Hawai‘i’s Best Places to Work 2025

Table of Contents

Large Companies | Medium Companies | Small Companies | Other Categories | Benefits

Just when it seemed like employee engagement numbers had hit rock bottom, they slipped even lower. Only 31% of employees nationally said they felt involved and enthusiastic about their jobs last year, according to a Gallup survey – a 10-year low.

In Hawai‘i, engagement figures are probably no higher, says Tracie Foglia, the talent solutions manager at the Hawaii Employers Council. Foglia is spearheading a new HEC initiative to help the council’s approximately 750 member organizations attract the best people, and effectively engage and develop them so they’ll stay.

Finding and keeping talent is the single biggest problem that local leaders worry about, she says. Yet many of those leaders haven’t adapted to employee needs for meaning and connection in their jobs, which is crucial today, she says.

“For me, it all comes down to engagement,” says Foglia.

The New Rules of Engagement

While there are no easy fixes for poor or lackluster engagement, “it isn’t rocket science,” says Foglia. “It’s really about employees having an emotional connection to the work they do for the organization, its mission, vision and values.”

In her previous position as a recruiter for a local staffing company, Foglia says, she would “essentially shuffle people across Hawai‘i organizations because employers weren’t telling them how the work they did mattered, and that wasn’t engaging them.”

And you can’t get people to commit to an organization using tools of the past, she adds.

“We used to throw a pizza party or have board games in the breakroom, and we would call it engagement. But engagement is not entertainment,” says Foglia. “We want to do work where we know that we matter, where we can commit to an organization and we know that the organization is committed to us. We want to do work that we’re fulfilled by,” she says.

Engaged employees stay at their jobs longer and deliver better results, says Foglia. “You not only keep the great talent that you have, but their hearts and minds are engaged in the work the company does, and they become advocates for your company.”

She says a narrow focus on key performance indicators and other metrics will “impact not only the experience of the employees, but your bottom line.” In a McKinsey survey, for example, 99% of respondents who said their company’s talent management was very effective also said their companies outperformed competitors, compared with 56% of all other respondents.

3 Ways to Improve Employee Engagement

Skills development: The most important way to help people feel engaged at work is by giving them the opportunity to develop their skills, says Foglia. That can take the form of tuition assistance, training and workshops, or cross-departmental training and “exposure.”

“Exposure is my favorite one,” she says, as it lets employees shadow a leader, bringing them into rooms and conversations and preparing them for new roles.

Among 2025’s Best Places to Work companies, 91% say they help employees take work-related courses, and 87% assist with attending business workshops and conferences or getting professional certifications. Forty-two percent offer reimbursement for advanced degrees.

Job shadowing and cross-training are offered at 89% of the Best Places to Work, and 83% provide formal mentoring.

Work-life balance: The second-most important engagement tool, Foglia says, is building flexibility into employee schedules when possible and prioritizing work-life balance, which improves physical and mental well-being.

She says employers need to honestly assess people’s workloads and capacity. Do they need assistance? Can projects be delayed or sent elsewhere? Is there an off-hours policy that protects the employee’s private life?

“If I’m on PTO, am I expected to check my email?” Foglia asks. “A little part of me dies inside when I read someone’s out-of-office message and it says, ‘I’m on vacation and will reply when I’m able.’”

Among this year’s selected companies, 88% say they offer flexible work hours, and 71% say employees are discouraged from checking emails and voicemails after work.

But only 40% of those companies say employees are not permitted to work during vacation, and only 44% require employees to take vacation time.

Caring managers: The third-most important factor that determines whether employees feel fulfilled and valued is their direct manager, says Foglia – and many managers need training and skills to effectively lead a team.

She says managers can be taught to ask questions – What are your biggest challenges? How can I help? – and to actively listen. “People’s well-being and their ability to share with others when they’re having a hard time is completely dependent on the direct manager,” she says.

Managers at Best Places to Work companies excel at building positive relationships with employees. In survey results gathered from employees, 93% say their bosses treat them respectfully, 92% say their bosses are mindful of their personal needs, and 90% say their bosses willingly listen to suggestions and want employees to reach their full potential.

At an organizational level, while 95% of employees say they understand how their work impacts their companies’ success, only 84% believe their companies value them.

Pay and Benefits Matter

Beyond these foundational elements, fundamentals such as pay and benefits are crucial for engagement, says Foglia.

“The vast majority of people work because we have a financial need. If your company does not have market pay, you’re going to lose employees and not attract employees.”

And while many companies offer a suite of benefits, Foglia says, employees are often unsure of what benefits they have and how to use them. She suggests that companies explain the value of benefits, especially more complex ones such as 401(k) plans and employee stock ownership plans, and organize financial literacy workshops. An employee stock ownership plan gives employees partial or full ownership of a company.

