The list of companies with the best working conditions

Despite the storms they have experienced with the pandemic, some companies have strived for the well-being of their employees by making it a priority. A significant effort that no longer goes unnoticed, thanks to the “Best place to work” poll organized by the consulting firm Great Place To Work. A firm that offers, through its consultants, to improve the well-being of the employees of its client companies. And which rewarded last April 14th the companies that have worked the most in this direction in France.

The 19th edition of these trophies awarded, as every year, companies according to their workforce (with categories ranging from less than 50 to more than 2,500 employees). In total they were 192 companies who applied for the Great Place to Work label in France.

79 were certified, for a success rate of 40%. Which companies are the best to work in France and what criteria were used to select them?

Some response elements.

Headliners and newcomers to the startup world

In the ranking, there are regulars. In this case large technology companies like Salesforce or Octo Technology.

“These companies are in a relatively penury environment in terms of employment. They have therefore for a very long time invested in the areas of excellence of the employee experience” explains Julien Brezun, CEO of Great Place to Work France.

About twenty new faces come to fill the prize list. Newcomers who are, for the most part, digital companies like OpenClassroom or Voodoo.

Companies are celebrating their decades in the ranking, such as Leboncoin (a company prized by the French) and Extia. On the contrary, some regulars come out of the ranking, such as Décathlon or Mars France.

But what criteria are used to establish this list? After an audit of all participating companies based on questionnaires submitted to employees, Great Place to Work France decides between them according to the answers.

Julien Brezun gives the keys to companies that want to appear in the ranking.

What employees want: flexibility and civic engagement

For the CEO, the 2021 winners have 3 characteristics in common. First, their ability to offer employees a meaningful activity. Then, the one to adapt to the current situation.

The companies at the top of the ranking were, for example, already adept of woking from home. They were thus able to manage with greater ease the problems linked to its generalization during the first confinement.

Finally, 95% of those surveyed from the winning companies consider that the hygiene and security measures in the face of Covid are respected in their company.

For Great Place to Work, 3 company policies enabled the winners to manage the crisis well:

• Reinforced communication with the teams, despite the introduction of remote working. Like daily videoconference meetings, especially during confinements but also informal points.
• Support, particularly financial, for the implementation of teleworking. Salesforce, for example, allocated 500 euros to each of its employees to set up a home workspace.
• Finally, the most important point seems to be the civic engagement of the company. Utopies, a sustainable development consulting firm, offers, for example, two additional weeks of maternity leave. And three months leave for the second parent.

Thanks to the “Best place to work” list, the efforts of companies in favor of the well-being of their employees are brought to the attention of the general public.

This ranking also allows French companies to open discussions , in a certain way, with their employees on the subject. An initiative to salute.