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It takes more than a high salary, having a foosball table in the company lunchroom or any other perks or benefits to retain quality staff. There is an ever growing interest in understanding the connections between culture and performance. What we see in our research are companies that really take culture seriously.

Great Place to Work^® is excited to announce the launch of its inaugural World’s Best Multinational Workplaces list. The list, which will be revealed on October 27, 2011, will name the Top 25 companies to work for in the world.

Today, we are we celebrating the 15^th anniversary of the first publication of any Great Place to Work® list – in Brazil. In the process, we are also commemorating what has turned out to be the beginning a very significant global movement that is changing the quality of work for millions of employees throughout the world.

The other day, on my morning commute, I was contemplating the things that make me happy when it occurred to me that the best things in life are, to put it simply, the things that speak uniquely to me. In our daily lives this can be found in the simplest of gestures like when the barista remembers my name and my favorite coffee drink – I feel special; I’m not just a number.

As the economy continues to slowly rebuild, I’ve been struck by the culture rebound several companies seem to be experiencing. During the recession, many business leaders chose to neglect or cut back on their culture in order to focus on other efforts. In a few companies, executives choose to continue to invest in their culture and they’re starting to see the pay off.

When people ask me about the best workplaces and what makes them tick, the answers people gravitate most towards are the innovative perks and programs they use. However, what gets less notice and is possibly more critical are the leadership qualities that makes these programs successful: courage and vulnerability.

I’m reading Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh this week, a book about the happiness movement that began with Tony Hsieh and Zappos.com’s culture. The content is brilliant… readable and authentic while informative and thought provoking. And, the ultimate message for leaders couldn’t be more relevant: culture matters. Tony says that the brand success of Zappos is a lagging indicator of its culture,

It has been fascinating to watch the showdown about Wisconsin’s public-employee unions. In our line of work, clients often ask whether a workplace can become great if it has a union. They often assume it’s just not possible, yet there’s ample evidence it can be done.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked this question or similar ones such as, “Where do I even begin and what’s the return on my investment?” My answer is simple. It’s not rocket science. Desirable relationships in the workplace (those built on trust) aren’t so different than those we desire in our personal lives (also those built on trust).

One of the most important factors in your successfully creating a great workplace is the degree of support you receive along the way. Creating a great workplace doesn’t happen overnight, and your efforts are often met with as many missteps as there are successes. Without someone to be a sounding board, an encourager, and a reframer your job is made much more difficult.