End of June usually marks the conclusion and consolidation of employee performance appraisals for Indian companies. In this regard, the last few years have been difficult for Indian corporate and business houses, compelling them to align employee compensation packages to the economic downturn. This year, with a new government in place, things are definitely looking better – and Indian companies are responding favourably to this climate, structuring employee compensations in a new light.

This optimism is gathering momentum as the anticipated economic transformation is opening up the job market as well. HR teams are getting ready to hire more people for their companies and putting plans in place to retain the talent they already have. This is also the time when company leaderships evaluate their company cultures, values, decisions, goals and achievements so that the organisations they lead and create for others are the ones their team members align with, believe in, enjoy working in, love and advocate to others.

That brought us to ask a few questions which we feel matter to everyone. And, here they are: How would you describe the company you work for? Or, the company you would choose to work for? Would it be the one ‘in demand’, or one ‘among the best’ in the world, or the one which is ‘trusted’ by everyone? Maybe you would consider categories like ‘most admired’, or ‘best loved’, or ‘a great place to work’. While you give this a thought, here are three points of view which are likely to lead you in the right direction.

Whether we are employers or employees, we carry opinions on (and about) the companies we work for in our hearts – and often share them with our family, friends, colleagues and business associates. It’s no secret really, because companies – as corporate and business entities – also seek, enjoy and flaunt positive opinions that the world at large, including industry bodies/communities and the media, share about them publicly.

IN DEMAND

What people say about the companies they work for – or do business with – are of importance to us because it has a direct impact on what we do: which is, bring together the best talent and the best places to work… and, vice versa. Therefore, it is of special interest to us when a reputed online community like LinkedIn organises an industry study and event to declare and felicitate employers who are InDemand (nice choice of phrase there, LinkedIn) in North America (i.e. USA and Canada).

In a post titled Introducing North America’s Most InDemand Employers, Wade Burgess on LinkedIn’s Talent Blog tells us about this study and event: (quoted from post dated 17 June 2014)

“Gartner recently asked 410 CEOs and senior executives to rank their 2014 priorities. The top priority, “by far,” was growth. Hiring and retaining top talent are key to meeting growth objectives.

To do both, a company must establish a strong talent brand (aka, how external prospects perceive the company as an employer). Why? Because 56 percent of professionals say a company’s talent brand most influences whether or not they accept a job offer, and strong talent brands have been proven to reduce turnover by up to 28 percent.

That’s great news for North America’s Most InDemand Employers — aka, our annual rankings of the 50 companies our more than 109 million American and Canadian members most want to work for. We unveiled the rankings today at our InDemand 2014 event in New York. Here are the top 10:

1. Google
2. Apple
3. Amazon.com
4. Facebook
5. Salesforce.com
6. Disney
7. Nike
8. Microsoft
9. McKinsey & Company
10. Pepsico”

The post explains: “Calculating the InDemand rankings is no easy feat. It requires analyzing billions of interactions between companies and members on LinkedIn. It ultimately boils down to member awareness of a company on LinkedIn (e.g., how many members have viewed your employees’ profiles within the past year or connected with them) and member engagement with a company on LinkedIn (e.g., how many members follow your company’s Company Page or have viewed your Company Page or Career Page within the past year). Higher talent brand awareness and engagement among members on LinkedIn equals a more effective talent brand and a higher InDemand ranking.”

You can read an analysis of LinkedIn’s InDemand findings on Wade Burgess’ blog post on this link:
http://talent.linkedin.com/blog/index.php/2014/06/indemand-ranking-north-america

AMONG THE BEST

Closer home, Aon Hewitt, a globally-reputed HR management consulting firm, had published their The Best Employer 2.0 study 2013 for the Asia-Pacific region in the second half of last year. The Best Employer study has been a practice with Aon Hewitt for many years, and the 2013 study was conducted between end-2012 and beginning-2013.

