DURHAM – Looking for a new role in IT, perhaps a low-stress, high-paying job with a great company?  Two Triangle-headquartered companies rank among the nation’s best large employers in an analysis conducted by Computerworld that was released this week.

At the top of the best places to work in information technology is Durham-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, and ranking seventh is Raleigh-headquartered Red Hat, which is owned by IBM.

“IT can no longer be viewed as just a function or department. We’re really the backbone and the operating system of the enterprise,” said Jo Abernathy, CIO at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, in an executive summary released by Computerworld this week.  “Technology isn’t used just to run the business but to reimagine it.”

The organization ranked second in the category that tracked employee engagement, and first for DEI efforts, according to the study.

Those programs include the Blue Cross NC LADDER program, as well as the organization’s involvement with Road to Hire, which focuses on helping underrepresented youth enter the tech field; and a partnership with the North Carolina Governor’s HBCU Internship Program, according to the Computerworld report.

Want a low-stress $100,000 a year job? Check out these careers

Behind the rankings

The rankings came from a 29th annual survey conducted by the publisher of Computerworld, Foundry.

To rank the companies, which are subdivided into large, mid-sized, and smaller firms, participants who participated in the survey after being nominated for the study answered 52 questions.

Those questions included those along topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion practices; turnover, promotions, and career growth; retention and engagement programs; work environment including remote or hybrid options; and benefits.

Red Hat, for instance, ranked fourth among all companies considered when it came to career development.

How much was your raise? ‘Job changers’ pay surges 15.1%, ‘job stayers’ 7.6%, report says

Tech skills remain in demand

“Career opportunities for IT professionals have been unprecedented over the past year amid strong demand for top talent and new skills,” a summary of the study published by Computerworld reads. “Recent economic pressures and rising layoffs have softened the market somewhat, but many companies continue to seek much-needed skills in data science, software development, cybersecurity, and other IT areas.”

And while there have been some layoffs, including cuts announced at Cisco, Lenovo, and N-able, all of which operate Triangle-area offices, workers who have been laid off may soon find that they’re recruited to join new, perhaps smaller, firms.

Plus, the labor market is still tilted slightly toward workers, with data showing that workers might get nearly twice as high a pay raise switching jobs rather than remaining in one.  And pay raises may be especially prevalent for tech workers, as according to the Computerworld survey, 92% of IT workers received a pay increase in 2022.

And, in North Carolina, layoffs aren’t prevalent, with recent a recent WRAL TechWire analysis of data from the North Carolina Department of Commerce showing that mass layoff events are at record lows.

Plus, many Triangle-based companies continue to hire.  That includes both Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, which is hiring for 51 roles, and Red Hat, which is hiring for 57 roles.

Looking for work? Many top RTP firms are still hiring – here’s a list

Layoffs, plant closures in NC hit lowest levels in 25 years despite slowing economy