Cover Story

The other good employers
Though not among the top 10, employees like the following employers for letting them build a fulfilling career. The order of appearance doesn’t indicate ranking.

Marriott Hotels India: Caring family
No black marks for taking off days, empowerment at all levels and open promotions make this hotel’s management and employees—oops, associates—one big happy family.
HSBC: Nursery for talent
Encouraging its people to take long leave to do their own thing, helping them learn the salsa after office... What is the bank doing? Well, everything it should to retain top talent.
HCL Infosystems: Idea factory
An intense work culture that breeds entrepreneurship and innovation has techies flocking to low-key, and unpretentious HCL.
iGate Global Solutions: The rise of the underdog
In a market where big companies and brands are seen as the best employers, iGate Global Solutions has flown below the radar, jumped four places in this survey, to emerge as the second-best employer.
Microsoft India: Staying on top
Its open and invigorating work environment keeps Microsoft India at the top. But the company has some HR challenges to meet.
Managing human capital through tough times
The common thread that links all our winners is the solid foundation that they have built to manage their human capital.
Max New York Life: Nurturing talent
Grooming talent systematically is one of the critical factors that has helped the company emerge a leader in HR practices.
Godrej Consumer Products: Loving the learning
Combining a hoary lineage with modern practices is helping the company attract the best talent who stay back to learn.
Eli Lilly: Fighting fit
Eli Lilly is alive and kicking when it comes to driving its very precious sales force. The company scores high on diversity, but is yet to find a cure for attrition.
Canon India: Aim, focus, shoot
The team that clicks together stays together—that’s the mantra at Canon India as it takes baby steps to dominate the Indian market.
Ashok Leyland: No to generation gap
Ashok Leyland is betting big on youth power but not at the cost of experience as seniors play a leading role in taking the company forward.
How we found 'The best employers'
This year, we fine-tuned the Survey to better capture nuances.

2009-01-25

Digital

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Editors note

From the editor

A company is only as good as its people. This may be a self-evident truth, but who exactly are the "good people" and how should companies go about hiring and retaining them? Finding answers to these questions is the biggest corporate challenge of all times. Business Today's best employer survey attempts to address these questions once every year.

Current

The web goes local

A host of small start-ups in India are eyeing ‘local’ search as the next big business opportunity on the Internet.

Are good times here again?

Low ATF prices and a possible shift in FDI policy for aviation hold out prospects of a speedier turnaround for Kingfisher Airlines.

India Inc. on the prowl

Healthy cash reserves and compelling valuations encourage India Inc. to scout for acquisitions abroad.

December blockbuster

The Ambani brothers love to make announcements around their father’s birth anniversary on December 28. This year, while Mukesh started off the Reliance Petroleum refinery on December 25, Anil announced the GSM launch on December 30.

Potion or poison?

A new report suggests ways to fix the ‘flaws’ in the functioning of the IIMs, but the prescription has created controversy and resentment among top IIMs.

Columns

What IIM review panel should have said

The IIMs are on the cusp of some amazing opportunities, but are facing some serious threats that can marginalise them forever. They can collectively provide a bouquet of offerings that can make India a world-class management education hub and knowledge capital for the world.

Features

Satyam's six deadly sins

With a fiction to the tune of over Rs 7,000 crore on account of fraud in terms of the overstatement of revenue, profit, and cash on hand, the Satyam fiasco is now being seen as the largest scandal in the history of corporate India. E Kumar Sharma reports.We're commited to serve: Mynampati  'There is some connivance in Satyam fraud' 'Set up management team for Satyam'  Satyam fraud shameful: Prem Chand Gupta  Satyam chief Raju resigns The myth of corporate governanceCorporate goverance: The strange case of SatyamCorporate goverance: Get up, stand up

The myth of corporate governance

As far as brazenness goes, Satyam’s boardroom high-jinks are unparalleled. But that doesn’t mean the rest of India Inc. is an epitome of virtuous governance.

