Over the last few years, employees all over the world have been reevaluating which aspects of their jobs are most important for a fulfilling life, and employers are pivoting to meet their needs. Here are five large companies with great work cultures and what you can learn from them.
Elsevier
Elsevier helps scientists and healthcare professionals make discoveries, improve lives, and advance society. According to Comparably, 95% of employees feel invested in Elsevier’s goal to create possibilities for a more inclusive, sustainable, and healthy world. There is a sense of purpose, growth, and genuine care among the team.
As the 2021 winners of the Health and Wellbeing Award – Private Sector at the Personnel Today Awards, Elsevier is a leader in healthy work environments. Elsevier believes a business thrives when its employees are thriving.
The lesson: The return on investment for employee health and well-being is tremendous. There are many creative ways to show you care, offer support, and build community, but make sure you are tailoring these opportunities to engage remote team members as well.
[Read more: How to Build Trust Within Your Company]
Similar to Microsoft, Google’s worldwide impact and ambitious goal to improve as many lives as possible is a mission that is easy to believe in. The company works towards global social impact and makes positive contributions through its products, services, and information sharing. Some objectives include expanding opportunities, advancing sustainability, and developing inclusive marketing practices.
In the Comparably survey, 76% of employees surveyed are invested in Google’s goals, bringing internal motivation to their work. The company also scored extremely high on employee satisfaction for perks and benefits, compensation, work-life balance, CEO, and overall happiness.
The lesson: Satisfaction in these areas is essential to stay competitive and retain your top employees. Inspire your employees to see the impact of their work and reward them for their dedication and contributions.
Microsoft
The driving force behind Microsoft’s values is a growth mindset. Its commitment to seeing potential in all people cultivates an openness to new ideas, empowers employees to accomplish their goals, and makes people feel heard. The company values diverse representation and strives to better serve its expansive audience with inclusive products.
The lesson: Workplace culture starts at the top. If your leaders embody the company’s values and have diverse perspectives, the culture is stronger. Focus your recruitment on candidates who are passionate about your mission and help your staff understand their hand in the bigger picture. When employees are motivated to achieve a shared goal, there is a greater sense of unity.
Focus your recruitment on candidates who are passionate about your mission and help your staff understand their hand in the bigger picture.
IBM
IBM’s founding chairman Thomas J. Watson Sr. is credited as the first business leader to create a company culture. At the time, IBM had recently merged three companies and was in need of a unifying force. Watson adopted “THINK,” which revolves around the idea that machines help people think, work faster, and expand their output.
IBM pushes the limits as a force for human achievement. This culture is reflected in its professional development scores with IBM ranking higher than Google. In Comparably’s survey, 88% of employees feel challenged at work and 83% feel that IBM has provided meaningful opportunities for career advancement.
The lesson: Empower your employees and invest in their growth by providing new challenges and professional development opportunities.
Hubspot
Hubspot is proud of its company culture and happy to share the secret to success. A 128-page company culture slide deck is available to the public. Hubspot utilizes the acronym HEART: humble, empathetic, adaptable, remarkable, transparent. Similar to Microsoft, Hubspot’s culture is steeped in a growth mindset. The values that stand out for employee satisfaction are flexibility and autonomy. This promotes a culture of trust and ownership that allows employees to work remotely, hybrid, or in person — all with the option of working non-traditional hours. Hubspot’s priority is the results, not when or where the work is done.
The lesson: Work-life balance is currently one of the most prominent themes surfacing as employees reevaluate their jobs. Creating an environment where employees can thrive and produce high-quality work without sacrificing their personal lives is crucial to satisfaction.
[Read more: How to Improve Company Culture for Remote Workers]
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