For many people, it isn't just a good salary, a decent health plan and standout extras like student loan repayment benefits and spa gift cards that make their place of employment a great place to work. It's also whether employees feel they have a voice and are truly heard, that they have a clear career path with helpful mentors, and that the company stands for something worthwhile and treats its clientele—and workers—accordingly. Related: People, processes and culture: The most important parts of a business Those on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For made the grade—and some on the list have been there for years, a reflection of how committed those companies are to maintaining stellar workplace cultures. To be considered, companies with 1,000 or more employees submit an application to Fortune's research partner Great Place to Work Institute detailing their HR programs and practices. The Oakland, California-based organization evaluates companies' applications and then surveys their workers to see how employees feel about the company's values, their ability to contribute new ideas and the effectiveness of their leaders. As a precaution, judges consider anomalies in the employee responses, as well as news reports and the company's financial performance to rule out any "extraordinary reasons" not to trust the survey results. Check out the top 10 companies to work for in the slideshow above. Read more: 

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