Leadership Spotlight

Smith, the CEO

At 27, this extremely combative opening batsman could impart a few lessons to corporate bosses on how to lead a team to become world-beaters.

People

Small screen, big moves

The small screen has been his home ground, first as an actor and then as a game show host. Shah Rukh Khan, 43, is now going a step further to rule television.

Trends

To be precise

“(Indian IT companies) need to move ahead and think of innovation. The need to draw better returns is built on cost efficiencies in the short-term, but primarily obtained through innovation”

Vrooming ahead

The Indian Automobile industry might have suffered a few bad months, but the opportunities are still huge, as a recent SIAM study proves.

Tech savvy Kerala

Imagine taking a boat across the backwaters of Kumarakom to your office in Ambalapara—everyday.

Boomtime for Indian MFIs

Massive client outreach in 2008 has made Indian MFIs global contenders. That’s not necessarily a good thing, say critics.

Recycle your mobile

What is it all about? You will be able to drop off your old mobile phone and accessories at a recycling bin set up by Nokia.

Not game yet

A Nielsen study shows that India is fast bridging the digital divide with the western world, but they would still rather watch movies than get into gaming.

The money makers

A five-year survey of the nation’s top wealth creating companies and their track records throws up some surprises.

The cost of safety goes up

Get set to cough up a lot more as premium if you want to insure yourself against terror attacks as insurance companies revise their terms.

Numbers of note

43 billion: The number of text messages sent by mobile phone users around the world on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in 2007, 30 per cent more than the previous year.

Instan tip

The fortnight’s burning question.Does the Satyam case prove that corporate governance in India is rather poor?

Cry freedom!

Investor activism more than independent directors can keep managements in check.

Noted

Gadgets, gizmos & girls

Women are being wooed by the makers of tech toys like never before.

Recognised

Recognised: Infosys, as one among the top 20 global companies in the prestigious “Most Admired Knowledge Enterprises” (MAKE) study, 2008.

Stimulus package II

Another stimulus from the government, which doesn’t seem enough.

Deal Watch

Business Today -E&Y Deal watch

The biggest deals in December

60 minutes

'New house numbers in USA have fallen to lowest since WWI'

United Technologies (UTC), the $54.8-billion (Rs 2,74,000-crore) diversified industrial conglomerate, and its 51-year-old President & CEO Louis R. Chênevert, are no strangers to India.

Book

Planet finance

Ferguson offers insights into the Darwinian quality of finance and lessons for the present, says Chetan Parikh

Treadmill

Rev up your metabolism in three simple steps

For most people even faintly concerned about their fitness levels, January is gym season.

Reporters Diary

India&#2013265922;s costliest road

The tolling of the peripheral road built as part of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor has run into trouble over issues of pricing and quality. What does this mean for funding of infrastructure projects?

Printed Circuit

Beam me across, scotty

Tired of living out of a suitcase because of your job? A new videoconferencing system called ‘TelePresence’ might finally save the day.

Money

The charge machine

Banks have hiked various charges and, in some cases, introduced new ones like counting charges on a large cash deposit or withdrawal. Here’s what you should know.

Letters

The best advice

Congratulations on bringing out A great idea to fruition (The Best Advice I Ever Got, January 11).

In This Issue

Send workers home...

...without sacking them. Corporates are increasingly putting in place telecommuting policies to cut costs and increase productivity.

Defying the downturn

An economic slowdown can actually be a good time for launching new products or businesses. Some of the world’s most successful organisations—Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, GE and Hyatt Corp.—were born during economic slumps. As India and the world go through a period of economic gloom, some firms are going ahead with much-hyped launches.

Best Companies to work for in India

This is the best time to alert readers about the 'Best companies to work for'—together with each company’s responses to many questions: Does it plan any pay cuts? Does it plan to increase headcount by March 2009? Did its headcount in December 2008 increase over the figure for 2007?

Event