Best tech companies to work for

[VelMurugan]

Best tech companies to work for

Is Google the best tech company to work for, or is it Cisco, or Microsoft? The answer is none! In fact, none of the tech giants come close to NetApp, the storage and data management services provider which has been ranked as the best tech company by Fortune in its annual list of '100 Best Companies to Work For'.

The company topped the list due to its "employee enthusiasm for the legendary egalitarian culture," according to Fortune. Google, which had topped the list for the past two years, significantly dropped to No. 4 this year.

Cisco too figured among the top 10. However, keeping in tune with the overall current global trend where tech companies have lost a lot of sheen as employers owing to recession, their position among the top 100 too has been shaken up.

Here is a list of these big daddies of the technology industry, where they ranked and how they fared as employers. Read on...

Source : IndiaTimes

[VelMurugan]

NetApp

US-headquartered NetApp tops the list of '100 Best Companies to Work For' in 2009. The company deals in storage and data management solutions.

Founded in 1992, the company has over 130 offices worldwide, 7,999 employees and clocked in $3.3 billion revenue in (FY2008).

The company, which rose to the top slot after six years on the list, was selected for its "employees enthusiasm" for the legendary egalitarian culture.

Fortune said the company gives workers five paid days for volunteer work, $11,390 for adoption assistance, as well as coverage for family members with autism. Average annual pay for the biggest group of salaried workers is $134,716.

Also, at a time when companies across the board are downsizing globally in a bid to save cost, NetApp is among a few who haven't still taken the pink slips route.

The company has more than $2 billion in cash on hand to help it ride out the global financial crisis.

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Google

Google, which held the No. 1 spot for two years running in 2007 and 2008, slipped to fourth place this year. The Mountain View search company has been reportedly cutting back on some of its celebrated employee perks -- instead of a $1,000 holiday bonus, for example, workers this year got a free smartphone.

With tough economic environment hitting revenues, Google has taken to austerity measures, this includes cut in travel expenditure, perks and free food.

Perks may have reduced, however, Google still remains among the top workplaces. The search giant which celebrated its tenth birthday in 2008, still attracts 777,000 applicants a year.

And one thing must for all Googlites is exercising. There's a workout room with weights and a rowing machine, and foosball, whirlpool and roller hockey matches happen twice a week at the parking lot.

And guess who can accompany you in your office? Pets are welcomed to the Google experience, provided people around your desk don't object.

[VelMurugan]

Cisco Systems

Networking major retains its sixth position in the list. The company which was at the same position last year too is focusing on collaborative efforts to give employees more say in decision-making.

Flexibility, trust, and empowerment are touted as the hallmarks of the employee-employer relationship at Cisco. Flexi work time, telecommuting, parenting and work opportunities also go a long way in making the company an employee favourite.

Founded in 1984 by a small group of computer scientists from Stanford University, Cisco's hardware, software, and service offerings are used to create Internet solutions.

With more than 67,647 employees worldwide, the company's mantra is to motivate employees for innovation. In 2007, the company recorded a revenue of $34,900 millions.

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Adobe Systems

At number 11 in Fortune's 100 list, Adobe is the world's leading provider of software solutions to create, manage and deliver digital content.

Passion for technology, curiosity to learn new things, ability to work well in a team and speak fearlessly are some of the qualities that define Adobe's culture and makes the company an employer of choice.

California-based company has close to 6,900 employees across the globe, including North America, Europe, Japan and Asia Pacific. More than half of Adobe's employees are located in the United States.

The company has an incubation programme where an employee who has a business/technology idea can choose to work full time on his area of interest. Key contact people in the HR and Facilities are available 24x7 to employees in case of any medical or personal emergency.

The company which has not remained untouched by slowdown has received kudos for the humane treatment towards its employees who got pink slips.

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Qualcomm

At no. 16 is telecommunications giant Qualcomm. Founded in 1985, Qualcomm is a wireless technology and data solutions company based in San Diego, California.

According to Fortune, the company keeps new ideas flowing through an award-winning recruitment programme: It hires 750 interns a year from 38 countries.

Some other things that make Qualcomm different from other employers are employees-top management's breakfast/evenings meetings. Key industry developments, and projects and company initiatives rule the agenda of such meetings.

The company has a Vocation Donation Programme which allows employees to donate vacation time in order to assist other employees facing catastrophic circumstances. The company has wide range of benefits package for employees providing security and life-enhancing programmes.

Qualcomm recently acquired certain graphics and multimedia technology assets, intellectual property and resources that were formerly the basis of AMD's handheld business.

[VelMurugan]

Shared Technologies

Shared Technologies jumped up seven places this year to rank at no. 17, up from 25th position last year, largely courtesy the measures taken to avoid layoffs. Hit by a low patch due to recession, senior managers gave up bonuses, CEO Tony Parella cut his salary 50 per cent, travel costs were reduced, and open positions were left unfilled. Result: not a single layoff.

Texas-based Shared Technologies is solutions provider specialising in voice, data and converged technologies. Founded in 1977, Shared Technologies believes that its growth and profitability are built on a foundation of employee focus and empowerment.

The company calls itself a 'roll-up-your-sleeves' kind of place, which is offers an extremely fast-paced and production driven environment.

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SAS

Another company which has not seen any layoffs so far. Jumping nine ranks from previous year, SAS ranks at No. 20 (up from 29 in 2008).

