought.)
Except the meh discounted sandwiches on the Mac café, the reimbursement is excellent (“No one is complaining concerning the cash right here”), and all staff obtain Apple inventory, which is extremely precious. Something that’s the similar around the board at Apple, whether or not the worker works within the leisure or {hardware} division, is the secrecy, “which is on occasion roughly hilarious for the reason that lots of the presentations the broader global doesn’t give a fuck about,” the insider notes. “We deal with each display adore it’s the brand new iPhone in the case of secrecy.”
Not like the {hardware} division, on the other hand, issues aren’t as data-driven at the leisure facet. “It’s one way or the other very similar to a extra conventional studio, which is smart given it’s run by way of [Sony vets] Jamie [Erlicht] and Zack [Van Amburg], which is to mention every part must be licensed by way of the boss, after which the boss’ boss, in order that takes time, but it surely additionally form of lowers the chance issue for everybody,” says the worker of the platform that spawned a number of significantly acclaimed awards favorites, from Shrinking to Gradual Horses. Workers are inspired to agree with their intestine and their tastes in terms of TV presentations and flicks. “In many ways, it’s very Steve Jobs,” a supply says. “Our process is to present the folk what they don’t even know they would like but.”
Spotify
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With its international achieve and seven,000-employee team of workers, the virtual audio and video streaming carrier boasting 626 million energetic customers presented a Paintings From Any place program in 2021. It lets in its staff to log in from any location on the earth, with protection of web, electrical energy and administrative center provides. Except for its beneficiant PTO coverage (in addition to a six-month parental go away, which can also be taken at any time ahead of the kid turns 3), psychological well being services and products, health stipend and finding out alternatives at GreenHouse, the corporate additionally presented a Wellness Week in 2021 to forestall burnout — necessarily a freebie week off when staff are inspired to disconnect utterly. In regards to the downtown L.A. administrative center in particular, “It’s a perfect paintings setting,” says one worker. “It’s cool how they comingle the 60-seat film theater, podcast studios and open spaces, so whilst you’re in conferences, you’ll pass paths with artists, authors and podcasters, and it brings you nearer to creators whose paintings populates the platform. It’s excellent for protecting us grounded and targeted on creators.” Plus, all staff get unfastened Spotify, so they are able to see the result of the paintings they installed day to day.
Digital Arts
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A pillar of the gaming global, EA was once a few of the first within the trade to insist that its staff be regarded as “instrument artists” slightly than designers and programmers. The corporate is house to a slew of powerhouse titles, together with Want for Velocity, The Sims, EA SPORTS FC (previously FIFA)and Madden NFL — and for a 10-year length finishing in 2023, it held the unique proper to create Celebrity Wars video games. EA, which reported income of $1.66 billion ultimate quarter, lengthy has been regarded as a premier employer within the sector, with 80 p.c of team of workers reporting that they’d suggest running there to a pal, and 66 p.c preserving a good outlook for the industry, in keeping with Glassdoor. However it’s some distance from proof against the promise and peril of the present technological second. For a lot of the previous two years, EA was once regarded as a possible acquisition goal (following Microsoft’s buyout of rival recreation studio Activision Snowfall), and it laid off 5 p.c of its international team of workers (670 staff), which came about concurrently with the cancellation of a first-person shooter recreation set within the Celebrity Wars universe in February. Generative AI is anticipated to yield profound developments and efficiencies to the sport trade, however many staff are on edge over how this revolution will reverberate thru their careers, whilst SAG-AFTRA, representing voice actors, stays on strike in opposition to the foremost recreation studios, together with EA, over the usage of AI.
Fox Sports activities
Formally, at the web page, the Fox Sports activities vibe is described thusly: “If you happen to love the tradition of a start-up — the quick tempo, the large concepts, the information you’re creating a distinction — however admire the stableness of a longtime, successful corporate, you’ve come to the suitable position.” The sports activities media corporate — boasting partnerships with the NFL, MLB, NASCAR and FIFA International Cup that supply the facility to succeed in greater than 100 million audience in a weekend — provides numerous perks, together with complete circle of relatives making plans with adoption and surrogacy repayment, backup handle youngsters, elders and pets in addition to versatile paintings preparations and hybrid schedules. An general 84 p.c of staff, as famous on Glassdoor, would suggest running on the corporate, with some staff bringing up get entry to to carrying occasions and excellent camaraderie as the end positives to running there. With a conveniently speedy paintings tempo, some worker critiques word there can also be lengthy hours and paintings is extra not easy all over height season.
