Salesforce has been bumped out of the top spot in the 2017 Best Place to Work in Australia list, in the more than 100 employees category.
Instead, health care company Stryker has now taken the crown, then followed by Salesforce and Australian technology powerhouse Atlassian. Adobe also made the top 10 - a drop from fifth place in 2016.
Salesforce defines its culture using the Hawaiian word ‘Ohana’, which means family. This has led the company to update its parental leave policy earlier this year, giving parents 26 weeks paid time off if they’re the primary carer of a new baby or adopted child, and 12 weeks if they’re the secondary caregiver. Salesforce also contributes to the costs for staff who decide to adopt.
The Best Places to Work study is based on one of the world’s most comprehensive studies of workplace culture by Great Place to Work Australia. The success of the Best Workplaces recognises a company's willpower and innovation to retain happy, engaged, loyal, high performing workforces during challenging times.
MEC came in at 13th on the list this year, down from 7th in 2016. OMD has also fallen from it 10th positioning last year to 15th.
In the under 100 staff category, creative agency The Works made the cut for the first time this year, placing at 14th, just ahead of Maxus at 15th.
“We are incredibly honoured to be listed as one of the best place to work in Australia in our first entry into these awards," The Works director of people and culture Jasmine Lansdell says.
"The Works is fiercely proud of the culture we have fostered over the last few years and this award is fantastic recognition for our people and leadership team. This award represents our number one business focus, our people, so to know that they’re truly happy and engaged is an achievement we couldn't be more excited about.”
The agency, recently acquired by digital consultancy business RXP Services, has hired 18 people in the last two months and is still looking to fill another 16 positions.
“This is an exciting, transformative and competitive time for companies,” Zrinka Lovrencic, MD of Great Place to Work Australia, says.
“With a services sector heavy economy, employers now need to make a greater effort to improve their workplace cultures in order to retain employees. This competitive pressure benefits everyone, as all workplaces can increase their levels of employee engagement. The companies that have made the 2017 study have risen to this challenge and exemplify workplace culture excellence."
News and social media insights company Meltwater came in at seventh, rising up the ranks from 11th in 2016.
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