Highlights of this Best Workplace include: No layoffs, sales are up, and hiring still on. Traditions are important (and continue here): Fresh fruit every Monday, M&Ms on Wednesdays, and breakfast goodies on Fridays.

In 2007, SAS reported $2.15 billion revenue and invested 21 per cent in research and development. The company scores high on job content parameter, relevance of training, relevance of training to professional and personal growth.

Some of the global HR practices implemented by SAS include flexible working hours, day-care benefits, concierge services and adoption assistance policy. The company also has a global online recruitment portal which helps employees seeking intra-company transfers across the globe.

Employees at SAS headquarters enjoy onsite amenities including healthcare and daycare, a 66,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center, and incentive programmes to reward employee wellness. Annual turnover is about 4 per cent.

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Microsoft

At no. 38 on the list is global software giant Microsoft. Highlight includes: Managers maintain `morale budgets' to stage fun events (team dinners, outings to sports events or plays) for the team.

The company holds high value integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self-criticism, continual self-improvement and mutual respect.

Slowdown has caught up with the software leader too. In a major restructuring, the company has announced approximately 5000 job cuts. The first mass layoffs in its 34-year history, shows how some of the world's richest companies too are getting burned by recession.

Microsoft, which has $20.7 billion in cash on hand, said its business prospects were hurt by the deteriorating global economy and lower revenue from software for PCs.

Despite that the company has a legacy of fairly high on 'relevance of perks and benefits' and quality of training parameter.

Redmond-based Microsoft says it won't stop hiring entirely. Company's Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said that Microsoft will add new jobs in the next 18 months to support key areas, including Web search, so the total number of employees will drop by 2,000 to 3,000. Microsoft employs 94,000 people overall.

[VelMurugan]

Texas Instruments

Leader in designs and manufacturing of analog technologies, digital signal processing (DSP) and microcontroller semiconductors, Texas Instruments (TI) bagged 65th spot on the list.

So, what qualifies it to be a Best Workplace? According to Fortune, the company moved to cut costs at end of 2008 by offering a generous early retirement package to long-term employees. Deal called for one and one-half weeks of pay for every year of service. Some 2,600 employees were eligible.

TI's compensation and financial plans, healthy wellness programmes, diversity programmes, community support programmes makes it one the best employer. From health and compensation options to diversity programmes, community outreach and more, TIers receive great rewards for great work, claims the company.

However, with the turbulent times hurting business, the company too has got into a cost cutting drive. Company's new ceramic-packaged transceivers enable communication in high-temperature applications. The devices feature no thermal shutdown, meeting the demanding requirements of oil exploration applications, such as downhole drilling.

[VelMurugan]

eBay

At no. 83 is the world's top online auctioneer eBay. Owner of Skype and PayPal, eBay dropped alomost 15 ranks from its previous year's 68th position.

Stung by global recession and weak consumer demand eBay recently cut its global workforce by 10 per cent. The departing employees got at least five months' salary and three months of outplacement services.

Founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar, the company is the world's largest online marketplace. eBay has presence in 39 markets, including the US, and has approximately 84 million active users worldwide. Headquartered in San Jose, California, it went public in 1998.

As for eBay culture, here's over to the company: eBay culture is one of hard work and enthusiasm. Ideal eBay candidates will have intense customer focus, a positive outlook, and a great sense of humour.

[VelMurugan]

Juniper Networks

Juniper makes its entry in the Best Companies to Work for list at No. 84. The first timer gets high marks from Fortune for Silicon Valley perks -- stock options for new hires and its beer bashes.

As for employees, they term the company's unusual culture as the galvanising factor. The Cisco rival has annual sales of $4 billion, operations in 50 countries and 6,800 employees. Facing tough environment, Juniper is expected to lay off workers next month as a result of slowing growth, including in its enterprise business, according to an investment firm.

Juniper is expected to lay off workers next month as a result of slowing growth, including in its enterprise business, according to an investment firm.

Oppenheimer is lowering its estimates for Juniper's fourth quarter and full year 2008 results to revenue of $930 million and earnings per share of $0.31 for the quarter; and $3.6 billion and $1.14 per share for the year

[VelMurugan]

T-Mobile

US-based provider of wireless voice, messaging, and data services T-Mobile makes its entry in the Best Workplaces list for the first time. With over 36,000 employees, the company has nearly 120 million customers worldwide.

Another company which has been able to ward off job cuts so far, company continues its child-care subsidy of between $125 and $200 a month, depending on salary.

The wireless phone arm of Deutsche Telekom follows a code of conduct which includes the employee's responsibilities to fellow employees, customers and the work environment. Likewise, the conduct outlines similar responsibilities for management towards employees.

All hiring decisions are made irrespective of caste, creed, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability which the company highlights in its policies.

[VelMurugan]

Accenture

At No. 97 New York-headquartered Accenture too is a first timer in the list. As for what makes the company a part of the list is: Every employee is assigned a career counselor -- and he or she then has thousands of courses to choose from. Average training is 78 hours a year per person.

Accenture also emerges as the employer of choice for women as it offers flexi work timings, maternity returners programmes, women's mentoring programmes and celebrates international women's day. The company also figures in the Mother's list of 100 Best Companies for Working women.

As part of employee development, the company sponsor programmes which encourage understanding and tolerance to all, regardless of race, age, gender, sexual preference and faith.

Accenture also runs 13 network groups for employees available in each of the 49 countries in which it operate. Founded in 1989, Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company.