New Study Reveals that a Great Workplace Culture Propels Innovation at Google

A recent study published by Annika Steiber of Chalmers University of Technology, outlines the elements of Google’s organizational design that contribute to their success at innovation. Steiber’s findings affirm the role of trust and a strong workplace culture in creating an environment where innovation can thrive. 

Ideas from Kahler Slater on How to Build Pride in the Workplace

Building Pride through Storytelling, and Barbara Armstrong and Kelly Gaglione of Kahler Slater shared with us how Best Companies all across the country use their workspace in unique ways to share their story. These stories inspire people, engage employees and invite clients to be a part of the company vision. The fun part is simply figuring out how to tell the story!

Building Pride through Storytelling in the Workplace

Whether companies use words, pictures, or something more fun, storytelling in the workplace serves to remind employees why they do what they do. In a breakout session at the 2012 Great Place to Work® Conference, Barbara Armstrong and Kelly Gaglione of Kahler Slater, a Best Small and Medium Workplace, outlined how great workplaces express their organizational culture through their workspace. 

The origins of women leadership can be traced from family-owned businesses. In fact, the early support came from male CEOs who had daughters. Additionally, in India, the majority of family-owned businesses played a significant part where some founders included their daughters in their businesses from an early phase.

Today, from Great Place to Work Spain, we want to congratulate the 50 companies that have achieved certification as the 2012 Best Workplaces in Spain. They are all our award winners because they have succeeded in creating and sustaining great workplaces. 

17 May 2012 | Genzyme Ireland

We invite you to join us on Thursday 17^th May at Genzyme’s Waterford facility to hear more about how Genzyme are using the Power of Collaboration to great effect in their journey to create a Great Workplace. This will be followed by lunch and, for those who wish, a site tour. You can see the full programme and reserve your complimentary tickets here.

If you're a fan of reality-based competitions you'll certainly get your fix every Saturday night between X-Factor, Britain's Got Talent and American Idol. The audition process is central to this type of show and it uncovers a mixture of people ranging from those with genuine talent to those delusional souls who believe that they have superb talent where clearly there is none.

This got me thinking about the people who put themselves forward for management positions in the workplace - and of the similarities and differences between the two proceses.

How Organizational Culture Helps W.L. Gore & Associates Drive Innovation

At Great Place to Work®, we regularly work with companies who believe that management’s role is to get out of the way of letting employees do great work. Within any organizational structure or work environment, employees share the desire to use their talents and abilities to help meet organizational goals, finding the support to do this from colleagues, and all while keeping engaged in their day to day work.

How Connecting Hands, Heads and Hearts Helps to Strengthen Organizational Culture

By Brooke Dayton, Sr. Client Engagement Manager, Great Place to Work®

Corporate philanthropy is a growing trend among great workplaces who want to broaden their company pride to their extended communities through contributions of time, skills, and funds. 

Boots' plans to use intuition to pull ahead in the market place, according to Debbie Smith, MD of Boots, Ireland. One of four candidates shortlisted by Great Place to Work as 'Ireland's Most Trusted Leader' 2012, Smith said the company is now focussed on hiring and rewarding employees who will truly care for, and act in, the interests of their customers.

The British consumer pharmacy chain is a big operation with 115,500 employees in 25 countries and revenues of €26 billion. In Ireland, Smith oversees an operation of 71 stores and 1,900 employees. A long time employee of the company, she described her current role as “the job I’ve loved the most in 26 years.”