[Oakland, CA], July 20, 2021 –Great Place To Work®, the global authority on workplace culture, surveyed over 3.3 million employees from across 16 diverse countries and cultures in Asia and the Middle East to determine the Best Workplaces in Asia™ 2021. This is the largest survey of employee experiences in Asia.
To be named as best in Asia, these 200 companies first ranked highest on Great Place To Work’s Best Workplaces™ national lists across the region. This recognition is based on confidential survey data assessing employee experiences of trust, innovation, company values and leadership. Companies are also evaluated on how well they are creating a For All™ workplace experience, inclusive of all employees no matter who they are or what they do.
On average, companies ranked on the Best Workplaces in Asia scored 10% better than those that made it to the national list level — an incredibly high bar, as such workplaces are the best of the best in their own country. At the Best Workplaces in Asia, 15% more employees also report:
- Feeling that management involves people in its decision-making
- Receiving special and unique benefits
- Receiving a fair share of the profits made by the organization
For companies on national lists across Asia, 70% of employees said they experience well-being at work (defined by factors such as feeling cared for and believing their workplace is a psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work). But that number jumps even higher to 81% at the Best Workplaces in Asia.
"The Best Workplaces in Asia set the bar for company culture by supporting employee wellbeing and building inclusive workplaces that are good for everyone,” said Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place To Work.
“They demonstrate how much they value their most important resource – their people.” “Thanks to these companies, more than 3.3 million employees benefit from the highest working conditions in a range of industries across Asia.”
Highlights from the Best Workplaces in Asia 2021
Topping the list for the second year in a row in the multinational category are shipping company DHL Express and hotelier Hilton — both holding onto their 2020 first and second-place rankings, respectively.
In the large business category, PAP Community Foundation (Singapore), Talawakelle Tea Estates (Sri Lanka), and KB Kookmin Card (South Korea) claimed the top three spots.
Canva (Philippines) topped the list in the small-medium business (SMB) category, followed by Charity Committee for Orphans Care (ENSAN) (Saudi Arabia) and THE One (UAE).
Several new entries made the list this year, including luxury retailer Chalhoub Group, telecom company Ericsson, medical device supplier Medtronic, and financial services brands American Express and Synchrony. All of these brands made it into the top 15 multinational workplaces in Asia.
This year, COVID-19 brought physical and mental well-being front of mind for both employers and employees. In China, Hilton provided a live-stream lecture on return-to-work safety with the chief doctor of the Shanghai Centre for Disease Control and the director of infectious diseases at Huashan Hospital.
In India, Medtronic introduced a vaccination program for employees and their families. Lighting company Signify has in-house doctors available 2 to 3 days per week. In the Philippines, Canva is offering free COVID vaccinations for all employees and their household families.
The top 30 in the multinational category:
- DHL Express
- Hilton
- Cisco
- Chalhoub Group
- Landmark Group
- Marriott
- Ericsson
- Salesforce
- American Express
- Cadence
- Medtronic
- General Mills
- Synchrony
- Stryker
- Micron
- PayPal
- SAP
- FedEx
- Apparel Group
- DISCO Corporation
- AbbVie
- SAS
- Amgen
- Maersk
- S&P Global
- Siemens Healthineers
- Al-Dabbagh Group
- EY
- Roche
- Signify
How Great Place To Work determines the Best Workplaces in Asia
Great Place To Work identifies the Best Workplaces in Asia by analyzing companies’ workplace programs and surveying employees across Asia and the Middle East about the key factors that create great workplaces For All.
To be considered, companies must first be identified as outstanding in their local region by appearing on one or more of our Best Workplaces lists in Greater China (including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), India, Japan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka or the United Arab Emirates during 2020 or early 2021.
Companies rank in three size categories: small and medium (10 to 499 employees); large (500+); and multinational. Multinational organizations are also assessed on their efforts to create great workplaces across multiple countries in the region. They must appear on at least two national lists in Asia and the Middle East and have at least 1,000 employees worldwide with at least 40% (or 5,000) of those employees located outside the headquarters country.
About Great Place To Work
Great Place To Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make strategic people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All.