QIAGEN Makes Greatest Workplaces 2023 List Along with Several Maryland Life Science Companies

QIAGEN was recognized as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2023 alongside several life science companies with a presence in the BioHealth Capital Region.

By Chris Frew | August 2, 2023

BioBuzz has been building life science communities for 14 years because we believe in the power of personal networks to unlock your career potential. For our next chapter, we’re building upon the success of our community to help solve today’s greatest challenges in hiring and career development. There is a better, more equitable way to connect talent with opportunity… and we’re building it.

Newsweek and data firm Plant-A Insights Group have compiled a ranking of America’s Greatest Workplaces 2023, highlighting companies that prioritize employee satisfaction. Employers who are recognized as part of America’s Greatest Workplaces list may find they stand out over their competitors in an economic climate where the job market remains competitive, even despite fears of a recession.

These workplaces are found to pay competitive salaries, promote equality and diversity, and foster a culture of innovation. Employees in such environments feel a sense of belonging and optimism, leading to higher motivation and engagement. Employers who focus on nurturing great workplaces often benefit from increased productivity, lower turnover rates, and improved organizational stability, positively impacting the bottom line. Moreover, studies have shown that happy employees experience better physical and mental health, leading to fewer sick days and less burnout.

To develop the ranking, Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group surveyed companies employing at least 1,000 people about their employment experience and also consulted more than 389,000 company reviews.

Let’s take a look at who was recognized in the BioHeatlh Capital Region as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces. 

QIAGEN

QIAGEN North American Holdings, the American division of the global life sciences company that is a leader in providing molecular sample and assay technologies and services for cell and gene therapy companies, received a 5-star ranking and was recognized under the health care products category. QIAGEN’s US HQ is in Germantown, Maryland, and has been in operation for more than 20 years, employing more than 300 people while continuing to grow.

The company has a strong history of providing a very employee-centric work environment and has built a strong reputation in the market as a top employer.  This is evident by strong employee retention which is further illustrated in the Great Place to Work certification page which cites that 40% of QIAGEN employees have been with the company for 6 years or more, and 10% have been onboard for more than 16 years.  There are many systems and programs that the company invests in to create this great culture, including its community service program that will pay employees for their service time as covered in a previous BioBuzz article.

In addition to Newsweek’s recognition, QIAGEN-US was also named a “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” after earning a perfect score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The results of the 2022 CEI showcase companies that are helping advance and promote LGBTQ+ friendly workplace policies both in the U.S. and abroad. 

Children’s National Hospital 

Also on the list was Children’s National Hospital. Based in Washington, D.C., Children’s National is one of the largest employers in the region with more than 7,000 employees, including 1,700 nurses and 700 physicians.

Established in 1870 to help every child grow up stronger, it is the No. 5 children’s hospital in the nation and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital was also recognized in Newsweek’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity list.

Children’s National Hospital has created a one-of-a-kind research and innovation hub that drives discoveries that save and improve the lives of children. The hospital renovated 160,000 sq. ft. of research and innovation space to pursue new high-impact opportunities in pediatric genomic and precision medicine, anchored by Center for Genetic Medicine Research and the Rare Disease Institute. 

Also included in the innovation campus is the startup incubator space JLABS @ Washington, DC. Children’s has created a broader ecosystem on-site for innovations such as new drugs, medical devices, precision diagnostics, and health technologies that can impact their patients.

Thermo Fisher

The list also recognized Thermo Fisher, a manufacturer of analytical instruments, equipment, software, and services for the scientific research industry that has more than 75,000 employees around the world, including 450+ employees at the Frederick, Maryland campus. 

The Frederick campus houses an East Coast distribution center, a new Cryo-Innovation Center, and the National Cancer Institute Central Repository for Clinical Trials. 

The company was also ranked in Forbes’ America’s Most Innovative Companies list.  The Frederick site is highly attuned to employee satisfaction and creating a workplace that employees feel proud to work at.  In fact, in 2018 they launched first-of-its-kind bikeshare program to make it easier for employees to commute and live healthier lifestyles.

Quest Diagnostics 

Derived from the world’s largest database of clinical lab results, Quest’s diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors, and improve healthcare management. 

Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States with over 50,000 employees. 

Quest recently completed the acquisition of Baltimore-based Haystack Oncology. 

Founded in 2021 and located in City Garage Science & Technology Center, Haystack Oncology has developed a highly sensitive minimal-residual disease (MRD) testing technology based on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), to aid in the early detection of residual or recurring cancer and better inform therapy decisions. Quest expects to incorporate this MRD technology into the development of new blood-based clinical lab services for solid tumor cancers available beginning in 2024. 

Previously, Quest had been named as a Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion through the Disability Equity Index.

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine

Lastly, both Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine were recognized by Newsweek. 

The largest private-sector employer in Greater Baltimore, Johns Hopkins boasts a prominent position in both the healthcare and university sectors and is renowned for providing an array of benefits and abundant opportunities for personal and professional development. 

Employees can avail themselves of various learning avenues, including tuition assistance, job training programs, team development classes, and skills enhancement programs, highlighting the organization’s commitment to their educational growth.

Forbes also ranked Johns Hopkins Medicine 20th overall & the University ranked 95th in their ranking of America’s Best Large Employers, and #269 for Best Employers for Diversity (2023).
In other rankings out of Maryland, RegenXbio was ranked in the Washington Business Journal’s Top Workplaces list for 2023.