Jobs

BEST EMPLOYERS IN ASIA: OVERVIEW

Asia's Best Bosses

Who are they? What makes them the best? We have the answers in the first ever survey of the region's top workplaces

By Alkman Granitsas/HONG KONG

Issue cover-dated September 13, 2001

The world economy is slowing down. In Asia--and around the world--companies are cutting back, paring costs and laying off hundreds of thousands of employees. Once-guaranteed life-time employment and rising salaries seen during the boom years in Asia are under siege. And yet, some companies dare to be different. The Far Eastern Economic Review, in conjunction with The Asian Wall Street Journal and United States-based consulting firm Hewitt Associates, presents the first ever regionwide survey of the Best Employers in Asia. The six-month research effort, involving 355 companies and more than 92,000 employees in nine countries, showcases 81 businesses that are practising innovative and ground-breaking management principles. Contained in this special report is an in-depth look at those principles and practices that make a company a good employer. One clear message to emerge from the survey is that being a good employer pays. A happy workforce can reward a company through better profits, better productivity and lower staff turnover. Another message is that even in lean times lay-offs may be a short-term saving but a long-term cost. We also look at how California's hi-tech sector has changed the rules for employers worldwide. Nowadays, stock options, casual dress and free pizza are just as important to retaining talented staff as salaries and holidays once were. There are surprisingly few blue chips among Asia's list of the Top 20 Best Employers. To be sure, most are recognizable names. But the next time you check in at the Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai, or order an Aloha burger at Jollibee in Manila, spare a thought for your doorman or the guy at the grill. They are among the happiest employees in Asia. What that tells us is...