A great workplace ensures that employees have freedom to execute their ideas and enjoy the work they do. Employees yearn for appreciation and a congenial environment to work.
But amid the tight schedules and high sales and revenue targets, how many companies actually keep employees happy and help them maintain a work-life balance?
The Economic Times and Great Place to Work Institute have recently listed the best workplaces in India. More than 500 companies took part in the year's survey. Of these, 471 firms met the eligibility criteria.
A total of 67,000 employees across 20 sectors participated in giving a true picture of what they felt about the workplace.
Take a look at the companies that care for employees and believe that people are key to its success...
1. Google
"The focus on technical innovation, the emphasis on aiming big, and the benefit of building on the world's best cloud computing infrastructure makes engineering at Google one of the most fun jobs one could have. I wish there was a place like this to work at when I came out of college." - Peeyush Ranjan, managing director, Google India R&D
Google is the best company to work for in India. Google says it is not a conventional company and it gives freedom to employees to work and enjoy while at office.
"At Google, we know that every employee has something important to say, and that every employee is integral to our success. We provide individually-tailored compensation packages that can be comprised of competitive salary, bonus, and equity components, along with the opportunity to earn further financial bonuses and rewards," says a Google statement.
The best part about Google is that it allows people to take risks and fail in their pursuit for technological excellence.
Flexible, project-based approach, innovative perks and benefits, Google says it does everything to make sure employees not only have great jobs, but great lives as well. Google started India operations in 1998.Number of employees: 1,308
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Intel, which started Indian operations in 1998, is recognised as one of India's best companies for leadership development, work life balance and corporate social responsibility.
Intel has also been recognised for being the 'Best Company for Women' for its focus on gender diversity and work life effectiveness.
All Intel India employees receive life insurance coverage.
Number of employees: 2,640
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India's 30 best companies to work for
The sense of ownership and freedom to work makes Makemytrip a preferred companies for employees. Around 70 per cent of the workforce are likely to get ESOPs soon.
MakeMyTrip's rise has been lead by the vision and the spirit of each one of its employees, for whom no idea was too big and no problem too difficult.
It has been voted as the best company for employee involvement and collaboration.
MakeMyTrip.com is one of India leading online travel companies founded by Deep Kalra in 2000.
Number of employees: 979
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India's 30 best companies to work for
American Express Bank helps employees build a successful career; making sure employees have a good profession and personal life balance.
The company which started Indian operations in 1921, offers an employee assistance programme addressing personal, emotional, health and well-being issues.
Employees are offered travel discount and flexible leave options, insurance and health coverage, paid and unpaid sabbaticals.
Number of employees: 5,718
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Marriott Hotels offers family-friendly benefits that promote health/wellness, education, flexibility and work-life integration.
It has been recognised for offering policies and practices that encourage women's advancement.
Employees are referred to as associates and their feedback about the company is evaluated. Complimentary stay in the hotel is offered to employees on their birthday.
It started Indian operations in 1927. BusinessWeek Magazine ranks Marriott International 50 out of 100 on its "Hottest Employers of 2010"
Number of employees: 3,500
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Founded in 1987, Classic Stripes prides to offer a family atmosphere to employees.
The company which has a high retention rates rewards employees for staying back with the company.
A manufacturer of auto components for two and four-wheelers, Classic Stripes carries out various social activities under the supervision of their employees.
Number of employees: 459
India's 30 best companies to work for
Scope International offers flexible working options for its employees. Besides offering working from home option, it also has women at senior levels.
Employees are allowed to take a break in between work if they are stressed out.
Founded in India in 2001, Scope International is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Standard Chartered bank and its global outsourcing arm.
Scope believes people are the greatest assets. The company has introduced a number of people-oriented policies for improving performance and productivity.
The leave policy and learning and career development initiatives are the other attractions.
Number of employees: 8,064
India's 30 best companies to work for
Agilent offers a great work environment recognising individual contributions, initiative and creativity.
Flexible working hours, education leave, telecommuting, executive health check up, yearly employee health examinations, education assistance for children of employees, children allowed at work in special circumstances and working from home option as well.
Agilent, which designs and manufactures electronic and bio-analytical measurement instruments and equipment for measurement and evaluation, started Indian operations in 1999.
Number of employees: 1,466
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Employees are referred to as 'members' and are treated as equal stakeholders of the company.
