Among the winners on the night, with Eco World at the head of the class.
AON, a global professional services firm specialising in risk, retirement, and health solutions, has named eight organisations as the best employers in Malaysia in 2017, placing property developer Eco World Development Group Bhd at the top of the list.
The next four companies were multinational corporations, led by American Express Sdn Bhd, Cisco Systems Sdn Bhd, DHL Express Malaysia and FedEx Express.
Gerbang Alf Restaurants Sdn Bhd, OCBC Bank Bhd and SP Setia rounded up the list.
According to Aon, overall engagement levels for these employers remained at 87% this year, compared to the market average of 59%, while engagement levels for senior and junior management as well as baby boomers all increased by two points.
The companies in the list also saw scores for four of the top five drivers for employee engagement increase by two points — in the areas of diversity & inclusion, empowerment/autonomy, supervision, and talent & staffing.
In addition, the score for Work/Life Balance increased by 3 points.
Aon said in the war for talent to drive business performance it was important for companies to embrace the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4), as well as improve employer brand and employee engagement.
Vernon Goh, engagement practice leader of Aon Hewitt Malaysia, said the journey towards the future of work had already begun in Malaysia.
"Companies that do well are those that are able to identify the capabilities they need from their employees — not just now, but in the years to come — and are not afraid to offer employees the training opportunities required for them to develop their skills.
"As a result, Best Employers in Malaysia outperform the market in employee engagement as well as the strength of their employer brands to the most promising of external talent.”
Prashant Chadha, managing director, Aon Hewitt Malaysia & Brunei, said: “In addition to being attractive places to work, Aon Best Employer organisations also discover that their employees are less likely to be lured away.
"Therefore, they are able to retain the exceptional talent they already have while continuing to invest in those with high potential so as to develop a strong leadership pipeline for the future.”
Five other companies also received special mentions, including SkyWorld Development Sdn Bhd (Best Employer for Commitment to Gen Y); Aegis BPO Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Best Employer for Commitment to Engagement); Great Eastern Malaysia (Best Employer for Commitment to Leadership); Pharmaniaga Research Centre Sdn Bhd (Best Employer for Commitment to Employer Brand); and Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd (Best Employer for Commitment to High
Performance Culture).
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