It takes more than just beanbags
For the last 25 years, The Great Place to Work® Institute has been working with organisations all over the world to help them create ‘a great place to work’. Over 3,400 organisations take part globally, making it the world’s largest employee-centred survey. Katie Pattullo asks Williams Johnson at the Institute, what makes an organisation apply
So, do you think your company is the best place to work? You’ve got the benefits of flexible working, your in-house cafe serves nutritious (read: organic) fare, you’re forever nipping off to the company fitness centre for a workout and you’ve just picked up your dry cleaning from the onsite, paid-for drycleaners.
This may appear to be more of an utopian ideal – though not for those happy employees at Google – but these are not the only factors that make your workplace a great place to work.
According to Williams Johnson, business development and sales manager with the Great Place to Work® Institute, the three major factors that make your place a great place to work are: whether you trust the organisation you work for; you enjoy what you do; and, lastly, that the people in your organisation genuinely care for each other.
The Great Place to Work® Institute publishes Best Workplaces lists in 40 countries around the world. Generally, organisations will put themselves forward voluntarily to be included on the list, but as Johnson explains: “We also actively encourage any organisation to take part.”
The UK arm receives around 200 applications for inclusion. “This may seem low but those that apply tend to be organisations that think they have a good chance of making it onto the list. They also tend to be organisations that have prepared themselves well for the competition,” adds Johnson.
Lists are published in the UK in the Financial Times (FT) and in the US in Fortune – each country has its own media partner. This partnership has business benefits for both. In the UK, the Great Place to Work® Institute benefits from the credible voice of the FT and the wide coverage it gets for its lists; the FT benefits financially from the natural curiosity readers have for lists. For the past 10 years, the US Fortune issue with the 100 Best Companies to Work For list has been their most successful.
Businesses like to see themselves on the list. It is good for the CEOs who use it as an influential scorecard – and a legacy of their leadership – and it is good for the employees because it gives them pride in working for that organisation. Some companies make being part of the list an intrinsic part of their strategic agenda. As Johnson says: “Microsoft take part in more than 20 countries across the globe and Google have a strategic objective to be number three in each country they enter.”
It is not all doom and gloom if you don’t make it on to the list, however. Although The Great Place to Work® Institute do not publish the details of those that are unsuccessful, they provide a very comprehensive feedback structure. Johnson explains: “We identify their workplace’s strengths and challenges, and highlight relevant best practice and fresh ideas. Organisations that have been working with us for some time tend to go up the list by using feedback from previous applications to plan their HR capabilities.”
Some surprising inclusions on the list have been the high number of housing associations in Wales who, although unconnected and with few formal HR features, have been extremely successful. Williams put this down to the catalyst effect: “One association becomes successful so other similar associations think, ‘yes, we can do it too’.”
The mission of the Great Place to Work® Institute is to improve society by creating better workplaces: they know that by congratulating and highlighting best practice, other organisations will recognise the benefits and ultimately be encouraged to follow suit. And it’s not all down to buying a few multi-coloured beanbags for the office.
(The 2008 UK 50 Best Workplaces is published on the 28th May 2008.)
