Best Big Companies To Work For

Finding a great place to work for many workers can be a challenge, especially in this economy when so many are content just to have a steady paycheck. The soft labor market, though, doesn't necessarily make it easier -- even for large global companies -- to find top talent, which is why so many of them still must compete to recruit and keep the best workers.

What makes a large corporation a great place to work? Employees are happiest when they are able to trust those whom they work for; have pride in what they do; and enjoy the people with whom they work, according to Great Place to Work, a global consulting firm, which has released its second annual list of the World's Best Multinational Workplaces.

A multinational corporation is a company based in one or more countries or has operations in at least two countries. They include many familiar names, such as PepsiCo, Monsanto and General Mills, among many others.

Trust is a key component in creating a successful workplace, says Robert Levering, a Great Place to Work co-founder. Having studied workplaces worldwide for 20 years, he says, "we have learned that trust is the key differentiator."

In compiling this year's list of best workplaces, Great Place to Work made its selection from some 350 corporations in 36 countries based on these criteria:

• Appeared on at least five national Best Workplaces lists.
• Have at least 5,000 employees worldwide.
• Have at least 40 percent of their workforce based (or 5,000 employees) outside their home country.
• Additionally, Great Place to Work granted additional points if a company participated in its contests and surveys.

Best Place to Work notes that two-third's of a company's ranking is based on employee surveys, while the remainder is based on its policies and practices. Highlights from the 2012 survey include:

• The region with the most companies on the list: Europe.
• Country with the most companies on the list: Mexico.
• Most represented industry on the list: manufacturing and production.
• Proportion of women in executive positions or senior management: 27 percent.

Below, find Great Place to Work's Top 10 Best Multinational Workplaces:

10. Autodesk Inc.
    Headquarters: San Rafael, Calif.
    Number of Countries: 5.
    Industry: Computer Software.
    Number of Employees: 7,254.
    Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 11 times.
    Women in Executive/Senior Management: 20 percent.


9. Diageo PLC
   Headquarters: London.
   Number of Countries: 10.
   Industry: Food, beverages and tobacco.
   Number of Employees: 25,000.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: N/A.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 27 percent.


8. W.L. Gore & Associates Inc.
   Headquarters: Newark, Del.
   Number of Countries: 5.
   Industry: Chemical Manufacturing, Consumer Products and Electronics.
   Number of Employees: 10,059.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 5 times.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 21 percent.


7. FedEx Corp.
   Headquarters: Memphis, Tenn.
   Number of Countries: 11.
   Industry: Delivery Services.
   Number of Employees: 151,344.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: N/A.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 23 percent.


6. Marriott International Inc.
   Headquarters: Bethesda, Md.
   Number of Countries: 6.
   Industry: Hotels.
   Number of Employees: 325,000.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: N/A.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 33 percent.


5. Microsoft Corp.
   Headquarters: Redmond, Wash.
   Number of Countries: 24.
   Industry: Computer Software.
   Number of Employees: 96,052.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 19 times.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: N/A.


4. Kimberly-Clark Corp.
   Headquarters: Irving, Texas.
   Number of Countries: 9.
   Industry: Consumer Goods.
   Number of Employees: 57,929.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: N/A.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 29 percent.


3. NetApp Inc.
   Headquarters: Sunnyvale, Calif.
   Number of Countries: 10.
   Industry: Computer Hardware.
   Number of Employees: 12,643.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 17 times.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 23 percent.


2. Google Inc.
   Headquarters: Mountain View, Calif.
   Number of Countries: 8.
   Industry: Internet.
   Number of Employees: 34,311.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 61 times.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: N/A.


1. SAS Institute Inc.
   Headquarters: Cary, N.C.
   Number of Countries: 15.
   Industry: Computer Software.
   Number of Employees: 13,349.
   Number of Applicants to Existing Jobs: 5 times.
   Women in Executive/Senior Management: 32 percent.

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