6 DC area businesses make Fortune's 100 best companies to work for

Every year, Fortune magazine ranks the 100 companies that are the best places to work for in the country. You have to have 1,000 employees to qualify. The rankings mostly come from random employee surveys.

The top award this year went to Google. But there are six companies in our area that made the cut.

CustomInk had a snowman making contest on Friday on its outside deck. Just for fun.

"The events like this snowman day really bring people together from all levels of the company," said CustomInk employee Isaac Johnson.

The company makes custom-made apparel -- like t-shirts they placed on the snowmen. CustomInk has 400 employees in their Fairfax, Va., office. They celebrated today after getting ranked 62nd on Fortune 's list.

"I look forward to coming to work every day," said employee Anastasia Sample. "I wake up and never feel upset that it's a Monday morning."

There is lots of fun stuff here like the free Cuban food for lunch and the game room. But mostly the employees who filled out the surveys said it's the atmosphere they love.

"We get free lunches, all the snacks, free coffee all the time, but really, everyone is just really warm and welcoming," said Natalie Van Dyke.

"It's more than just a job for me," said Jessica Haas. "It's like a second home to me."

The other companies that made Fortune 's best companies to work for list are Marriott hotel, the law firm Arnold and Porter, Mars, Capital One Financial and Navy Federal Credit Union -- which has 4,000 employees in its massive Vienna, Va., office. At lunch on Friday, the credit union's free fitness center was packed.

"I can get my work done and get my workout at the same time," Iveth Lopez told us while getting her exercise in on the treadmill. "It works perfect."

"I like the way they treat the employees," said Runako Roberts. "They take real good care of you -- a lot of perks, a lot of benefits."

The cafeteria, great health insurance and benefits all helped the company get to No. 72 on the Fortune list. But the employees overwhelmingly wrote in about feeling part of a mission of helping all branches of the military and their families.

"We call it our secret sauce," said Navy Federal Credit Union employee Angela Culbertson. "Employees come in or applicants come in looking for a job. Maybe they are just looking for a job. But once they get here and see how dedicated we are to the men and women in the military and how they are touching those lives, it's just an enthusiasm an energy that permeates the employee population."

Free gyms and snowman competitions are great benefits, but what seem to make people love their job is teamwork and a sense of purpose. Those things cost nothing to the bottom line, but earn employee loyalty.