McLeod Health has been recognized once again by Forbes as one of the Top 10 Best Employers By State. Forbes, a global media company that focuses on business, technology and leadership, recently released its annual list for 2025 of America’s Best Employers By State. For those employers with headquarters in South Carolina, McLeod Health ranked in the Top 10.

Donna Isgett, President and CEO of McLeod Health, stated the distinction highlights how the organization’s mission, vision, and values create the culture of a destination workplace. “We have listened to our people and responded with improvements in the workplace environment. Our staff feel safe enough to share their opinions and suggestions, which results in positive changes.”

Isgett added, “At McLeod Health, we believe that a healthy workplace starts with the well-being of our people. Based on employee feedback, changes were implemented to support their comfort, health, and daily work experience with an updated dress code policy for all non-clinical team members allowing professional dress sneakers. We want our team members to feel their best because when they are well, we all thrive. Encouraging comfortable footwear and daily movement as part of a Walk to Wellness initiative is a good step forward.”

Forbes partners with market research firm Statista to survey more than 160,000 employees working for companies with at least 500 people within the United States. Survey participants were asked how likely they were to recommend their employer on a scale of zero to 10, and to evaluate their employer based on working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, potential for development, company image and more. “Employees tend to report that what matters most to them in a job is flexibility and autonomy, meaningful work that aligns with their values, a respectful environment with managers who make them feel valued, well-defined paths for growth and advancement, and of course, competitive pay and benefits,” according to Forbes.

McLeod Health ranked in the top 35 employers in the entire state among all industries and educators which included Sonoco, University of South Carolina, and Clemson University. For those employers with headquarters in South Carolina, McLeod Health ranked in the Top 10.

Octavia Williams-Blake, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for McLeod Health, noted, “Our teams of professionals are our most valuable resource. At McLeod, our commitment to excellence starts with our people. During the past year we have focused on strengthening our workforce by addressing ongoing labor shortages by expanding recruiting and community training partnerships and introducing flexible staffing models.”

Respondents were also asked to evaluate employers they had worked for within the past two years, and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who worked there. The scoring system is based on responses from the 2024 survey, in addition to survey data from the past three years. Participants also assessed employers beyond their own. All surveys were anonymous to encourage candor. Companies that received the highest scores in each state are represented on the list. As with all Forbes lists, companies pay no fee to participate.