NMG listed among best firms to work for

Nation Media CEO Linus Gitahi (centre) celebrates with team Butlerz after emerging one of the best teams during NMG sports day held at Nyayo National Stadium on 12th September 2013. Nation Media Group was yesterday named among the top five best companies to work for in Kenya. PHOTO/ JEFF ANGOTE

What you need to know:

  • Craft Silicon, an information technology firm, was named the best company followed by Procter & Gamble with Kenya Women Finance Trust taking the third position.
  • East African Breweries Ltd took fourth position with Nation Media Group closing the top five positions.
  • The parameters include job satisfaction, work-life balance, remuneration, confidence in the organisation, operational effectiveness and recognition.
  • In 2012, East African Breweries Ltd was voted the best company to work for followed by Kenya Women Finance Trust while Nation Media Group came third.

Nation Media Group was yesterday named among the top five best companies to work for in Kenya.

This follows a survey conducted by Deloitte & Touche Ltd involving 17 companies for the last six months.

Now in its second year, the survey dubbed Deloitte Best Company to Work For Survey 2013, examines several parameters that influence the workers performance and continued stay in the company.

The parameters include job satisfaction, work-life balance, remuneration, confidence in the organisation, operational effectiveness and recognition.

This year’s theme of the study is ‘war for talent’ with focus on retention of workers in a rapidly changing business environment.

Craft Silicon, an information technology firm, was named the best company followed by Procter & Gamble with Kenya Women Finance Trust taking the third position.

East African Breweries Ltd took fourth position with Nation Media Group closing the top five positions.

WORKER MOBILITY

Companies that scored more than 3.7 points were considered excellent in a five-point scale.

Family bank was recognised as best to work for in the finance category.

Speaking during the release of the survey, Deloitte South Africa consulting partner, Mr Jack Sellschop said the movement of workers from one employer to another has increased in recent years, therefore transforming the human resource management in companies.

He said the trend is that workers are more inclined to stay longer in organisations where they associate with the leadership. “Workers are no longer staying long and its possible one to have as many as 12 employers in a life time. Most of the workers today are thinking of the next job,” he said.

Others that scored well were Old Mutual, APA insurance, Family Bank, Kenya Commercial Bank, Citibank, Unga Holdings Ltd, CIC Insurance and NIC bank.

In 2012, East African Breweries Ltd was voted the best company to work for followed by Kenya Women Finance Trust while Nation Media Group came third.

STAFF RETENTION

Mr Sellschop said companies need to develop short- and long-term succession plans while sustaining employee engagement and boosting morale through incentives that involve improvement of the work environment.

Among the critical issues to workers are a sense of confidence in the organisation and its leadership as well as ethics and integrity around which an increasing debate has been building up, he said.

Skills development is also critical in retention of the staff. The view of the brand by prospective workers and, in UK, the issue of executive remuneration, are among the debates that have resulted in the change of how the boards operate.

Debate on remuneration has gained steam following the financial crisis in Europe.