YouTube
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Whilst owned by way of the tech massive Google, YouTube is primarily based in separate San Bruno headquarters with its personal “tradition of creativity,” in keeping with an worker. After all, the engineering focal point remains to be provide, simply combined with a love of inventive video content material. Group of workers get the entire perks of Google, together with the “wonderful” unfastened foods, the mythical “Talks at Google” interview collection and a dog-friendly administrative center setting (staff’ pooches around the corporate are referred to as “Dooglers”). YouTube staff are proud that they’re on the “heart of the writer economic system,” says the insider, and are, in reality, arguably the largest studio of all with 500 hours of video content material uploaded each minute. The YouTube places of work, each in San Bruno and in Google places of work across the nation, are “top-notch,” with a slew of choices for workers in search of inventive assembly areas or quiet spaces to paintings. Nonetheless, the “requirements are excessive” and burnout is an issue, even though the corporate does be offering psychological well being toughen.
Reside Country Leisure
If you happen to’ve ever been to a live performance, it was once almost definitely produced by way of Reside Country, the No. 1 excursion promoter on the earth. From Beyoncé’s adventurous Renaissance trek to Useless & Corporate’s 30-night run on the Sphere in Las Vegas, staff are running to carry your favourite artists’ reside presentations to existence. One staffer says Reside Country’s pupil mortgage compensation help program — the place the corporate fits as much as $100 in bills per 30 days — is her favourite perk now that she is months clear of clearing out her training debt, whilst every other says the circle of relatives making plans help program, in particular egg freezing and IVF toughen, is what she appreciates maximum so she will be able to glance forward conveniently. And a contractor for the corporate finds that they’ve at all times felt tremendous incorporated regardless of now not being a full-time worker.
A+E Networks
Staffers can be expecting a “supportive staff setting,” and management, amongst them A+E president and chair Paul Buccieri, who “pontificate kindness,” says a present worker. “We care for every different.” Even though the house of true-crime and unscripted hits like The First 48 and Jail Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard supplies “tremendous” well being care advantages; an easygoing work-life stability; flexibility; and a per 30 days team-building, activity-driven “convening day,” the insider additionally describes a “stagnant hierarchy” that fosters a loss of long-term pathways and “funding in someone’s profession.” Any other con for the corporate that also reaches greater than 400 million families globally (albeit in opposition to the backdrop of a declining cable industry): duty problems for administrative center slackers. And prefer different media corporations experiencing cost-cutting, A+E underwent a “massive spherical of layoffs with out a caution to any one,” with staff inspired not to ask who was once let move. “All of us felt a bit of blindsided. On peak of this is the ones people with survivor guilt clearly have much more paintings,” the worker provides. Regardless of those tendencies, the insider would suggest the corporate to process seekers, particularly those that are being strategic about their careers: “It’s an enjoy. It’s a lily-pad pond. You’re going to be on that pad, and you then’re going to leap to one thing else someday.”
NBCUniversal
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Workers at NBCUniversal, unfold out over 40 separate manufacturers, vary from company executives to park staffers, maximum of whom are in most cases content material with higher control, an insider tells THR: “It’s great to understand that you just’re a minimum of heard.” That’s spectacular, taking into account the chief shuffles which have been transpiring, from ultimate yr’s firing of CEO Jeff Shell for misconduct to the departure of tv head Susan Rovner. The film studio, regardless that, has loved steadiness since Donna Langley, now NBCU studio crew chair and leader content material officer, took over Common Photos a decade in the past; her purview expanded in July. The studio is on the brink of unlock one of the most largest motion pictures of the year-end vacations, Depraved (Langley additionally simply landed Christopher Nolan’s subsequent movie, every other morale booster). Perks-wise, along with unfastened park passes and NBCU movie screenings, staff are eligible to get monetary lend a hand with fertility help, with protection quickly bumping as much as $25,000 in line with little one. Additionally they are relishing the just-completed renovation of the Burbank campus that features a state-of-the-art new administrative center constructing, lots of outside workspace and extra.
Roku
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Roku, with its achieve of 83.6 million streaming families and just lately reported income of $968.2 million, describes itself as residing on the epicenter of the streaming wars, given the truth that maximum leisure corporations have tiles on its streaming platform, however the corporate additionally has branched out into developing content material of its personal. Amongst filmmakers, Roku is considered as a supportive position for brand new paintings and unique content material, specifically after it greenlit the marvel Emmy winner Bizarre: The Al Yankovic Tale. It is also perceived as a hungry corporate that’s at the transfer, particularly now that ad-supported channels, like Roku Channel, have shed their low-rent standing given the upward push of promoting on main platforms. Not like a few of its Silicon Valley neighbors, Roku does now not be offering a laundry listing of perks, but in addition does now not have a suite collection of holiday days in line with yr and is understood for paying properly.
