Lists of the best places to work are released every year — sometimes a couple times a year — and it seems like the same companies (like Google, for instance) appear on these lists over and over. As it turns out, workplaces that are consistently voted the best places to work have a few common elements.
(Photo Credit: Evan Bench/Wikipedia)
What exactly makes a great workplace? It isn’t just the salaries that the companies pass out. In fact, the elements that all great workplaces have in common are often intangible. Here are three of characteristics most commonly found in workplaces that consistently make the lists of best places to work
Career Development
The best places to work provide opportunities for employees to advance within the company by way of on-the-job training, career development, mentoring, and job rotation. In fact, the best companies offer almost twice as many opportunities for job than companies that are not included on the list of top 100 best companies.
Succession Planning Strategies
Many of the best places to work include succession planning strategies or programs that map out specific job paths within the company for its employees. Employees are happier when they know that promotions are available and can be achieved and are more confident in their workplaces with reachable milestones and plans for attaining upper level positions.
Everyone’s Ideas Have Value
Rather than focus on seniority, a common theme in the best workplaces is the importance of ideas, regardless of your position. These companies plan and organize events and encourage teams comprised of everyone in the company — from junior employees to upper management — to meet and brainstorm together.
The bottom line: the best companies to work for aren’t necessarily the largest companies or the ones operating with enormous budgets. Those that focus on creating opportunities and job growth for the employees already in the company tend to result in companies with happier employees and happier workplaces.
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There is one more thing – a criteria for skilled HR in the organization – if the “body” of the employee came to the office, did the “mind” of the employee arrive as well? Best places have the largest share of mind+body being in the same place.