Founded in India in 1999, it is one of the largest sterile injectables pharmaceutical companies in India, Claris Lifesciences ranks high on career growth. It also scores on working towards comfort of the employees' family.
Special workshops are organised for families. Claris has well defined capability enhancement programs designed to enhance behavioural, managerial and leadership skills.
In a bid to make the office a lively place, celebrations of festivals, special achievements, cultural and sports activities are conducted.
Number of employees: 1,325
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India's 30 best companies to work for
NetApp is known for its commitment and success in building a model company with a culture that values creativity, teamwork, productivity, leadership, and innovation.
Its strong corporate culture, open communication, competitive salaries, unique benefits, and down-to-earth management style are valued by its employees
This is the third consecutive year NetApp India has been in the top 10 listing.
Among Information Technology companies NetApp, which started Indian operations in 1992, is ranked at 3.
NetApp creates innovative storage and data management solutions.
Number of employees: 1,349
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India's 30 best companies to work for
A comfortable work environment, open communication, management training programmes, absence of hierarchy make Forbes Marshall one of the best companies to work for in India.
Forbes Marshall has been rated high on aspects like family spirit, culture and employee trust. It is the second best company in the manufacturing and production industry.
It also ranks second in employee participation in corporate social responsibility activities. Forbes Marshall has been building steam engineering and control instrumentation solutions.
Number of employees: 1,020
India's 30 best companies to work for
Idea Cellular prides to be a vibrant and diverse organisation with a professional work culture.
A fun place to work, it also looks after women employees' welfare. Many programmes and policies are formulated for employees' growth and welfare.
Idea Cellular is a leading GSM mobile services operator in India with over 72 million subscribers.
Number of employees: 7,141
India's 30 best companies to work for
Great teamwork, the absence of a hierarchy and transparency are highlights of this organisation. Cactus was also ranked by Nasscom as one of the top 15 exciting emerging companies in 2008.
Cactus is committed to innovation, employee happiness and their overall well being. The company makes sure that employees enjoy the work they do.
Established in 2002, the company offers editing, educational, transcription, and training services to individual and institutional clients worldwide.
Number of employees: 220
India's 30 best companies to work for
Ujjivan's goal is to provide a holistic range of services to poor working women in urban and semi-urban areas.
A caring work atmosphere is the biggest attraction here. Employees who want to make a difference in the society join Ujjivan, to reach out to the needy.
Ujjivan Financial Services, a microfinance institution (MFI), started operations in Bangalore in 2005 and is a partner of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh.
It serves over 1 million poor customers in 20 states across India through 351 branches and with over 4000 employees.
Employees : 4,141
India's 30 best companies to work for
Titan Industries is the only company from the Tata group in the list of best places to work for in India. Titan offers a great platform for employees to grow and reach higher levels in the organisation.
Regular skill development programs are held to groom employees to take on bigger challenges. Titan has been ranked as best company in the 'retail' category for the second year consecutive year.
Titan was also ranked No.1 in the 'Workplace Diversity and Inclusion' category, for the unique work culture in institutionalising practices that promote workplace diversity and inclusion in the organization.
Number of employees: 4,924
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India's 30 best companies to work for
The company gives high priority to work-life balance. Growth opportunities and good work culture are additional attractions for employees.
SAS employees enjoy a supportive environment, outstanding opportunities for professional growth.
Their innovative solutions help business decision makers across the globe. SAS has been in India since 1997.
Number of employees: 500
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India's 30 best companies to work for
A combination of empowerment, diversity, creativity and enthusiasm makes PayPal India a positive workplace, says Anupam Pahuja, general manager, PayPal India's Development Cente.
The employees are highly-motivated and more productive resulting in measurable business benefits and better corporate performance.
PayPal has been recognised for its high-trust, collaborative work environment and its engaging employee initiatives as part of the company's overall culture.
PayPal is also the only online payments provider to feature in the top 20 list.
Number of employees: 566
India's 30 best companies to work for
Intelenet recognises employees as the core of their operations. The work experience at Intelenet is said to be both stimulating and enriching.
The work environment is open, transparent, encourages and supports excellence at work. One of the largest BPO employers in India, it has 34 delivery centres across the globe.
The company prides to be an equal opportunity employer to ensure employees are treated without bias during employment.
Intelenet Global Services is a third-party Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) headquartered in Mumbai.
