Marriott a top 10 company to work for

Hotel company Marriott was the only hospitality company to make it into the inaugural top 10 companies to work for in the UAE.

The company, which was placed fourth in the list, was lauded for its ‘spirit to serve’ philosophy, which says its people are its most important asset, according to the first ranking of local firms by the Great Place To Work Institute.

Another reason for the positioning amongst companies such as Microsoft Gulf, FedEx and Pepsi Co, was CEO Bill Marriott’s annual letter, which is distributed in 28 languages to its diverse workforce.

The list reveals that, even in a tough job climate, a rare few employers dole out treats such as five-day bonding breaks in exotic locations, days off for volunteer community work and – in one case - monthly staff celebrations.

The rankings are based on questionnaires sent to a random batch of employees at each company, which cover issues such as company culture, communication and perks. This is teamed with an audit of each company, including pay and benefit programmes and hiring policies.