A careers page tells you what a company promises. Great Place to Work Certification shows what employees experience.
Job descriptions are designed to make companies sound appealing. “Collaborative culture.” “Supportive leadership.” “People-first workplace.” After a while, the phrases can start to blend together.
For job seekers, the harder question is: What is it actually like to work there?
Great Place to Work Certification can offer part of the answer. Unlike an employer-written careers page, Certification is based largely on confidential feedback from the people who know the workplace best — its current employees.
That distinction matters. According to Great Place to Work research, job seekers are 15 times more likely to choose a company when they know its employees have certified it as a great workplace. Three out of four U.S. job seekers said certification would make them more likely to work for a company.
Here’s what that little badge can tell you when you’re deciding where to apply.
Employees have a voice in the process
To become Great Place to Work Certified, an organization’s employees complete the Trust Index Survey, which asks about their workplace experience.
The survey considers factors such as whether employees trust company leaders, feel respected, and take pride in their work. That means certification isn’t based solely on what leadership says about the culture. It reflects what employees say they experience.
No workplace is perfect, of course. Certification doesn’t mean every meeting should have been an email or that no one has ever had a stressful Monday. It does indicate that employees consistently report a positive workplace experience.
Trust is more than a company value on the wall
Most companies will tell you trust is important. Certification helps job seekers see whether employees actually feel it.
In a high-trust workplace, employees are more likely to feel comfortable sharing ideas, asking questions, and raising concerns. They know what is expected of them, believe leaders will treat them fairly, and feel respected as people — not just as names attached to a productivity report.
That kind of trust shapes the everyday employee experience. It can influence whether people feel supported by their managers, connected to their coworkers, and confident in the direction of the organization.
Fairness and growth are part of the picture
A promising career opportunity should offer more than a competitive paycheck. Job seekers also want to know whether they’ll have a fair chance to contribute, grow and be recognized.
Great Place to Work research shows that employees at Certified workplaces are more likely to report fair workplace practices, supportive managers, and opportunities for development. They’re also more likely to feel a sense of purpose and pride in what they do.
Those qualities can be difficult to evaluate during an interview process, when everyone is on their best behavior. Certification gives candidates another piece of independent evidence to consider.
A strong culture should be consistent
One successful year is worth celebrating. Sustaining a positive employee experience year after year says even more.
Best Upon Request (BEST) has been Great Place to Work Certified for seven consecutive years. For us, that consistency is especially meaningful because our work is centered on making people’s lives easier — whether we’re supporting our own employees or helping our clients create better work-life balance for theirs.
Certification doesn’t mean the work of building a great culture is finished. Culture is never a box you check once and forget about. It requires listening, learning and continuing to improve as employees’ needs evolve.
What should job seekers do with this information?
Great Place to Work Certification is a valuable signal, but it should be one part of your research. Look at the company’s employee feedback, values, leadership, benefits and approach to professional development. During an interview, ask specific questions about how those values show up in everyday work.
A badge can point you in the right direction. The best employers will also be ready to explain what they’re doing to earn it.
On Certification Nation Day, we’re proud to celebrate seven consecutive years as a Great Place to Work Certified company — and even prouder that the recognition begins with the voices of our employees.