• Food delivery firm DoorDash, grew its workforce by 510% between 2020 and 2024
• Three green economy companies Rivian, NRG Energy, and Carrier Global rank in the top ten for US workforce growth, signalling a major hiring boom in clean transport and energy-efficient tech
• Media powerhouse Warner Bros Discovery grew its workforce by 257%, despite the challenges of the pandemic and recent Hollywood strikes

DoorDash is America’s hiring champion, with the food delivery service recording a 510% jump in staff since 2020. While many companies that thrived during lockdown have since scaled back, DoorDash is proving it wasn’t just a pandemic fluke. The company’s explosive growth, from under 4,000 employees to over 23,000, shows that food delivery has become a permanent fixture of modern life.

The study, conducted by demand planning software Algo, examined workforce numbers for major US corporations from 2020 to 2024. The companies with the highest percentage increase of staff have been named the companies with the largest recent team growth. 

DoorDash, Inc, takes the crown, growing from 3,886 employees in 2020 to 23,700 by 2024, which is a 510% increase. The huge hiring spree matches the company’s massive growth during and after the pandemic years. 

Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive, Inc, ranks second, with a 368% workforce increase between 2020 and 2024. The company went from 3,178 employees to 14,861 over the four-year period, highlighting the carmaker’s push to increase production of its electric trucks and SUVs across its factories. 

Power firm NRG Energy, Inc, secures third place, growing its headcount by 281%, jumping from 4,104 staff to 15,637. The big hiring push places the company at the top in employment growth within the utilities sector.  

Media giant Warner Bros Discovery, Inc, secures fourth place, with a 257% staff increase, rising from 9,800 employees to 35,000. The massive recruitment follows the company’s big corporate merger and made it the fastest-growing business in the communication services sector across the American market. 

Hotel chain Marriott International, Inc, ranks fifth, with a 245% staff boost, leaping from 121,000 employees to 418,000 in 2024. The hospitality company now has the biggest workforce among all firms in the top 10. 

The top 10 fastest-growing US companies by workforce

Rank	US company	Percentage increase in the number of employees (2020 to 2024)
1	DoorDash, Inc	510%
2	Rivian Automotive, Inc	368%
3	NRG Energy, Inc	281%
4	Warner Bros Discovery, Inc	257%
5	Marriott International, Inc	245%
6	Brown & Brown, Inc	202%
7	Yum! Brands, Inc	167%
8	First Citizens BancShares, Inc	160%
9	Carrier Global Corp	153%
10	Advanced Micro Devices, Inc	122%

Financial services firm Brown & Brown, Inc, recorded the sixth largest growth, with a 202% staff increase. The company grew from 5,764 employees to 17,403, making it the fastest-growing business in the financial sector based on percentage increase in workforce over the timeframe. 

Fast food giant Yum! Brands, Inc, which owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, ranks seventh, with 167% growth. The company increased its staff count from 15,000 to 40,000 between 2020 and 2024 across its global business and franchise network. 

Banking group First Citizens BancShares, Inc, ranks eighth, with a 160% growth, pushing its workforce from 6,722 to 17,475 employees, followed by HVAC and building systems company Carrier Global Corp in ninth, with a 153% workforce growth, increasing from 19,000 to 48,000 employees. Chip maker Advanced Micro Devices, Inc, (AMD) rounds out the top 10, with a 122% growth, expanding its team from 12,600 to 28,000 employees.  

Sanjeev Balasubramanian, SVP of Solution Architecture at Algo, comments, “The study shows that consumer discretionary companies lead the pack in workforce growth, taking four spots in the top 10.  

“The massive workforce growth we see across these companies points to bigger shifts happening in America’s economy, with many of these businesses growing through a mix of natural expansion and smart takeovers. 

“What jumps out most is how companies like DoorDash kept growing well beyond the peak pandemic period. As such, the data suggests that their business models have found real staying power rather than just riding temporary pandemic conditions. 

“However, companies with such huge workforce growth face real challenges with supply chains and resource planning. Scaling up operations while keeping service quality and company culture intact becomes crucial when growing at such rapid rates. It will be interesting to see how the companies continue to evolve in 2025.”