Number of employees: 31,266
India's 30 best companies to work for
NTPC is the best public sector undertaking to work for in India.
The company won the Gold trophy at 'SCOPE Meritorious Award 2008-09 for Best Practices in Human Resource Management'.
This PSU lays emphasis on work ethics and has intitiated several corporate social responsibility activities. The employees actively take part in CSR activities.
NTPC is appreciated for bringing positive changes to the lives of so many people in the country.
Number of employees: 25,093
India's 30 best companies to work for
HCL attracts the best talent and helps them build a rewarding career. The jobs are offered according to the employees' strengths.
People can take up their own career options, as an entrepreneur, manager or technocrat. Around 90 per cent of the top management is from the campus, some were those who joined as trainees.
The company believes in empowering and engaging the individuals to learn, and grow. The employees are encouraged to think, bring forth new ideas and innovate.
HCL Infosystems is one of the pioneers in the Indian IT market, started its business in 1976.
Number of employees: 6,993
India's 30 best companies to work for
Fairness and transparency are the core values here. The company treats employees as working partners.
The company offers micro credit to people who are unable to access finance from the mainstream banks. The funds are offered at reasonable cost and in a transparent manner.
Equitas started operations in 2007.
Number of employees: 2,566
India's 30 best companies to work for
For Qualcomm India, employees are the foundation of a successful business model.
Employees get to maintain a work-life balance as the company recognises that being sensitive to employee's needs and preferences is a valuable benefit that can boost retention and employee's well-being in general.
Flexible and alternative work schedules with telecommuting options, onsite fitness centres, wellness education sessions and camps are the other attractions.
Number of employees: 1,332
India's 30 best companies to work for
NIIT offers a great working environment, supportive management and various learning platforms.
It is a leading global talent development corporation, building skilled manpower pool for global industry requirements.
The company which was set up in 1981 has today grown to be amongst world's leading talent development companies offering learning solutions to individuals, enterprises and institutions across 40 countries.
Number of employees: 2,759
India's 30 best companies to work for
Bharti Airtel offers great opportunities for employees' growth and development. The facilities at the offices are much appreciated.
Employees admire the company for the growth of innovation in the company's offerings.
Bharti Airtel is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa
Number of employees: 16,000
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Organisational and employee development must go hand-in-hand for companies to grow, believes Corbus.
The company is committed towards organisational and people development from the beginning.
Established in 1994, Corbus is a leading provider of supply chain and IT services and solutions for Fortune 100 companies
Number of employees: 257
India's 30 best companies to work for
Employees are well rewarded and are encouraged to think innovatively at Intuit Technology.
The work atmosphere is very encouraging here. Intuit continues to transform business and financial management for small businesses, accounting professionals and consumers.
The company's mission is to create new ways to manage personal finances and small businesses that are so profound and simple, customers cannot imagine going back to the old way.
Number of employees: 401
India's 30 best companies to work for
The biggest advantage of being a part of Interglobe Enterprises is that it helps individuals grow and manage a good work-life balance.
The company also has several achievement recognition programmes.
InterGlobe Enterprises today is a leader in aviation and travel related services.
Number of employees: 6,063
India's 30 best companies to work for
Hilti India states that it has a passion for people development. Jobs are offered considering the employees' strengths.
Developing people's capabilities to achieve outstanding results is the company's mantra.
The worldwide suppliers of system solutions in the field of positioning, fastening, demolition and construction chemicals, Hilti operates in more than 120 countries worldwide.
The aspect of being a global company is best reflected by the many multi-cultural teams working together.
Number of employees: 520
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India's 30 best companies to work for
Indian Oil Corporation is the second best public sector organisation for employees. IndianOil is the highest ranked Indian company in the latest Fortune 'Global 500' listings.
Stability and a low stress working environment are the biggest advantages of working with IOC.
IndianOil offers vast learning opportunities and challenges for its employees.
Number of employees: 33,977
India's 30 best companies to work for
With over 27,000 employees across its 44 centres in India, UK, USA and Philippines, Firstsource is a leading global BPO company.
Firstsource's strengths are professionalism, meritocracy and innovation. The company is focused on employees' career growth alongwith the integration of the company's business objectives.
The company also trains people and imparts knowledge to boost career aspirations. Firstsource is an equal opportunity employer offering a caring work environment.
Number of employees: 18,158
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