IT professionals like to work on projects that give them an opportunity to innovate over other factors like the project longevity or having a good project manager

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A survey titled ‘Best Companies To Work For’ by online tech community TechGig understands the perception of IT professionals about the factors which help in making a firm, the ‘Best Company to Work For’.

The findings give credence to the fact that innovation is the need of the hour, not just to gain competitive advantages, but also to retain employees. Nearly half of the respondents (44%) said they would like to work on projects that give them an opportunity to innovate over other factors like the project longevity or having a good project manager. 

The findings revealed that learning opportunities mattered more to respondents as compared to other aspects like unpaid overtime and delay in salary. In fact, the lack of learning opportunities was cited as the single biggest reason for employee dissatisfaction by IT professionals.

Not just in identifying flaws, TechGig also solicited opinion on how any ordinary company can transition to become a ‘Best Company’.

What makes a company an ‘employer of choice’?

Any IT company that is not innovation-focussed and people-focussed is set to be a loser in the race to becoming the ‘Best Company’, reveals the survey findings. One- third of the respondents (31%) said that they would prefer projects that give them opportunities to learn and improve. The second highest votes (23%) went in favour of companies who have a well-established career path for their employees.

Employee health and work-life balance are ‘non-negotiable’ 

Companies that strive towards ensuring a good work-life balance for their employees were also perceived as ‘Best Companies’ by the survey takers. In this regard, 36 percent respondents mentioned the need for sports and recreational facilities and 34 percent voted for good transportation facilities as a must-have in a ‘Best Company’. 

Employees prefer ‘self-regulation’ over rules

India has one of the youngest population dominated by the millennials and pursuing an archaic model of governance over this young workforce will not yield rich dividends. Employees prefer self-regulation over strict rules at workplaces. 

The survey findings show that an overwhelming majority of 97 percent want freedom from set dress code, 88 percent want freedom in deciding how they will use the internet and 80 percent want flexible work hours instead of fixed working hours.