FedEx named best place to work
Survey ranks firm ahead of Microsoft, Marriott, PepsiCo and The One in the UAE
Dubai: Delivery giant FedEx Express has been voted the best company to work for in the UAE by the local arm of a global research and consultancy firm.
Great Place to Work Institute UAE (GPTW UAE) carried out a survey to assess companies on their credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Two thirds of a company's score is based on the confidential feedback of their staff.
The rest is centred around an audit of management and human resources (HR) practices. FedEx Express' number one ranking is a jump up from its second place last year.
"We are pleased to see new companies make the list this year and that some of our previous list makers have improved their positions among the top 10. This shows they are applying what they learn from the research into models for continuous business improvement," said Dr. Michael Burchell, partner and director of Great Place to Work Institute UAE.
This ranking was followed by Microsoft, Marriott, PepsiCo and The One. Further down were OmnicomMediaGroup Mena, Merck UAE, Bayt, Dulsco and EMC which completed the top 10.
Gary Dodds, vice-president human resources for Marriott International Inc and the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company for the Mena region, told Gulf News he was pleased with the hotelier's ranking. "It comes down to company culture. The crux of that comes back to something that been established for 60 to 70 years in the company; the mantra that you put your employees first. Our ranking in fourth position is a huge boost for our employer brand image. It's good for guests to know that the Marriott hotels in town have been voted one of the best companies to work for in the UAE," Dodds said.
The survey also gave special recognition to the country's top companies for Emiratis and women. General Electric and PepsiCo were acknowledged for implementing best practices in hiring, developing and retaining Emirati talent while General Electric, The One and OmnicomMediaGroup Mena were three companies commended for their efforts in enhancing the workplace experience for women.
"Following the completion of the evaluation procedures, we found there were companies implementing some very impressive practices for Emiratis and women. Although they are a small group this year, we believe it is important to recognise the efforts for these companies so that we can all learn from their examples," said Dr. Farrukh Kidwai, partner and CEO of Great Place to Work Institute UAE.
