When Universum conducted its latest Student Survey, which looks at the most attractive employers for students just starting in their careers, it specifically analyzed responses dating from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those results displayed a preference for employers with ethical standards and "inspiring leadership." According to Forbes' second annual ranking of best employers by state, those students have a host of attractive (if occasionally surprising) choices. Partnering with market research company Statista, Forbes compiled a list of organizations liked best by employees, surveying 80,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 500 workers. These surveys were conducted on a rolling basis from October 2019 to May 2020. Responses concerning the same employers were compared throughout the process, according to Forbes, in order to account for any significant variations in results collected pre- and post-COVID. The final list ranks 1,461 employers that received the greatest number of recommendations in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Several insurance companies are named among the best employers across the U.S. The property & casualty employer named the most is Liberty Mutual, landing on lists for Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio and Washinton. Two other P&C insurers were named on three states' lists: Nationwide on the lists for Arizona, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and Farmers Insurance on the lists for Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania. See our slideshow above for the employers appearing the most in states' top 10 lists, and click here for the full study. Related:

• Top insurance workplaces for millennials in 2020
• Forbes: Top P&C insurance employers for women
• Inc. 5000: 10 fastest-growing private P&C companies in 2020