HBO
As a key participant within the media trade and Warner’s personal crown jewel, HBO is house to dozens of award-winning presentations, from The White Lotus to The Remaining of Us. In the back of the ones large hits is a small however tremendous sharp staff composed of peak executives who in large part were in combination for properly over a decade. Even the boss, Casey Bloys, labored his method up throughout the comedy ranks at HBO. However a tradition that encourages longevity generally is a double-edged sword, because it leaves little room for development for the ones now not already on the peak. With the times of “no budgets” and indulgent events lengthy long past, funds cuts even have led to some chaos lately, assets say, to not point out morale getting dinged by way of the messiness of the Max-HBO integration with “plenty of combined alerts, converting directives and bizarre fiefdoms and reporting constructions.” Content material cutbacks — around the board with studios purchasing and creating much less and not more — were particularly challenging on HBO. Insiders inform THR that for a while brokers have been advising, “Don’t even hit HBO, they’re closed.” Even though the door has opened a crack, those that have spent years in building proceed to be dismayed as dropped collection power them to go on peak ability with whom they’ve constructed relationships. Regardless of the takeover of Warner Bros.’ IP franchises (i.e., Harry Potterand Dune), assets say some inventive pros are nonetheless gunning to take dangers and to find the following Euphoria or Succession. In the long run, HBO’s stellar rep can and nonetheless does entice town’s peak inventive ability.
ESPN
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Workers of the sports activities media juggernaut ($4.3 billion in income within the 0.33 quarter this yr) really feel like they’re on the “heart of the sports activities universe,” says one staffer. Whilst the corporate lives below the Walt Disney Co. umbrella and staff rating the similar perks and advantages, ESPN enjoys its personal distinct company tradition, one constructed round a love of sports activities and fandom. Led by way of Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN prides itself on selling from inside of, with alternatives for workers to tackle next-level tasks. Fresh demanding situations come with cuts amongst high-profile on-air ability and a reorg promised by way of president of content material Burke Magnus in August, adjustments that come at a essential level for ESPN, with the release of its ESPN “flagship” streaming carrier subsequent yr and a newly minimize long-term take care of the NBA. Total, regardless that, the outlook is sunny as sports activities are nonetheless booming, because of this that ESPN’s significance to Disney’s streaming platforms and broadcast community will handiest develop. Whilst ESPN has places of work in New York and Los Angeles, the majority of its staff nonetheless paintings on its sprawling campus in Bristol, Connecticut. It “has a perfect health club,” however Bristol is “in the midst of nowhere,” which limits the facility of team of workers to process hop.
PBS
Bring to mind PBS, which is funded by way of the government and personal donations, because the antithesis of Netflix. “The work-life stability at PBS is lovely excellent, having labored at startups and different media organizations,” says a six-year worker who considers the 55-year-old corporate’s allotment of holiday, unwell and psychological well being days, along with comped volunteer hours, to be beneficiant. “They truly prioritize other people at PBS.” That prioritization has created an atmosphere the place it’s now not unusual for staffers to have labored there for many years. More recent staff will have to observe persistence in terms of their very own skilled building and reimbursement. “It affects numerous profession alternatives as a result of other people don’t go away,” provides the worker, “so it takes a bit of bit longer to get promoted and advance inside the group.” For all PBS staff, the possibility of a go back to administrative center for former President Trump, who on more than one events has threatened to do away with public media, will have to give some pause.
ABC Broadcast Community
This can be a bit of of a head-scratcher, taking into account that the go out of arguable president Kim Godwin in Might was once simply the cherry on peak of a chaos sundae. But sufficient staff of the main broadcast information community, house to Just right Morning The usa, International Information This night With David Muir and 20/20, were devoted to the fast moving media setting and significantly robust paintings tradition to stability out the turbulence and uncertainty within the wake of layoffs. An insider accustomed to the verdict says that the corporate is making the adjustments to be “sustainable, environment friendly and future-forward.” One can hope; in the meantime, ABC Information has a plethora of perks for workers, together with excellent advantages and, as a department of Disney, theme park tickets.
