Reliable boss is the main item of a good company to work for, says book

Having confidence in the people you work with, liking them and being proud of what you do are the main factors that make a company an excellent place to work, and this has not changed even with the various transformations in companies in recent decades.

This is the main message of “25 Years of People and Business Management History in the Best Companies to Work For” (Primavera Editorial). The title is huge, but the text of the book is agile.

In ten short reading chapters, journalist Daniela Diniz intersperses good corporate practices with changes in the corporate environment in recent decades, which were mapped by the GPTW (Great Place to Work) survey.

“The conclusion is clear: when employees say they trust the company they work for, they are saying they trust the leader they work for,” writes Diniz. “People stay or leave their jobs much more because of their leaders than because of salaries, benefits or the function itself. In 25 years, that bond has not changed.”

The survey has been carried out in Brazil since 1997. Employees answer questionnaires with several questions about how they feel about the workplace and the weight they give to factors such as benefits, chance for growth and a sense of inclusion.

To participate in the dispute for the title of best companies, the competitors must first go through a certification process, paid for by themselves. Thus, the ranking does not cover all companies, but only those that signed up.

The survey has changed over time, reflecting corporate changes. In recent decades, the offer of extra benefits, such as a subsidy to study, began to be offered to a larger portion of employees. At the same time, offering status items, such as a luxury car, became less valued than giving employees space to rest, such as taking more days off or working remotely.

“Flexibility is the new compensation, and it’s not just about hours. There is a need for more flexible management, with more open and more humane leadership”, says Diniz.

As an example, she points out that companies have reduced levels of hierarchy and physical distances. Before, the boss who left his office door open was seen as an example of closeness. Today, there is often no division, and leaders sit side by side with subordinates.

At the same time, the diversity of the teams started to be measured with more emphasis and advanced in the best evaluated companies. “In the early years of the survey, it was not uncommon for organizations to classify their talents as ‘golden boys’ (golden boys), an expression that currently shocks the corporate world due to all the stereotypes represented”, writes Diniz.

In the late 1990s, it was common for recruiters to prioritize the search for young white people coming from good universities and with some experience abroad, something that until today is inaccessible to most Brazilians.

Another change in recent decades has been that employees tend to spend less time at each company and have a more fragmented career with different functions, as technological innovation destroys and creates functions at an accelerated rate.

“In a world where people spend less time at work, what counts is no longer loyalty, years with the company and a structured and long-term career plan, but what kind of experience one has at that company and how it contributes for the development and sense of accomplishment of this employee”, considers Diniz.