These annual rankings evaluate large organizations on workplace culture, leadership, career development, work-life integration and overall employee wellbeing. While national recognition is encouraging, the truest measure of a workplace comes from the people who experience it every day. Across UC Davis and UC Davis Health, employee feedback continues to shape how the university strengthens the workplace, expands opportunities for growth and supports its people.
"The people who make up UC Davis and UC Davis Health bring extraordinary care, skill, curiosity and dedication to their work every day," said Tammy Kenber, chief human resources officer. "They bring their best and so should we, by providing a work environment where they feel respected, supported and encouraged to grow. We're proud to be building that kind of workplace, and it's gratifying to receive recognition for doing so, but the best reward is helping employees build meaningful careers that move both them and UC Davis forward."
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Listening is only the first step
Every other year, employees across UC Davis and UC Davis Health are invited to participate in the Employee Experience Survey, sharing confidential feedback about their experiences at work. The survey measures engagement across topics such as leadership, communication, career development, inclusion and wellbeing, giving leaders a clearer understanding of where employees are succeeding and where barriers remain.
The real work begins after the survey closes.
Over this past year, leaders reviewed results from the 2025 survey with their teams and implemented local action plans based on what they heard. At the same time, Employee Experience Advisory Committees and an enterprise-wide Employee Experience Network examined organization-level feedback to identify the issues employees said mattered most across our entire enterprise. Their recommendations were recently approved by university leadership, establishing shared priorities that will guide improvement efforts across both UC Davis and UC Davis Health.
Those changes are documented on our website at You Said, Together We Did, an ongoing series highlighting improvements that grew directly from employee feedback. Recent examples include:
Learning and Organizational Development expanded career growth opportunities through leadership programs, the Career Design Lab, the Group Mentoring Program and updated training policies that now allow eligible Inclusive Excellence workshops to count toward professional development release time.
The new Employee Job Shadow Program helps employees explore career opportunities by providing short-term shadowing experiences across the institution.
Each change is modest on its own. Taken together, they illustrate a workplace that continues to adapt in response to the people who know it best.
Investing in career growth
Professional development has long been one of the defining features of the employee experience at UC Davis.
That commitment continues Nov. 16–20 with the fifth annual Career Development Week, hosted by Learning and Organizational Development. Employees from UC Davis and UC Davis Health will have access to workshops, keynote presentations, networking opportunities and interactive learning sessions designed to help them develop new skills, explore career opportunities and build professional connections. Learn more on the Career Development Week website.
Employees can also take advantage of year-round career development resources, including:
Career Design Lab: Career coaching and planning resources for employees exploring their next step.
Group Mentoring Program: Cross-campus mentoring designed to build connections and support career growth.
Supporting employee wellbeing
The recognition for mental wellbeing reflects a shared commitment across UC Davis and UC Davis Health to support employees both at work and beyond. From confidential counseling to employee communities and work-life resources, these programs help employees navigate challenges, strengthen professional relationships, and maintain a healthy balance or integration of their life inside/outside of work.
WorkLife: Resources supporting family care, work-life integration, leave planning and everyday life.
Employee Wellbeing: A central hub for health, wellness and work-life resources available to employees across UC Davis and UC Davis Health
Employee Resource Groups: Communities that foster networking, mentorship, professional development and belonging.
Methodology
Newsweek's America's Greatest Workplaces and America's Greatest Workplaces for Mental Wellbeing rankings are produced in partnership with Plant-A Insights Group and are based on one of the nation's largest independent employer studies. The evaluation incorporates feedback from hundreds of thousands of employees, millions of company reviews and publicly available data assessing workplace culture, leadership, compensation, career development, work-life balance and employee wellbeing.
For the mental wellbeing ranking, organizations were also evaluated on the quality of their mental health resources, workplace practices and policies supporting employee wellbeing.