Meta
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Meta has been a coveted corporate to paintings for inside the tech and media group because of its advantages, unfastened meals in maximum places, merchandising machines stocked with tech merchandise, a beneficiant PTO coverage in addition to a month of paid go away each 5 years of employment; plus, its briefly shifting product and building timelines are very a lot preferred by way of staff running at complete tilt. However the corporate additionally assists in keeping a strict eye on its perks, as evidenced by way of the 2 dozen staff within the Los Angeles outpost who have been fired for the use of food-delivery vouchers supposed for foods on the administrative center for groceries and family necessities. And one of the crucial glamour of the $39 billion group has dimmed as Mark Zuckerberg launched into his Yr of Potency ultimate yr, which ended in large-scale layoffs amongst its greater than 70,000 staff and an general pulling down of the group. Meta in the long run follows the imaginative and prescient of Zuckerberg, which, because the social media corporate briefly pivots into new spaces like AI, can also be both an asset or a problem, relying on the way you have a look at it.
Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster, which merged with Reside Country in 2010, unearths tactics to make team of workers really feel valued, at the same time as its consumers like to gripe concerning the ticket-sales massive. A key perk of running on the corporate is, correctly, get entry to to tickets. Workers are promised a couple of seats every yr to any live performance in their opting for, even for the most up to date artists, whilst unsold tickets for quite a few occasions — together with stand-up comedy and reside theater — steadily are made to be had. Employees at Ticketmaster, which noticed important expansion just lately ($2.96 billion in 2023 income, up 32 p.c when put next with 2022), keep sure even if running within the eye of the typhoon — i.e., investigations and proceedings stemming from the alleged mishandling of Taylor Swift’s Eras Excursion price tag gross sales. Certainly, one former worker recalls their staff adorning the administrative center with printouts of essential social media posts for Halloween. (On that topic, a just lately departed employee notes, “The annual Halloween birthday party was once legitimately mythical.”) Even though the pay has been described as “now not being aggressive,” the facilities are challenging to stroll clear of, together with administrative center concert events, six months of parental go away and giveaways of coveted live performance merch from A-list performers. The corporate additionally creates jobs for former tune reporters with its weblog highlighting trade information, and a creator who was once employed to spruce up Ticketmaster’s artist bios remembers the ambience as “riveting and dynamic.”
Common Song Team
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Main file labels like Interscope and Republic Data sit down below the UMG umbrella, with acts starting from international powerhouses like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish to legends reminiscent of Stevie Surprise and The Rolling Stones. In the back of the scenes are 12,000 staff running throughout six continents on product advertising, radio promotion, exposure, A&R and extra to get tune to thousands and thousands of listeners. One staffer says they admire how UMG fights for songwriters and artists, pointing to the corporate’s contemporary take care of TikTok months after doing away with its tune from the app following a failure to succeed in an settlement over how a lot to pay artists. Forward of the election, every other staffer highlighted UMG’s Use Your Voice voter training marketing campaign. “I’m continuously inspired by way of the toughen the corporate supplies,” they are saying, bringing up advantages for psychological well being, wellness and rising households.
Warner Song Team
One Warner staffer, who has labored at competition like Sony and UMG, says she appreciates her present employer on account of its “tech-forward considering” in day-to-day workflows and “general corporate morale.” Someone else provides of the inventive vibe on the tune conglomerate that introduced in $1.55 billion in income for fiscal third-quarter 2024: “The second one you stroll into our headquarters, you are feeling impressed.” Warner Data has been on a profitable streak because of breaking new acts like Benson Boone and Teddy Swims, together with successes like streaming juggernaut Zach Bryan and the enduring Neil Younger. The crowd does a perfect process of creating staff really feel invested in its triumphs. Even supposing subsidiary Atlantic Data simply went thru a significant organizational overhaul, shedding more or less 6 to 7 p.c of its team of workers, its launching of a couple of Bruno Mars singles which might be blazing the charts lands as a communal victory. “I at all times really feel observed, heard and in point of fact valued,” says one exec.
Paramount Photos
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Paramount has been going thru main adjustments for moderately a while now, from CEO Brad Gray’s sudden dying in 2017; to new control in Jim Gianopulos in 2019; to the present trio of leaders in Brian Robbins, George Cheeks and Chris McCarthy; and now the approaching subsummation below Skydance: “How do you suppose it’s right here??” exclaims one mid-level govt. However no matter occurs with the co-CEOs as David Ellison’s outfit takes over, steadiness and effort were returned to the film facet since 2021, when Robbins took over. Amid the true considerations round staff protecting their jobs, the studio will shut out the yr with Thanksgiving’s Gladiator II and the Christmas providing Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which by way of maximum accounts are anticipated to be large hits. Each are serving to with morale. “Folks at Paramount are very skilled and feature motion pictures to position out,” says the insider. “They know Ellison will want other people when he arrives. You’ll be able to’t hearth everyone.” And prefer each main studio, Paramount is beneficiant with sponsored choices in its cafeteria and govt eating room.
