Amsterdam – For the fifth year running, Mercer HR Consulting; Business Today, India's top business magazine and market research company TNS have jointly compiled a ranking of the most popular employers in India.

The latest ranking, compiled in 2008 and published in 2009, saw Microsoft India come out top for the second year in a row.

The rest of the ranking, however, has seen a major shake up. A staggering seven of the top 10 companies have appeared there for the first time, bringing with them a whole new ‘look’ to the list.

New look top 10
Whereas till 2007, IT companies dominated the top 10, only three are present in this year’s list: US-based Microsoft India and iGate Global Solutions, and Indian company HCL Infosystems. Infosys, one of India's largest IT companies—who have appeared in the list six times since its inception in 2001, four times in the top spot—opted not to take part in the 2008 survey.

The rest of the list has representatives from a broad spread of sectors, including one bank, one hotel chain, an insurance company, a pharmaceutical company and three manufacturers.

Similarly, the list includes representatives from a slightly wider range of countries, with Japan-based Canon India sneaking in at number 10, adding to the US-, British- and India-based companies who have filled the top 10 in previous years.

Holding on to talent
The radical changes in the ranking are perhaps not so surprising in light of the ongoing financial crisis and recession. Many of the companies which were recently prized employers in India—including the whole class of investment banks—have disappeared from the corporate landscape.

In such uncertain times, the winning companies are focussing more than ever on their flocks, endeavouring to retain high performers despite the harsh reality that huge pay hikes and lavish perks are no longer an option.

The study confirmed that the best employers are not necessarily the highest payers, and neither do they aim to be. The most popular employers seek to attract and retain talent with value-added factors like decentralised responsibility, freedom for individuality, speedy promotions and an encouraging learning environment.

The top 10 companies and their HR innovations

1. Microsoft India – US – IT – 1st in 2007 – Employee volunteering & giving campaign.
2. iGate Global Solutions – US – IT – 6th in 2007 – Thank God it’s Monday, a weekly, one-hour cultural fiesta.
3. HCL Infosystems – India – IT – HR CRM, whereby HR treats employees as internal customers and manages their career needs.
4. HSBC – UK – banking – 10th in 2006 – Flexible Working Arrangement, whereby almost 30 percent of workers have flexible working hours.
5. Marriott Hotels India – US – hotel – New employees 'check in' and are treated  as hotel guests during their induction programme.
6. Godrej Consumer Products – India – manufacturing – VOTE (Voice of the Employee).
7. Max New York Life – India – insurance – Long-term Incentive Plan, to ensure retention of high performers through a long-term cash benefit.
8. Ashok Leyland – India –  manufacturing –  YMMD (You Made My Day) initiative to promote a culture of collaboration and internal customer perspective.
9. Eli Lily and Company – US – pharmaceutical – Giving each sales rep a laptop, to increase productivity and make sales reporting easier.
10. Canon India – Japan – manfacturing – 'Virtual' working, whereby all employees can work remotely.