On the Best Places to Work list, 97% of organizations offer 401(k) plans or something similar, 34% offer profit-sharing plans and 21% offer ESOPs. All of the companies say they offer medical benefits, and 87% of employees say their share of the costs is reasonable.

As for pay, only 68% of employees at Best Places to Work companies say their compensation is fair.

Hawai‘i’s Unique Advantage

Foglia says that Hawai‘i has inherited the relentless work culture of the mainland, which is “the only one I know where, when people are on vacation, they still feel a need to check in with the office.”

Rather than looking somewhere else for healthier models, she says workplaces can find the guidance they need at home.

“One of our amazing super-strengths in Hawai‘i is our culture of aloha. We naturally try to build connections to people. So why don’t we double down on that and really leverage that in the workplace?”

She says companies should consistently make time to talk with employees about why their work matters and how important they are to the team and the company. “What better place to engage people than here?”

Large Companies
250 or more Hawaiʻi employees

The remaining large companies are listed in alphabetical order.

Adventist Health Castle
Headquarters: Kailua
Employees: 969
adventisthealthcastle.org

American Savings Bank
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 968
asbhawaii.com

Central Pacific Bank
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 697
cpb.bank

Child & Family Service
Headquarters: Ewa Beach
Employees: 326
childandfamilyservice.org

Diagnostic Laboratory Services Inc.
Headquarters: Aiea
Employees: 735
dlslab.com

First Hawaiian Bank
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 1,908
fhb.com

Hawaii State Federal Credit Union
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 376
hawaiistatefcu.com

Island Palm Communities
Headquarters: Schofield Barracks
Employees: 402
islandpalmcommunities.com

Prince Resorts Hawaii
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 1,559
princeresortshawaii.com

ProService Hawaii
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 444
proservice.com

Servco Pacific Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 1,045
servco.com

Medium Companies
50-249 Hawaiʻi employees

The remaining medium companies are listed in alphabetical order.

AES Hawaii
Headquarters: Arlington, VA
Employees: 64
aes-hawaii.com

AHL
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 100
ahl.design

Alexander & Baldwin
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 99
alexanderbaldwin.com

American Floor & Home
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 123
americanfloorandhome.com

Aqua Engineers Inc.
Headquarters: Kalaheo
Employees: 90
aquaengineers.com

Atlas Insurance Agency
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 108
atlasinsurance.com

Bristol Hospice Hawaii
Headquarters: Salt Lake City, UT
Employees: 176
bristolhospice.com/hawaii/

Castaway Construction & Restoration LLC
Headquarters: Kahului
Employees: 90
castawayhawaii.com

CW Associates CPAs
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 65
cwa.cpa

Diamond Bakery
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 62
diamondbakery.com

Elcco Electric Inc.
Headquarters: Kahului
Employees: 72
elccoelectric.com

EnviroServices & Training Center LLC
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 55
gotoetc.com

Finance Factors Ltd.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 108
financefactors.com

First Insurance Company of Hawaii
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 216
ficoh.com

G70
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 102
g70.design

Hale Kipa
Headquarters: Ewa Beach
Employees: 100
halekipa.org

Hawaii Community Foundation
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 84
hawaiicommunityfoundation.org

Hawaii Dental Service
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 134
hawaiidentalservice.com

Hawaii Diagnostic Radiology Services
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 64
hawaiidrs.com

HEMIC
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 123
hemic.com

Hickam Federal Credit Union
Headquarters: Pearl City
Employees: 105
hickamfcu.org

Island Insurance
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 140
islandinsurance.com

Kapili Solar Roofing
Headquarters: Waipahu
Employees: 156
kapiliroof.com

Kilauea Pest Control
Headquarters: Kailua
Employees: 78
kilaueapest.com

Kupu
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 69
kupuhawaii.org

Layton Construction
Headquarters: Sandy UT
Employees: 56
laytonconstruction.com/meet-hawaii/

Life Cycle Engineering
Headquarters: Charleston, SC
Employees: 104
LCE.com

M. Dyer Global
Headquarters: Pearl City
Employees: 78
mdyerglobal.com

N&K CPAs Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 59
nkcpa.com

Noguchi & Associates
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 56
nogins.com

Nordic PCL Construction Inc.
Headquarters: Edmonton, Alberta
Employees: 173
nordicpcl.com

Pacific Administrators Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 51
pacadmin.com

Pacific Biodiesel
Headquarters: Wailuku
Employees: 91
biodiesel.com

Pacific Guardian Life Insurance Co.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 117
pacificguardian.com

Pacxa
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 92
pacxa.com

Pyramid Insurance
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 66
pyramidins.com

