Merck (U.S.)

Employees say:

"The culture of support for the Employee Business Resource Groups creates a physical environment of care, community, and collaboration that fosters trust in both the EBRG teams as well as in the DE&I journey within the greater company culture."

Employees say:

"The main thing that drives me is the sense of ethics and always putting patients first, and not profits. This makes me proud to work here and confident that everyone at the company is driven by the same north."

New Jersey–based pharmaceutical company Merck climbed 36 spots from No. 98 on last year’s Best Companies list, with about 75% of the company’s employees worldwide undergoing a pay equity study as of 2021, which grew to 90% in 2022. That 2022 study, by the way, showed that Merck had achieved over 99% pay equity for both women and men and white and non-white employees in the U.S. 

Merck’s diversity programs have worked to address gender pay disparities and representation of women in the workplace. The company’s board of directors has more gender diversity than the industry norm, consisting of 46% female representation, while women make up 33% of Merck’s executives. Merck’s Women’s Leadership Program and Emerging Women’s Leadership program provide professional development training for women employees.

• Roughly 4,000 managers have been trained on how to connect their workers with well-being resources and educated on how to respond with compassion toward someone who may be struggling.


• Roughly 100 workers have completed Mental Health First Aid training and are available to help colleagues access mental health information and resources. It’s a grassroots project to reduce the stigma and raise awareness of mental health issues.


• Lyra, launched in 2021, ensures both employees and their families have quick access to high-quality evidence-based mental health care.


• Employees are provided with a membership to relaxation app Calm, as well as a flex day, time off to volunteer, and a generous parental leave program.


• “Merck shows that we are people, not just employees, with lives outside of work and honors that and promotes balancing work/home life,” said one worker.