This time, however, the Aon Hewitt The Best Employer 2.0 study 2013 for India did not share rankings for companies. According to the Aon Hewitt website declaring the results of the 2013 study, only the company names were listed “in alphabetical order:

• Aegis Limited
• Ajuba Solutions India Pvt. Ltd.
• Bajaj Finance Limited
• DHL Express (India) Pvt. Ltd.
• Godrej Consumer Products Ltd.
• Hindustan Unilever Limited
• KEC International Limited
• Marriott Hotels India Pvt. Ltd.
• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.
• Oil India Limited
• RBS Business Services Private Ltd.
• Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd.
• SAP Labs India
• Scope International Pvt. Ltd.
• Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Pte. Ltd. (India Branch)
• Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited
• Wells Fargo India Solutions Private Limited

Special recognition awards included

• DHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd – Best Employer for Commitment to Engagement
• Essel Propack Limited – Best Employer for Commitment to Engagement
• Marriott Hotels India Pvt Ltd – Best Employer for Generation Y
• Scope International Pvt Ltd – Best Employer for Women”

From the list above, you’ll find that Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been recognized as one among the Best Employers of 2013 in India. According to a HUL news release on the HUL website,

“Four measurable factors contribute to whether an organization is a best employer: high employee engagement, a compelling employer brand, effective leadership and a high performance culture.”

You can find information on the Aon Hewitt The Best Employer 2.0 study methodology on this link:
http://www.aon.com/apac/human-resources/thought-leadership/talent-organization/best-employers/participate.jsp

TRUSTED

Exactly a year ago, on 24 June 2013, The Economic Times (online edition) published results of the India’s Best Companies To Work For Study – 2013 in collaboration with Great Place To Work Institute India (http://www.greatplacetowork.in/).

According to their website, the US-based company, “Great Place to Work® is a global human resources consulting, research and training firm specializing in organizational trust. The Great Place to Work® Model is built on 25 years of research and data collected through our Trust Index© Employee Survey, which is taken by over 10 million employees annually worldwide.”

Robert Levering and Amy Lyman, the co-founders of Great Place to Work®, believe trust is the cornerstone of a great company and great leadership. A quote by Robert Levering on the Great Place to Work® website says, “A great place to work is one where you trust the people you work for, take pride in what you do and enjoy the company of people you work with. It is an indisputable fact today that creating a great workplace is an integral part of an organisation’s business strategy.”

The Great Place to Work® website then goes on to present the employee’s as well as the manager’s views about what makes a great place to work. (quoted from their website)

“The Employee View

Great workplaces are built through the day-to-day relationships that employees experience — not a checklist of programmes and benefits.

The key factor in common in these relationships is TRUST. From the Employee’s perspective, a great workplace is one where they:

• TRUST the people they work for;
• Have PRIDE in what they do; and
• ENJOY the people they work with.

Trust is the defining principle of great workplaces — created through management’s credibility, the respectwith which employees feel they are treated, and the extent to which employees expect to be treated fairly. The degree of pride and levels of authentic connection and camaraderie employees feel with one are additional essential components.

The Manager View

From the Manager’s perspective, a great workplace is one where they:

• ACHIEVE ORGANISATIONAL OBJECTIVES;
• With employees who GIVE THEIR PERSONAL BEST; and
• WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM / FAMILY in an environment of TRUST

There are nine ways – or practice areas – where leaders and managers create an environment of trust. Great workplaces achieve organisational goals by inspiring, speaking and listening. They have employees who give their personal best by thanking, developing and caring. And they work together as a team / family by hiring, celebrating and sharing.”

In its tenth year, India’s Best Companies To Work For Study – 2013 identified hundred best companies to work for in India. The top 10 companies on that list are:

1. “Google
2. Intel Technology
3. American Express
4. NIIT
5. Forbes Marshall
6. NTPC
7. Ujjivan Financial Services
8. MakeMyTrip
9. Marriott Hotels
10. Blue Dart Express”

The complete list of the 100 Best Companies To Work For in India can be found on this link:
http://www.greatplacetowork.in/best-companies/indias-best-companies-to-work-for

Insights from the study – gleaned from 550 participating companies across 22 industries – highlight key points which define what makes a great company to work for:

• “Genuine caring for employees
• Candid communication
• Reliability of managers
• Collaboration with employees
• Impartiality
• Opportunities for career growth.”

You can read the insights of India’s Best Companies To Work For Study – 2013 on this link:
http://www.greatplacetowork.in/publications/blog-posts-articles-and-news/739-insights-from-indias-best-companies-to-work-for-2013-study

When it comes to describing the company we work for – or would choose to work for – we are sure these descriptors, methodologies, categories, insights, etc are just the beginning of the story. As individuals – employees or employers – we have our own beliefs, systems, preferences and parameters of judging, describing and defining what a great place to work for is all about. This blog post, we hope, will give you something more to think over.