Hulu
Since Disney bought Hulu in 2023, a vibe shift has taken position, from that of a culty startup to the Disneyfication of Hulu, in keeping with a knowledgable user. Staffers have unfold out, with other groups now heading into places of work all right through Los Angeles as a substitute of 1 unified crew understanding of the unique Hulu headquarters in Santa Monica. The programming sizzling streak that started with it being the primary streamer to win a excellent drama Emmy for The Handmaid’s Story has cooled (The Endure is made by way of the FX staff), and the corporatization continues with the scripted drama and comedy groups now rising with ABC. The corporate additionally has instituted different adjustments, together with not offering fairness choices for junior staff. Then again, Hulu staff now obtain unfastened access to Disney parks and will draw on such advantages as well being care, retirement and financial savings methods, circle of relatives care sources, time-off methods, psychological well being and wellbeing equipment, and, after all, unfastened snacks and beverages. “As a Hulugan for over 9 years, what’s in point of fact particular is the folk,” says GM Lauren Tempest. “There’s no higher position to paintings on thrilling initiatives with best-in-class colleagues (and nice snacks!).”
Sony Photos Leisure
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More than one accounts cite Sony, with 10,000-plus staff, as a solid, collegial position to paintings. The studio is understood for franchises from Spider-Guy to Jumanji and Lodge Transylvania, and in addition has launched motion pictures like As soon as Upon a Time… in Hollywood and The Lady King. It boasts little worker turnover and puts numerous emphasis on perks: monetary and felony sources, pupil mortgage help, pet-sitting services and products, adoption and surrogacy help, get entry to to a health club, dentist, nurse advocates, girls’s well being advantages and little one and grownup care. “They spend numerous sources on serving to other people navigate and construct relationships with other people on their staff,” one worker tells THR of the learning and management methods, singling out for reward fertility toughen a few of the girls’s well being advantages. At the lot itself, staff are supplied with a nutritionist, counseling and bodily treatment. Any other worker provides: “There are various initiatives to paintings on in dynamic environments with plenty of collaboration and momentum to ‘suppose large.’ You don’t need to in particular paintings on TV and flicks to really feel like you’re a part of the leisure trade — they do a excellent process of creating you are feeling part of it.”
Easiest in Magnificence
For Repayment and Advantages
1. Netflix
2. Meta
3. Insurrection Video games
4. Roku
5. WWE
6. Apple TV
7. Nickelodeon
8. The Gentleman Report
9. Amazon
10. ESPN
For Senior Management
1. A+E Networks
2. Dreamworks Animation
3. Netflix
4. Insurrection Video games
5. Reside Country
6. Fox sSports
7. NBCUniversal
8. ABC
9. Common Song
10. Roku
For Variety and Inclusion
1. Insurrection Video games
2. Netflix
3. Nickelodeon
4. Warner Song
5. Digital Arts
6. Reside Country
7. Pixar
8. YouTube
9. Ticketmaster
10. Apple
For Paintings-Existence Steadiness
1. Spotify
2. Dreamworks Animation
3. Insurrection Video games
4. Nickelodeon
5. A+E Networks
6. Pixar
7. Roku
8. PBS
9. Digital Arts
10. Reside Country
How This Record Got here In combination
To spot the 25 excellent leisure corporations to paintings for, Glassdoor aggregated worker critiques submitted between June 1, 2021, and Might 31, 2024, from a listing of 163 corporations, together with studios, networks, streamers, businesses, control corporations and media conglomerates, to call a couple of, as supplied by way of The Hollywood Reporter. For the total rating, Glassdoor averaged every corporate’s general worker score and worker rankings throughout 8 delight classes: profession alternatives, reimbursement and advantages, tradition and values, range and inclusion, senior management, work-life stability, sure industry outlook, and whether or not or now not you’d suggest this administrative center to a pal. Firms have been then ranked from excellent to worst general and bring to a halt after 25 to retain records integrity.
This tale gave the impression within the Oct. 30 factor of The Hollywood Reporter mag. Click on right here to subscribe.
