Southwest Air tops best U.S. places to work-survey

 

Top companies offer most chances for employees to grow

 

By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) topped the list of the 50 best U.S. places to work, based upon employee opinions, according to research released on Wednesday.

General Mills (GIS.N), which topped the list in 2008, slipped to second place although Chief Executive Ken Powell won the highest approval rating among the top company executives, said the analysis by Glassdoor.com, a jobs website.

Glassdoor.com collected and compiled reviews from U.S.-based company employees throughout 2009.

Third place went to Slalom Consulting, followed by Bain & Co and McKinsey & Co.

What the top companies had in common was providing opportunities for employees to grow, said Robert Hohman, co-founder and chief executive of Glassdoor.com.

"What I saw again and again in the reviews is employees referred to their ability to grow in their jobs. In an economic downturn like this, employees feel good if they're growing as individuals and they're becoming more marketable," he said.

"Conversely at some of the companies that haven't done so well, you see things like employees feeling like they still have a job but with no opportunity," he said.

Listed as the worst place to work was Gibson Guitar GIBSN.UL, followed by United Airlines (UAUA.O), Spherion (SFN.N), AutoZone (AZO.N) and Rain Bird.

"In many cases they mishandled the instability so there was a constant threat of layoffs and unclear vision of where the company was going," Hohman said.

This marked the first time Southwest was listed among the best places to work. In 2008, it did not receive enough reviews to be eligible, a spokeswoman said. Slalom also was new to the list this year.

Among the companies whose rankings shifted dramatically, FedEx (FDX.N) moved up to 21st from 49th place in 2008. Employees felt FedEx handled downsizing well, Hohman said.

Whole Foods Market Inc (WFMI.O) fell to 48th from sixth place last year. While the company remained a good place to work, employees expressed distaste for Chief Executive John Mackey, who in 2007 was found posting messages on a Yahoo! chat forum under an alias, criticizing Wild Oats Markets Inc, a rival that Whole Foods was seeking to acquire.

The lists were based on responses from more than 100,000 employees who answered surveys between Dec. 1, 2008 and Dec. 1, 2009 on such issues as work/life balance, career opportunities, compensation, benefits and employee morale. There were 11,000 companies considered. No margin of error was provided.

Employees also were asked whether they approved or disapproved of the job a CEO was doing, Glassdoor.com said.

Glassdoor.com provides reviews, salary information and interview experiences on more than 37,000 companies globally, submitted anonymously by employees, former employees and job applicants. (Editing by Eric Walsh)

SCENIC PARKS IN THE KLANG VALLEY

Much has been written about the developed and urbanised the Klang Valley is. However, this region also contains many green havens, or scenic parks. From metropolitan green lungs to sprawling reserves, the scenic parks of Klang Valley offer visitors rich opportunities for recreation and relaxation.

Grand dame of them all The oldest park in Kuala Lumpur is the Perdana Lake Gardens, a 92-hectare garden that houses a serene lake. This popular park is situated near the Parliament building, in an enclave of the British elite during colonial times, and offers many delights in one vicinity - the Perdana Lake Gardens encompasses a Butterfly Park, Deer Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Southeast Asia's largest bird park. Boats can also be rented on weekends. Serene haven with abundant delights The Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, located in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur (near Istana Budaya), is equipped with facilities for jogging, canoeing, aqua biking and workout stations. A floating restaurant allows you to indulge your palate while enjoying the idyllic scenery.

Forest reserves within the city Kuala Lumpur city itself contains three forest reserves, namely the 10.52 ha Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, Bukit Sungai Putih Forest Reserve (7.41 ha) and Bukit Sungai Besi Forest Reserve (42.11 ha). Bukit Nanas is the country's oldest gazetted forest reserve and one of the oldest virgin forests in the world within a city. These rich reserves are home to a number of fauna species particularly monkeys, tree shrews, squirrels and birds. Rich heritage The Selangor Heritage Park, a sprawling 911.45 sq km park southwest of Kuala Selangor offers rich experiences in bird watching, monkey watching and exploration of trails, mangrove walkways and observation towers. Managed by the Malaysian Nature Society, the park is a place to enjoy nature, an educational resource, and a sanctuary to many species of flora and fauna. The nearby Kampung Kuantan is home to one of the largest colonies of fireflies in the world.

Luxuriant landscape Whatever your level of fitness or adventurous spirit, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (better known as FRIM) will have a trail just right for you. This 600-ha reserve in Kepong, northwest of Kuala Lumpur, is a favourite haunt of picnickers, joggers, cyclists, tourists and nature study groups, as well as a popular site for family day events, treasure hunts, camping, birdwatching, jungle trekking and nature photography. Highlights include a 150m-long, 30m-high canopy walkway (entrance by prior arrangement only), waterfall, river and wetlands area. Wealth of greenery to explore These are but a few of the rich scenic parks in the Klang Valley. Other green havens include the ASEAN Sculpture Garden, Kuala Lumpur City Centre Park (KLCC), Taman Tasik Permaisuri (Queen's Lake Gardens), Bukit Kiara Botanical Gardens, Bukit Jalil International Park and more. These nature-based treasure troves are worth exploring one by one, over many weekends. Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints - and fill up at your nearest PETRONAS station to get there and back in one smooth, safe trip!