Flight Centre and Cisco Systems Named Australia's Overall "Best Employers" in 2003 Study
In a difficult year for many employers, Flight Centre and IT giant Cisco Systems have emerged as the winners of the 2003 "Best Employers to Work for in Australia" study.
BEST EMPLOYERS 2003 - KEY COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
JOINT WINNER - Over 1000 employees - Flight Centre (Brisbane)
Senior management at Flight Centre believes in giving employees the freedom to manage themselves and offering a "brightness of future" which empowers their staff and inspires them to work towards fulfilling company goals. The company has also been very successful at developing programs to link employee performance to pay. Flight Centre is listed for the second year.
JOINT WINNER - Under 1000 employees - Cisco Systems (Sydney)
Cisco has a unique workplace culture characterised by strong leadership and open communication between employees and senior management. The company is committed to providing 'people friendly' practices that allow employees to maintain a work/life balance. Examples include a parental kit "Nippers in Networking" which outlines the company's parental leave policies and guidelines, providing general information to assist new parents and a "Staying in Touch" program to support individuals on parental leave (or any other extended period of leave) who may feel apprehensive about returning to work. Cisco appears on the list for the third year running.
DIAGEO AUSTRALIA (Sydney) -Highly Commended
Employees are challenged to stretch themselves, create constructive conflict, challenge issues directly and engage others, regardless of their level in the company hierarchy. Senior Leaders reinforce this culture of "personal power" through meetings and decision-making processes. Diageo appears for the third consecutive year.
SEEK COMMUNICATIONS (Melbourne) -Highly Commended
This unique corporate culture reflects some spontaneous and 'fun' processes. For example, an employee might be recognised by their peers for an outstanding achievement by the entire company turning up at their desk to toast them on their success. Following the downturn in the economy post-September 11, SEEK avoided staff retrenchments by offering part-time work or extended leave without pay over the summer period. All employees affected at the time are now employed on a full-time basis. Where structural changes since that time have caused redundancies, outplacement assistance has been offered, together with payouts that are well beyond any legislative requirements.
VIRGIN BLUE AUSTRALIA (Brisbane) -Highly Commended
Senior management establishes its headquarters in a different airport for 2-3 days each month. During these periods, the
organization is run from an open area where employees have direct access to management. Besides donning the uniform and handling baggage or checking-in guests, managers do a daily session with staff to hear issues, suggestions and update staff.
MERCK SHARP AND DOHME (Sydney)
This company has a strong focus and rigorous approach to staff development. Employees have access to programs, coaches, mentors, and assignments in domestic and international environments. "The Talent Management Wheel" is one tool they use to develop future leaders. Through this program, the Director Group now has a list of 10 future leaders within the
organization whom they are responsible for providing with developmental opportunities.
SALESFORCE (Melbourne)
Improving combination has been a strong focus for SalesForce. A SalesForce TV program providing employees with the latest news, initiatives, incentives and events, presented by the managing director, is part of their new communication strategy. Employees are encouraged to be involved in the production of programs. SalesForce is listed for a second year.
LION NATHAN (Sydney)
The executive team at Lion Nathan is dedicated to developing their most talented employees. The top 200 executives review the company's most talented individuals annually over a three-day period. Targeted individuals are rewarded for their high level of performance and specific development plans are instigated, including continuous support in education for MBAs, Harvard or Michigan University Courses. Lion Nathan is listed for a third time.
NIKE AUSTRALIA (Melbourne)
Nike Australia has a rigorous approach to performance management and a strong commitment to regular one-on-one reviews to help individuals monitor and improve their performance. The CEO and executive team spend five days reviewing their most talented employees against behaviours and performance and then determine succession plans and development plans for each potential leader. Nike appears for a second year.
NOKIA AUSTRALIA (Sydney)
Nokia recognises that the health and wellbeing of its employees impacts directly on their motivation and contribution to the business. Their "LiveLife" program aids employees in achieving their work life balance and maintaining health. The program includes provision of fresh fruit, fitness classes, an annual health allowance, quarterly health seminars, natural therapy days and healthy cooking demonstrations. This is Nokia's third consecutive year.
CHEP ASIA PACIFIC (Sydney)
CHEP has retained the enthusiastic support of its employees despite some dynamic changes in the
organization over the past few years. Employees view the organization
as being very dynamic with a culture of openness and good communication that allows change to happen effectively.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON Janssen-Cilag (Sydney)
Key processes have been aligned to drive innovation at Johnson and Johnson. Recognition and bonus programs are designed to reward the implementation of new ideas on a regular basis. Employees are also given the freedom and the encouragement to "make an impact" on the
organization. Johnson and Johnson appears on the list for a second year.
POLICE AND NURSES CREDIT SOCIETY (Perth)
Participation in strategic workshops gives employees the opportunity to plan their own jobs within the parameters of a communicated business plan. The system is aligned with the desired cultural outcomes of self-leadership, empowered performance, innovation and two-way communication.
MACQUARIE BANK (Sydney)
Macquarie Bank seeks to give people a significant level of autonomy to develop new business and products while having the support and resources of a larger institution. A profit sharing scheme for all staff encourages individuals to take responsibility for growing the business. This is the third consecutive year on the list for Macquarie Bank.
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES (Sydney)
This company has a strong emphasis on integrating its
values into day-to-day work processes. Its objective is
"to empower Australian children to succeed." To this
end, the company provides grants, volunteers and fundraising
events to assist any qualifying organization.
MCDONALD'S AUSTRALIA (Sydney)
Every McDonald's employee participates in a people management program that is related to the individual's position. Employees learn skills in areas such as understanding labour law, counselling, recognition and retention, recruiting, and effective communication. McDonald's recognises that developing their people is crucial for the future success of the business.
GOLDER ASSOCIATES (Brisbane)
Golder Associates place a strong emphasis on managing performance and enhancing career opportunities for their employees. Its International Employee Exchange Program provides opportunities for junior to intermediate employees to be transferred worldwide for 12-24 months to develop their skills and broaden their knowledge of the business.
AMERICAN EXPRESS INTERNATIONAL (Sydney)
Developing leaders with effective people management skills is the focus for Amex. Senior management have 25% of their annual performance targets based on their employee satisfaction scores. Managers also receive leadership ratings relating to their skills and effectiveness as leaders, which encourages them to focus on how they go about achieving their objectives.
RETAILINK (Sydney)
Managers and employees are brought together to develop an understanding of each others' roles and develop joint business solutions. Senior management periodically take a shift on the floor and work with cleaning teams on site. Similarly, team leaders are periodically involved in discussions with management to solve issues and improve processes to enhance the business performance.
Source: Hewitt
Associates
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