Every year. Fortune publishes its list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. which features the top U.S. companies to work for based on things like benefits. Perks. Diversity. And pay. Now Fortune’s data partner for that list. Great Place to Work. is launching its own list of the best global companies to work for based on many of the same metrics.
Read on to find out the top 10 companies in its inaugural list. “The World’s Best Multinational Workplaces.” along with some highlights about what makes them so great.
Who qualifies? Companies must have appeared
On at least five national Great Place to Work lists. have at least 5.000 employees worldwide. and at least 40% of their global workforce must work outside of the company’s home country.
After Microsoft employees voiced their desire to contribute more to their communities. the software company gifted its workers with 40 paid hours a year to dedicate to volunteer activities — ranging from working in a soup kitchen once a week to spending a week building an orphanage.
Bill Gates’ brainchild also supports employees
Who are new parents: In Norway. where maternity and paternity leaves are quite generous at the federal level. Microsoft hosts a “Junior Lunch” every quarter. allowing new parents on leave to come to the office for a lunch with their email data children. keeping the working parents in touch with their colleagues and up-to-date with office happenings.
“Microsoft is a place where you can be yourself.” says an employee. “It’s expected that you have an opinion. and there are multiple opportunities to really make a contribution to the company and to society. Unless you work here. it is hard to believe the passion that people display.”
What makes it so great?
SAS. a business analytics and business intelligence software company. doesn’t outsource its North Carolina headquarters maintenance staff. preferring that its crews of gardeners. food service employees. and health care staff are SAS employees. Many SAS-ers also take pride in the company’s Curriculum Pathways program. Free of charge for all educators in the U.S.. the interactive program provides standards-based resources in English. science. mathematics. social studies. and Spanish for over 50.000 American teachers. With initiatives like this. the company stays true to its mission — to enhance people’s ability to use information and create knowledge — and sets a great example for its staff. “It is. by far. the best place I have worked in more than 15 years of working within the industry.” raves an employee.
The ‘Catch Somebody Doing Something Right’ initiative
Started by Vice Chairman Tom Mendoza 17 years ago and informally kept alive since. rewards NetApp employees of all levels for deeds that positively reflect the computer storage and data management company’s culture. Mendoza makes 30 calls. 5 minutes each. a week and personally thanks staffers for their impressive behavior. “NetApp makes you feel that you are part of a bigger picture. Every effort you make to do [your] job really means something to the organization as a whole.” says an employee.
After NetApp was forced to reduce its global
Workforce by 5% in 2009. the company’s execs went on a global tour. stopping by their offices in 13 different countries to raise company morale. The initiative worked: The next 12 months brought record numbers. including a 60% increase in the company’s stock price.
Though Google has grown tremendously proven strategies for generating construction leads since its startup days — the company hired 31.9% more employees this year than last — the behemoth Internet company still operates like one in many ways. says an employee. “The amount of direct exposure we get to leadership and the fact that the well-being of employees is held in such high regard [are both] incredible.”
With initiatives like 20% time
Engineers are encouraged to spend 20% of their time brainstorming and developing new Google-related content. even if it never materializes). Googlers retain the innovative spirit that often gets lost as small companies grow into larger ones.
The company also provides mentoring angola lists programs for its workers: In Google to Googler (g2g) classes. employees train each other on technology. business. and personal interests and in gWhiz. any Google employee globally can register to answer questions or provide mentorship on an area of expertise.