Europe's Best Employers 2022: Swiss organizations take podium places

A few months ago, we named the Best Employers in Switzerland 2022, and tonight the next big event took place in the Venetian Ballroom of the Hotel Molino Stucky in Venice: the presentation of the "Europe's Best Workplaces™" Awards! 150 organizations from a total of 21 countries received awards in their respective size categories, including seven Swiss companies and ten multinationals based in Switzerland. One of the biggest differences between Europe's Best Workplaces™ and the organizations that made it onto the national lists is the perceived sense of respect and fairness.

UMB in first place: Winner of the large Swiss companies is also the best employer in Europe

The IT consulting firm UMB is one of the best employers, and not just in Switzerland. After taking first place in the "Best Workplaces™ Switzerland" with more than 250 employees five times in a row (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022), UMB has now also made it to the top of the European rankings. With immediate effect, UMB also holds the title of Best Employer in Europe (#1) in the category of medium-sized companies (50-499 employees)!

The CEO of UMB, Martin Gartmann, talks about the culture they have created:

"High employee satisfaction is not simply the sum of the number of vacation weeks, generous training opportunities, inspiring parties or an open information policy: it is the corporate culture that stands above everything else. The UMB culture includes a transparent strategy that is developed and supported together with the team, an inspiring vision and a clear commitment to Great Place To Work, combined with the necessary investments. [...] We also invest a great deal of energy in training our managers - because experience has shown that they have the greatest influence on employee satisfaction."

Spitex Malters (#27) and dbi services (#50) are also among the best employers in Europe in the category of medium-sized companies (50-499 employees). In the category of small companies (10-49 employees), the Geneva-based company Digital Luxury Group, DLG SA is among the top 10.

Europe-wide coverage also for large Swiss employers (500 employees or more)

Vebego AG not only made it into the top 3 in the national ranking, but also climbed the podium in the European ranking (#3 of large companies). The Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen (#26) and the daycare network Globegarden (#46) are also among the best employers in Europe.

In the category of the 25 best multinational companies in Europe, ten organizations with a Swiss branch are represented: DHL Express (#1) Abbvie (#2), Hilton (#3), Hilti (#4), Stryker (#7), Sopra Steria (#8), Teleperformance (#9), Bristol-Meyers Squibb (#11), Fronius (#14) and SC Johnson (#16).

The top 3 in Europe in their respective categories

Large organizations (500 employees or more)

Medium-sized organizations (50 - 499 employees)

Small organizations (10 - 49 employees)

Multinational organizations

About Europe's Best Workplaces™

This year's list, compiled by Great Place To Work® - the global authority on workplace culture - is based on anonymous survey data from 1.4 million employees from over 3,000 companies in 37 countries across Europe. The survey assesses employee experience in terms of trust, innovation, company values and leadership.

To participate in the European awards, organizations must first prove themselves as one of the best employers nationally. Using our evidence-based methodology, companies are surveyed using our Trust Index™ employee survey on the one hand and facts and figures about the company are recorded using Culture Brief™ on the other. If the minimum requirements of 65% are then met, the company receives certification as a Great Place To Work®. If the requirements are met in the Culture Audit™, in which measures for the cultural development of organizations are recorded and analyzed, the company qualifies for the national ranking of the Best Employers. All companies that have been recognized as one of the Best Workplaces™ Switzerland then take part in the international ranking.

On average, this year's 150 Best Workplaces in Europe achieved a Trust Index™ of 89%, 10 percentage points higher than the other winners of the national lists. Compared to the global benchmark of 55%, the difference is even greater.

But where exactly do the best employers in Europe excel?

Respect and fairness are the secret to retaining employees

The once black and white line between work and home life has now blurred into a permanent shade of gray. Two years after the global pandemic turned many of our living rooms into offices, where and how we work, and more importantly what we expect from work, has changed permanently. Workers around the world have left their jobs in search of meaning and fulfillment, respect and appreciation, and a better work-life balance.

Employee engagement in Europe continues to decline, exacerbating the problem of employee retention. One in five employees worldwide is planning to leave their employer. The situation is different for employees at the best employers in Europe, where 87% of respondents say they want to work for their company for a long time to come. What makes the decisive difference?

Research by Great Place To Work has shown that employees who feel respected by their managers and leadership are more likely to stay with their organization long-term. For example, statements around the dimension of respect in Europe's Best Workplaces™ achieved an average approval rating of 88%, 11 percentage points higher than other national Best Workplaces™.

The second area in which the European Best Workplaces outperformed the national lists was fairness. This is expressed in large part by the belief that employers offer fair pay and promotions as well as equal opportunities for recognition. At 87%, perceived fairness at the award-winning workplaces was 9 percentage points higher than the winners on the national list. Fairness is difficult to experience without a culture of inclusion where all employees are valued, supported and treated equally.

Vebego AG (#3 of the large employers) also attaches great importance to equal opportunities for its employees. For this reason, they have had all salaries reviewed by Comp-ON AG, a company mandated by the Federal Office for Gender Equality, and have been awarded the Fair on Pay label. "Maintenance audits are now carried out at regular intervals, obliging us to continue to do everything in our power to ensure that gender has no influence whatsoever when setting salaries. As a family business that employs people from 99 nations and 130 professions, diversity and inclusion are a natural part of our culture. Appreciation for all people, respect and openness - regardless of age, disability, gender, origin, religion, sexual orientation, social or professional status or language - have always been part of our culture. Concrete example: The "Everyone can find a job at Vebego" campaign aims to give people with disabilities from the third labor market in particular the opportunity to integrate into the world of work."

The best employers actively promote the well-being of their employees

The best workplaces in Europe support the well-being of their employees in a variety of ways, including by offering a wide range of different support programs and more flexibility. Wellbeing also includes how and where employees work. In some European countries, hybrid working is more prevalent than in others, reports BBC. A survey of 10,000 people found that more than a third of European employees would refuse a job without flexible working hours and more than two thirds would take a pay cut for more flexibility.

However, many Best Workplaces allow employees to decide when and from where they want to work. One of many examples of this is AssisTT (37th on the list of large companies), which allows its employees to choose where and when they work in order to offer more flexibility.

The quintessence

Europe's Best Workplaces™ make it clear what employees expect from their employers today. They want to be important. They want to be seen and heard. They want to be involved in decisions and new ideas.

The Best Workplaces have recognized how important satisfied and committed employees are. After all, if employees have a positive experience at work, this also has a positive impact on the company's success. Prioritizing their own employees also helps Best Workplaces to master the challenges of the new world of work and thrive in its conditions. A high level of respect, fairness and well-being contributes significantly to the creation of a trust-based workplace culture. Ninety percent of employees at Best Workplaces in Europe would strongly recommend their employer to family and friends, and 90 percent believe that the people they work with are willing to go the extra mile.

Is your organization one of the leaders in Europe, but has not yet received an award?