The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to work For poll has some interesting insights to offer.

It is one of The Slog’s mantras that big companies rarely have a culture that is either pro the employee – or even liked by them. Out of the hundred companies getting into the ST’s century in fact, only 11% have more than a thousand employees. And of these, only two are thought to offer a fair deal.

Just one of the big boys is seen as ‘my company’ by the workforce, probably because (let’s face it) it isn’t.

But all of the top ten employ less than 900 employees….and eight out of the ten are thought to offer a fair deal.

Perhaps most fascinating of all, the big thing that smaller guys offer which puts them high up the Good Employer list is leadership. 17 out of the top 20 score well on leadership. Only 8 out of the bottom 80 get a commendation for that.

This reflects my corporate experience 100%. Big companies dither and politicize – and look out for themselves as the movers and shakers wriggle up the greasy pole. Smaller companies with a strong culture nurture their workers, and understand that they are the best assets owned by the company; they also offer a clear lead about what the company stands for, and keep ‘let’s hear it for the brand’ bullshit to a minimum.

Least surprising outcome of the study? The winner was….the Social Inclusion charity P3.