“You could argue it’s a bit expensive to offer benefits, but it’s less expensive than suffering absenteeism and suffering a big turn-over of staff,” he says. “That’s where your payoff is.”
The benefits, bonuses and perks are paying off with 7 per cent more workers saying their workplace is ‘fun’. Part of that is relief at coming through the GFC and economic turmoil unscathed.
“I think when you come through a really rough patch, if companies have done the right thing by their employees, employees tend to appreciate that a bit more. Coming out the other side they are a bit happier,” Mr Alymer said.
“People are happier this year and undoubtedly there are more unique benefits out there.”
BRW Top 5 Best Places to Work
- NetApp Australia (information technology)
- Diageo Australia, manufacturing (beverage)
- OBS (information technology)
- Google Australia (media - internet services)
- Sentis (education and training)
By Caitlin O'Toole
June 23, 2010
Employees listed flexible work as the favourite benefit, with health and education or training also highly valued.
More than 70 per cent of the companies on the list have flexible start and finish times and allow working from home. Half also offer extra maternity benefits.
“It seems that increasingly it comes through in these surveys, more so this year than last year, people want to have flexible working hours and the ability to work at different places, not at the desk, so if companies can manage that it seems to keep staff happy,” said Mr Alymer.
Employees value good pay and benefits, but a culture of trust – including transparency and equality- is key to creating a great place to work and keeping staff happy, he said.
“The number one thing is the culture of trust is all important, and that mostly comes through with management being very transparent, impartial and equal in how they include people.”
Tech companies NetApp, Google and OBS all made it to the top five.
“I think probably often with those companies they’re younger companies and their work practices aren’t as entrenches as older companies and they’re able to be more flexible,” says Mr Alymer of IT firms.
Twelve professional services made the list by offering education benefits, bonuses for referring new staff and financial incentives, he said.
Benefits to staff are up 11 per cent this year, and the cost is worth it when it comes to employee loyalty, says Mr Alymer.
Australia's best places to work offer staff flexibility, perks and education benefits, a survey shows / File Source: Supplied
• IT company NetApp 'best workplace'
• More employees say workplace is 'fun'
• Flexible work conditions most prized perk
CHIEF executives who sing to workers on their birthday, early knock-off times in summer and chill-out rooms full of Wiis and Xboxes are just some of the features of Australia's best workplaces.
In a list compiled by business magazine BRW released today, Aussie workers are happiest in companies that offer perks, flexibility and trust.
IT and professional services firms make up almost half of Australia’s best places to work, with data storage company NetApp knocking Google from the top spot.
The Sydney-based company offers its 149 staff health and life insurance, gym memberships, education benefits, bonuses and flexible work practices.
The CEO uses a regular desk in the open plan office and takes the view that if you get the work done, it doesn’t matter when you work, says BRW editor-in-chief Sean Alymer.