Ronald N.S. Ho & Associates Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 66
rnsha.com

Seagull Schools
Headquarters: Kailua
Employees: 147
seagullschools.org

Service Rentals & Supplies LLC
Headquarters: Kahului
Employees: 63
service-rentals.com

St. Andrews Schools
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 77
standrewsschools.org

Swinerton
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
Employees: 150
swinerton.com

UHA Health Insurance
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 169
uhahealth.com

Waimanalo Health Center
Headquarters: Waimanalo
Employees: 127
waimanalohealth.org

Windward Auto Group LLC (now called Jerry V’s Auto Group)
Headquarters: Kaneohe
Employees: 126
jerryforthepeople.com

Small Companies
15-49 Hawaiʻi employees

The remaining small companies are listed in alphabetical order.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawai‘i
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 24
bbbshawaii.org

Ceramic Tile Plus and Exclusively Yours
Headquarters: Kahului
Employees: 30
ceramictileplus.com

Chun Kerr LLP
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 39
chunkerr.com

Diamond Head Dental Care
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 36
diamondheaddentalcare.com

Dynamic Planning & Response LLC
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 43
dynapnr.com

Express Employment Professionals of Hawaii
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 23
expresspros.com/HonoluluHi

The Hawaii Group Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 36
thehawaiigroup.com

Hawaii Information Service
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 16
hawaiinformation.com

Hawai‘i Public Health Institute
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 48
hiphi.org

Hawaii Zipline Tours
Headquarters: Honomu
Employees: 19
ziplinetourshawaii.com

HiEmployment
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 22
hi-employment.com

Imua Family Services
Headquarters: Kahului
Employees: 42
discoverimua.com

Independent Energy
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 23
independentenergyhawaii.com

iQ 360
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 16
iq360inc.com

Lawson & Associates Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 15
lawsonsafety.com

Make-A-Wish Hawaii
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 28
hawaii.wish.org

Mitsunaga & Associates Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 38
mitsunagaassociates.com

Okahara and Associates Inc.
Headquarters: Hilo
Employees: 38
okahara.com

Premier Solutions Hi LLC
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 19
premiersolutionshi.com

Servpac Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 18
servpac.com

Sustainable Island Products
Headquarters: Kailua-Kona
Employees: 21
sustainableislandproducts.com

T&T Tinting Specialists Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 26
tnttinting.com

Verity CPAs
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 18
veritycpas.com

WestPac Wealth Partners
Headquarters: San Diego, CA
Employees: 40
westpacwealth.com

Windward Synergy Center
Headquarters: Kailua
Employees: 20
windwardsynergycenter.com

Zephyr Insurance Co. Inc.
Headquarters: Honolulu
Employees: 20
zephyrinsurance.com

Other Categories
Most Family-Friendly Companies

Small Employer:

1. Hawai‘i Energy / Leidos
2. Express Employment Professionals of Hawaii
3. USAble Life

Medium Employer:

1. New York Life Insurance
2. Layton Construction
3. Nordic PCL Construction Inc.

Large Employer:

1. First Hawaiian Bank
2. Prince Resorts Hawaii
3. Parents And Children Together

Healthiest Companies

Small Employer:

1. Hawai‘i Energy / Leidos
2. Express Employment Professionals of Hawaii
3. WestPac Wealth Partners

Medium Employer:

1. First Insurance Company of Hawaii
2. AHL
3. Alexander & Baldwin

Large Employer:

1. Child & Family Service
2. First Hawaiian Bank
3. Central Pacific Bank

Best Places to Work for Women

Small Employer:

1. Hawai‘i Public Health Institute
2. Windward Synergy Center
3. Chun Kerr LLP

Medium Employer:

1. G70
2. Edward Jones
3. Atlas Insurance Agency

Large Employer:

1. Island Palm Communities
2. Bowers + Kubota Consulting Inc.
3. Bayer Hawaii

Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Employees

Small Employer:

1. Hawai‘i Energy / Leidos
2. Ceramic Tile Plus and Exclusively Yours
3. Express Employment Professionals of Hawaii

Medium Employer:

1. Northwestern Mutual Hawai‘i
2. New York Life Insurance
3. CW Associates CPAs

Large Employer:

1. Parents And Children Together
2. American Savings Bank
3. First Hawaiian Bank

Best Places to Work in Hospitality in Hawai’i

Prince Resorts Hawaii

Best Places to Work on the Neighbor Islands

Service Rentals & Supplies LLC

Best Young Business to Work For

Windward Auto Group LLC (now called Jerry V’s Auto Group)

Best Places to Work Rookie of the Year

Service Rentals & Supplies LLC

Best Family-Owned Place to Work

Service Rentals & Supplies LLC

2025 Benefits at a Glance