Where do Indians like to work? LinkedIn lists top 10 workplaces

Flipkart tops for a second straight year; IT majors HCL and Adobe also figure on the list

Applying for a job and wondering where everyone else is going? Turns out, e-commerce and information technoloogy companies continue to be the favourites among Indian workforce. Homegrown e-commerce major Flipkart has again topped a list of places where Indians want to work, according to employment-centric social networking site LinkedIn. 

Right behind Flipkart is global e-commerce giant Amazon on the second position, followed by professional services firm KPMG India. 

LinkedIn said many good employers have one thing in common — they reward their employees well. From unique welcome traditions to offering sabbaticals for tenured employees and well-being programmes, companies offer perks to retain employees.

According to LinkedIn, the list includes top 25 companies that Indian professionals engage with the most, where they most apply for jobs to, and the companies that retain them. The list is based on an analysis of the billions of actions taken by LinkedIn's 500+ million members. 

Here are the top 10 firms where Indians want to work now:

1) Flipkart: India's largest e-commerce marketplace has topped the list for a second time in a row. Despite facing a fall in its valuation, Flipkart does not appear to have lost its popularity among employees and prospective job seekers. As reported earlier, in March this year, Flipkart closed a $1-billion funding round with backing from Chinese Internet giant Tencent and participation from Microsoft. However, this latest round of funding brings down the valuation of India's most highly valued start-up to $11 billion from a previous high of $15 billion. Also, as reported, as on May 24, the process of selling marketplace e-commerce company Snapdeal to Flipkart has started. So, what has prospective applicants hooked? Maybe it is the break the company provides to employees with over two years at the firm, for pursuing higher education or perhaps spending time with the family. Or, it could be the personal welcome new joinees get on their first day, with a chauffeur-driven car picking them up and the 'treasure hunt' which is organised to familiarise them with the office. Currently, according to LinkedIn, the firm employs 30,000 people in India.  

2) Amazon: The global e-commerce giant stood second on the LinkedIn list. Amazon has been focusing on the India market in the past few years. As reported earlier, Amazon India is doubling its storage capacity in the country with the addition of fourteen new fulfilment centres this year as it looks to cater to a growing base of Prime customers who demand expedited shipping. The company says the expansion will create an opportunity for the employment of around 5,000 individuals, spread across its 14 new centres. According to LinkedIn, currently, the firm employs more than 10,000 people in the country. 

3) KPMG India: The management and professional services firm came in third. Recently, Arun M Kumar succeeded Richard Rekhy as chairman and CEO to lead the India operations of the consulting and accounting major. According to LinkedIn, KPMG employs 189,000 people globally.  

  

4) One97 Communications: Better known for its online payment and e-wallet platform Paytm, One97 Communications came in fourth. As reported earlier, on May 23, Paytm’s payments bank saw the light of day. Also, in May this year, in the biggest round of funding by any Indian e-commerce firm, Japanese telecom major SoftBank invested $1.8 billion in the mobile wallet major. Top performers are offered an employee stock ownership plan irrespective of their designation or seniority, according to LinkedIn. Also, top performers are given an annual bonus, over and above the annual appraisal. Currently, the firm employs nearly 13,000 people.

5) Ola: The homegrown taxi aggregator, which is currently locked in a fight for market domination with US-based rival Uber, came in fifth. In February this year, Ola raised $330 million in fresh funding, at a valuation of about $3.5 billion, from Japanese investor SoftBank and two other existing ones. The round saw Ola’s valuation dropping 30 per cent from a peak of $5 billion, as global rival Uber significantly stepped up its challenge to the Indian firm. Currently, the firm employs 6,000 people, according to LinkedIn.  

6) HCL Technologies: India's fourth largest software exporter came in sixth on the list. The information technology (IT) sector may not be the best bet for jobseekers, given the recent deluge of pink slips seen by the once popular job creator. However, as of now, no reports of mass layoffs have come out of HCL, unlike other IT majors like Wipro and Cognizant. LinkedIn describes the firm's culture with one unique word: “Ideapreneurship.” Currently, the IT major employs 111,000 people globally. 

7) Adobe: The US-based software provider came in seventh on the list. LinkedIn lists the various benefits it provides to its employees: special health perks like doctors that visit campuses and provide consultations free of charge to employees and their families; reimbursements of up to Rs 37,663 for gym memberships, fitness classes and other wellness activities; sabbaticals for long-time employees after they reach certain milestones, from four weeks paid time off after five years of continuous service to six weeks off after 15, 20, 25 or more years at the company. Speaking to Money Control recently, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said, "We have probably grown faster in India than anywhere else in the world.” According to the report, the company conducts nearly 30 per cent of its research and development activity in India. Currently, according to LinkedIn, the company employs 4,500 people in India. 

8) Alphabet: The American multinational conglomerate, better known across the world through its main platform Google, came in eighth on the list. Google's work culture has of course been written about over the years. Currently, according to LinkedIn, the technology and internet major employs 72,000 people globally. 

9) Oyo Rooms: The online hotel aggregator came in ninth on the list. As reported earlier, in April this year, OYO entered Nepal in its second foray overseas with the launch of a hotel in Kathmandu. The company had earlier ventured into Malaysia in January 2016. According to LinkedIn, Oyo has something, or someone, called an "office mayor', who is responsible for employee experience. Also, all employees work together in an open office with bench-like tables. Currently, the firm employs 1,700 people in India. 

10) Reliance Industries: The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate came in tenth on the list. RIL has been in the news since last year for the massive disruption it has caused in the telecom sector after it launched Reliance Jio. Currently, according to LinkedIn, RIL employs more than 50,000 people in India.