Technology companies have dominated a list of the best companies in Australia for career growth, but one homegrown hero has dropped out of the list entirely.
More than half of LinkedIn’s annual 25 Top Companies list for 2026 features tech-heavy companies, including the likes of ServiceNow, Canva, and Telstra.
But Australian tech giant Atlassian, which placed second in last year’s iteration, has dropped out of the list completely.
The LinkedIn list analyses data from the workplace platform to rank Australian companies based around eight themes that have been shown to lead to career progression.
These include an ability to advance – rated on how employees get promoted at the company and when they lead to new positions externally – skills growth, attrition rates, the percentage of employees who remain at the company for three years, gender diversity, educational background, and the number of employees relative to other companies.
The top companies
The Commonwealth Bank topped this year’s list, after placing third last year.
Software development company ServiceNow, which is headquartered in California, was named the second-best company for career development in Australia.
To assist with the career development of its workers, the firm provides annual learning stipends and paid volunteer time.
“We’re about helping [staff] build long-term careers and providing the balance they need to enjoy a full life inside and outside of work,” ServiceNow Australia and New Zealand Human Resources Director Peyton Caffey said.
Software development firm SAP is the third best workplace for career growth according to the list, thanks in part to its personalised learning opportunities, career development programs, and employee network groups.
Telstra and Indian ICT consulting giant Infosys rounded out the top five.
LinkedIn’s Top Companies for career growth in 2026:
- CommBank
- ServiceNow
- SAP
- Telstra
- Infosys
- Canva
- Microsoft
- Alphabet
- Xero
- Boston Consulting Group
- Shell
- Roche
- Salesforce
- Macquarie Group
- Mastercard
- CrowdStrike
- Unisys
- Caterpillar Inc.
- Adobe
- Bechtel Corporation
- Corrs Chambers Westgarth
- Lockheed Martin
- IBM
- Ericsson
- ExxonMobil
Australian tech giant Canva came sixth on the list – a big jump up from its 20th spot in last year’s rankings.
Among its employee perks are equity packages, an extra day of leave for professional education, and a dedicated week to learn about AI.
“Being named a LinkedIn Top Company reflects what we’ve always tried to build: a place where being goals- and values-driven creates meaningful impact for our community, and something people are genuinely proud to be part of,” Canva’s chief people officer Jennie Rogerson said.
Global tech bigwigs Microsoft and Alphabet ranked seventh and eighth respectively, followed by Xero.
Other tech companies named in the top 25 included Salesforce, CrowdStrike, Unisys, Adobe, and IBM.
Where’s Atlassian?
Atlassian, the Australian-founded tech firm with a market capitalisation of $25 billion ($US18 billion), has fallen out of the list entirely this year, after coming in second place in 2025.
It’s the first time Atlassian hasn’t featured in the top 25 best Australian workplaces for career growth in the last five years.
It comes after the company announced 1,600 job cuts earlier this year, equating to 10 per cent of its global workforce, so it could “self-fund further investment in AI and enterprise sales”.
Nearly a third of the jobs to be cut are based in Australia, the company said.
But a list of the best places in tech to work in Australia in 2024, compiled by Great Place to Work Australia, placed Atlassian at third best.
Cisco, Adobe, InfoTrack, and REA Group rounded out the top five in that list.
LinkedIn’s rankings are about much more than job tenure alone, the platform’s career expert Brendan Wong said, and shows workers are looking for clear pathways for skills development and internal mobility.
“Today, Aussies are looking beyond job titles and salary to understand where they can build skills, stay relevant and continue progressing over time,” Wong said.
“Across industries, the employers leading the way are those giving their people opportunities to keep learning, adapt to change and progress over time.”
