Dimension Data, Express Data and Microsoft were named the Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand by human resources outsourcing and consulting firm Hewitt last week.
The companies were selected from 110 participants of Hewitt's 2009 Best Employer accreditation program, which cost $4,365 per organisation and involved an employee opinion survey and organisational audit.
'Best Employers' were said to have highly engaged employees who were well aligned with the company's goals, committed leaders, clear agreements with staff, and a high-performance culture.
Express Data CEO Ross Cochrane said the company relied on the customer service provided by its staff to differentiate it from competitors.
"We are a wholesaler of technology and the products that we sell are identical to the products that you can buy from somebody else," he said. "The only difference is the experience you have in dealing with us versus dealing with somebody else.
"Our people are absolutely critical in making that experience better for our customers, and therefore our HR practices are very much around making sure that their skills and engagement are high, even higher in a downturn."
Hewitt expected increased transparency, communication and innovation to have allowed 'Best Employers' to maintain employee engagement despite a tough economic climate.
Issue: 281 | July