The article covers how Keeping employees happy in tough times involves being straight. At San Francisco creative agency Pereira & O’Dell, if the company loses a bid for a big potential client, for example, executives let the whole company know, rather than just those directly involved. “We get the group together and let them know,” said CEO Andrew O’Dell. “When you don’t win it, you move on as a team. You do that as a group. … We think it’s really important because it builds trust and confidence. (It shows) we’re looking out for their needs, not just our own."

The ranking brought nominations from 301 companies around the Bay Area. Some 187,756 employees at those companies completed surveys that resulted in the rankings reported.