I guess I have several thoughts as I preview this list of 100 top companies for 2006. What exactly makes them the top?

And Google at the top, I don’t know about this, I’ve heard some pretty wicked stories about their managements behaviour and style as they attempt to manage in a very competitive and stressful industry. Could they be wrong, are the stories fabricated? Don’t know, as usual, the only way to truly know is to work there.

What has happened to Microsoft? Oh, how the mighty have fallen, to number 50 in fact, of the top 100. The saying is so true, once you’ve reached the top, there’s no where to go but down. Everyone has figured out the soft spot of creating the employees special surroundings like offering spas, free meals, doctors, babysitting services etc. Keep your employees at work, working insane hours and everyone should be happy, right?