Blue-chip firms are top of the charts

Companies that offer opportunities and a healthy work-life balance attract quality staff, writes Olive Keogh

DOTCOM and IT firms have lost the glow that made them irresistible to employees.

The thrill of watching share options soar has turned to dread as prices have plunged. When a list of top places to work is drawn up, a handful of stars from the tech boom years still shine. These days, however, it is the long-established blue chips that have the most allure.

In management consultancy, PA Consulting, Boston Consulting, McKinsey, Watson Wyatt Partners, PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG are considered good places to work.

In financial services, Bank of Ireland and AIB rate, as do familiar international names such as Allianz, JP Morgan and Merrill Lynch. Other nominees for gold stars are General Electric, Riverdeep, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, CRH, IBM, Intel, Kerry Group, Marks & Spencer and Yamanouchi.

So what do these firms offer that make them so desirable? Lots of money, excitement and glamour? Not necessarily.

In the main, they deliver career and personal development opportunities. They have a clear sense of direction, recognise the merits of a positive work-life balance, offer the chance to go overseas, and invest in keeping staff happy.

Karen Forte, chief information officer for Allianz in Ireland, says: "It is the combination of professional opportunities and personal support that makes Allianz an appealing place to work." Forte, who runs a team of 60 people, says: "I have been given a lot of freedom and autonomy to develop my area with good support from senior management."

On the personal side, the company pays more than lip service to the concept of the work-life balance. The firm pays transport and childcare subsidies and covers parental leave.

Employees at all levels have the option of working from home, job-sharing, working flexible hours or just doing a four-day week. It also offer supports such as counselling.

Hiring the best people and giving them a good level of autonomy is policy at CRH, the building materials group. The firm then keeps an eye on its staff with a view to helping them to develop. "We pay better than average but not over the top," says Jack Golden, director of human resources. "We are constantly reviewing our people, looking at succession planning and at how best to develop talent."

Many opportunities arise overseas. CRH has 50,000 staff in 22 countries. Only 11% of the company's Euro 11 billion turnover is accounted for by its Irish operations. Kerry Group employs 17,500 people and has operations in 15 countries.

Its rapid growth in recent years has created good international opportunities. "We are perceived as an ambitious organisation with clear goals which we're good at achieving," says Frank Hayes, director of corporate affairs. "Anyone with potential can move upwards regardless of their original discipline."

One of Kerry's young high-flyers is Bill Sheridan, who has worked with the food group in America, Spain, South America and China. Sheridan, who has a degree in international marketing with Spanish, joined as a management trainee in 1992.

Since then, his assignments have ranged from evaluating new markets to assessing potential acquisitions to working on a start-up operation in Mexico. "Individuals are well known to the senior team and you know they are monitoring how you're doing," he says.

"When I approached the company for time out to do an MBA, they were very favourably disposed."

It wasn't the salary that made the difference. "It was a company I wanted to go back to. You get paid well, but not excessively. That said, I don't think Kerry has ever lost anyone because of salary," he says.

Money is not an issue for Susan Geraty either. She is more interested in meeting new challenges. Geraty joined Yamanouchi, the Japanese pharmaceuticals company, in 1988 and is now director of plant operations. "When I expressed the desire to have new challenges I was listened to," she says. "Moving into what were, for me, new areas has ensured I have ongoing challenges."

Geraty says it is an organisation without a lot of conflict. "There is a culture of co-operation here," she says. The style of management at Intel is what impresses Deirdre Ryan, an automation group leader, who won an Intel scholarship at college. While it didn't have any strings attached, she was more than happy to apply for a job. "I like the style of management," she says. "You get clear and precise feedback about how you're doing. There are career paths in place and if you show commitment and dedication, you will be encouraged."

The promise of a clear career path attracted Sinead Cox to Marks & Spencer. To the young graduate with her heart set on working in fashion retailing the graduate training programme looked good. "Marks & Spencer allows you to plan your career development according to your needs," she says. "If you feel you need to improve in a certain area you will be helped to do this.

"We have three-monthly reviews, which is good for keeping you focused." Cox started off in general management but has moved into buying following a year training in London.