Microsoft wins “best employer” award

Microsoft Australia and New Zealand has been awarded a Hewitt “Best Employer” award due to its employees focus.

Hewitt surveyed 55,000 employees and 221 registered organisations and passed the collated data to a panel of five independent judges chaired by Professor Roger Collins of the Australian Graduate School of Management.

Without knowing the identity of the participating organisations, the panel then identified 23 companies as Hewitt Best Employers.

Tracey Fellows, managing director of Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, said: “Microsoft prides itself on offering its employees a work environment which supports innovation. Our first priority at Microsoft is our people; this has been a founding principal for Microsoft and one that we incorporate across every level of the organisation.”

Fellows said this year marks an important milestone for Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, with the launch of the Windows Vista operating system and a raft of new products and services for businesses and consumers.

“Our true success is down to the fact that we hire and develop really great people. We like to think that everyone who works at Microsoft is an exceptional individual, creative, free-thinking, diverse, proactive, not afraid of change - and in need of challenge,” added Fellows.

David Brown, head of Hewitt Australia, said: “Hewitt Best Employers are more focused on their employees and do what it takes to satisfy their needs. These organisations spend time and resources building the capabilities of their employees.

“They take a considered approach to developing strong leaders who instil faith in their people and are able to rally them around business strategies and goals. They are clear about what they stand for, deliver on their promises, and differentiate themselves as employers,” added Brown.

Other firms on the 2006/07 Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand list included Cisco, Dimension Data, Express Data, Nokia, SAP and Vodafone.