The best 25 companies to work for in India
Online retail firms appear to be among the most attractive places to work in India, according to business networking platform LinkedIn, who have released their list of the top 25 companies to work for in the country. Other names on the list include consulting and technology firms KPMG, Capgemini, Accenture, Deloitte and McKinsey & Company.
Based on the actions and feedback of more than half a billion people who subscribe to LinkedIn, the business networking platform has released its country-wise list of the most attractive employers, and the list for India reveals some interesting trends. The metrics to determine the attractiveness of a firm include: response to job listings, engagement with the firm, and employee retention.
In keeping with rapid digitisation and growth of the Indian consumer market, and the resultant expansion of the ecommerce industry, the two most attractive companies on the list are predictably both online retail platforms.
Topping the list is Flipkart, an Indian online-shopping platform that is 30,000 employees strong in the country, with plans to add 3,000 more this year. The firm has topped the list despite having experienced a major slowdown in growth over the last two years from 100% to 12%, and a major drop in sales from 3 million shipments per day to 1.5 million per day. The most attractive feature at the firm for employees is the career break offered after two years at the firm, either for higher education or for personal milestones.
In 2nd place is global ecommerce giant Amazon, which has grown to more than 10,000 employees in India. The company is giving Flipkart a run for its money, particularly on the back of the introduction of Amazon Prime Video in India, with an investment of $5 billion in 2016 and plans to double that this year. CEO Jeff Bezos, who was briefly the world’s richest man this year commented, ”I assure you that we’ll keep investing in technology and infrastructure while working hard to invent on behalf of our customers and small and medium businesses in India.”
Despite their employee pool being raided this year by Deloitte, KPMG have managed to make 3rd place on the list. The Big Four consulting firm currently operates with more than 250 partners in India, and is devising plans to add another 25 in months to come, as it looks to rebuild after the Deloitte raid. No doubt, the high ranking will help significantly with these efforts.
KPMG is followed by One97 communications in 4th place, which has had a stellar year as a result of the demonetisation scheme rolled out by the government. As a result of Rs. 16 lakh crore of currency being rendered obsolete through demonetisation, most people with digital access turned to digital platforms for their financial transactions. Paytm, which is a payment platform from One97, was the greatest beneficiaries of the move, seeing its number of registered users rising to 200 million.
Rounding off the top 5 is the Indian urban mobility firm Ola. With over 6,000 employees, the company is rapidly diversifying into a number of different practices including ride-sharing, car rentals and mobile payments. The most attractive features of the firm include their above average pay packages, free meals and snacks throughout the day, and substantial health insurance coverage.
Top 10 Companies
In 6th place was the IT services firm HCL. The firm currently has 500 points of operation in India, and has grown into an international competitor in IT services. The philosophy of ‘Ideapreneurship’ that is fostered at HCL welcomes innovation from each and every employee, providing platforms to execute and administer one’s idea. Such an ethos has proven very attractive for professionals in the field.
Adobe’s aggressive hiring drive in India combined with its range of options available to employees has brought it to 7th place in the LinkedIn rankings. India is home to Adobe’s biggest R&D location outside of its headquarters in the US. The firm hired 1,500 people in the last year alone, taking the total employee-count up to 4,500 in the country. The firm offers long-term sabbaticals as well as free health consultations for employees and their families.
In 8th place in India, suprisingly low down the order compared to its global standing, is Google’s parent-company Alphabet. The firm is the most desirable place to work in the world as per LinkedIn’s global rankings, and is widely renowned for its relaxed and employee-friendly work environment. Google CEO Larry Page commented, “In the technology industry, where revolutionary ideas drive the next big growth areas, you need to be a bit uncomfortable to stay relevant.”
Hospitality enterprise Oyo Rooms has emerged as number 9 in the rankings. With an existing strength of 1,700 employees, the firm is looking to hire another 4,000 this year to support expansion into Malaysia and plans for expansion into Nepal. Oyo is popular among employees due to the flat nature of organisation, with senior management accessible and an overall environment of encouragement.
Sealing the top 10 is Reliance Industries. The corporation employs more than 50,000 professionals, and has revolutionalised the Indian telecom industry with the provision of the low-cost, high-speed data services through their Reliance Jio subsidiary. The company has been praised for its highly driven management staff and the room for growth offered to employees.
Top 25 Companies
The three firms that just missed the top 10 all belong to the consulting industry. The company to miss it by one spot is consulting firm Capgemini. A strong advocate of the Bring Your Own Device business model, the firm pays close attention to employee satisfaction. Currently, Capgemini employs more than 100,000 people in India and holds plans to hire more. As an extension of their employee-satisfaction focus, the firm also offers generous vacation time and flexible hours.
In 12th place is another big player in the consulting industry, Accenture. The firm operates with 140,000 employees in India, and has invested $941 million in training employees in India to offer complex technological solutions. Amongst employees, the biggest attraction appears to be the challenging work environment, and the thrill of solving complex problems on a daily basis.
Big Four consulting firm Deloitte came in at 13th, having recently acquired over 350 professionals from rival firm KPMG in India. In order to attract this talent, the firm offered substantial salary jumps and generous terms, which might have boosted their overall employee satisfaction levels.
In 14th place came Tech Mahindra, the fifth largest IT firm in the country. The firm is popular due to its highly luxurious office spaces and flexible work schedules. In addition, the firm provides a range of training programs for employees to choose from. Tech Mahindra is followed by Meal-delivery startup Swiggy in 15th place. With 1,000 employees, the main attraction, similar to that of Tech Mahindra, is the office environment at Swiggy, complete with a games room, a pantry, and a nap room.
Computer Networking company Cisco occupies 16th place. The diverse range of services offered by the firm, coupled with paid volunteer days make the firm attractive for employees seeking a challenge. New-age banking company IDFC bank came next in the lsit, at 17th. Among a range of practices that the bank has adopted to challenge existing conventions, the bank called for “twitter applications” last year, asking candidates to send a 140 character resume. A fully loaded gift card for new recruits also goes a long way in sweetening the pot.
In 18th place came IT consulting giant Wipro. Alongside its popular transparency practices, the firm has also been actively training nearly 40,000 employees to update their skills in IT. The firm is followed by Tata Communications in 19th pace, which is renowned for its open environment, encouraging innovation from everyone, all the way down to employees’ children. The firm also offers flexible leave for its 8,900 employees.
Global telecom player Vodafone caps the top 20 firms. The firm offers internal employee mobility, offering opportunities for lateral shifts in position. Additionally, the firm also provides intensive training, and offers a relaxed work environment. IT consulting firm Congnizant takes the list into the final 5, occupying the 21st spot with 188,000 employees in the country, despite being headquartered in the US. The firm boasts a flat orgnanisational structure and a challenging work environment.
In 22nd place is the Indian on-demand grocery delivery service Grofers, with 2,000 employees as of last year. Despite having to lay off 10% of its employees, the firm retained its popularity due to the transparent manner in which it conducted its operations. Meanwhile, the online travel-planning domain Makemytrip occupies 23rd place. The firm provides medical insurance for its employees’ parents, and also offers a range of fun activities such as cricket matches.
The last two spots include consulting firm McKinsey & Company, in 24th place, and Oracle in the 25th spot. McKinsey, one of the major global players in consulting, are known for their diverse environment, employing people from a range of backgrounds. In addition, a number of alumni from the firm go on to become big entrepreneurs due to the spirit fostered within the firm. Oracle, meanwhile, have recently entered the Indian market, with an elaborate and luxurious quarters in Bangalore, equipped with a basketball court and entertainment lounges.
