What is it Like to Work at EMC?

I'm proud to share with you the most up-to-date look at EMC as a place to work.

EMC: Innovation, Passion, Success

You can view/download this content -- which covers how we celebrate, develop, care, hire, inspire, communicate, compensate, and more in this document emblazoned with EMC's 3 cultural core traits: 

Innovation, Passion, Success.

(Hit the button on the bottom left "Full" to be able to read the document on your screen.View this, and more such documents from EMC Careers on SlideShare.)

What's this all about?

Actually, this is a major part of our submission to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For judges at the "Great Places to Work Institute."  They call this a "Culture Audit."

 

How Does the Submission/Selection Process Work?

The process for the FORTUNE 100 list is quite extensive.  It requires that companies provide essay answers, with supporting documentation to about 25 deep, yet specific questions. It also requires reams of facts & stats on policies and programs.  From this information, the judges work to grade each company in alignment with the framework, as illustrated below (Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride, Camaraderie.)

All of that comprises 1/3 of the score which helps determine the Top 100 List.  The other 2/3rds weighting is associated with how employees themselves rate the company when answering about 60 questions, as sent to them by a 3rd party survey firm. The questions are posed in a way to show a long-term pattern of delivering against their model for greatness.

How hard is it to get on "The List?"

While I was initially surprised to learn that "only" about 400 companies in North America go through the full submission process each year, I have come to learn why.  Companies truly have to want to be GREAT, and be COMMITTED to being GREAT places to work, to take part in this crazy-exhaustive process. It requires sharing data that is very illustrative, if you're just going through the motions.  It also requires quite a bit of soul-searching and exploration within a given culture, which is more than most companies are willing to do. 

It is sort of like signing up to do a Ph.D. course load on YOU every year. Takes guts and tenacity to do that much exploration and development on a full-company-culture scale.

And, after you do all that work, the odds are against you when it comes to getting on the list.  3 of 4 companies who go through the process will be turned away with a sad sigh on that day in late January/early February when THE LIST comes out. 

The bar is high and the margin between the best and the rest could be considered a rounding error.

I just learned this week that the difference between the #1 company on the list and the #100 company on the list is generally only 3-5% points.

The other "process realization" I have had in this, my 3rd year working on the EMC submissions, is that very few slots open up every year. The companies on the list are generally highly determined and motivated to improve their ranking year to year.  (One company on the list confided in me that management teams can get so focused on the ranking, and getting higher on the list, that they exert more effort into the submission than they do on actually BEING great with the employees.)

PS:  You are correct in thinking EMC has never shared its submission with the world before.  I figure, "why not?"  Lots to share. Lots to be proud of.

--------- Talk Back -----------

If you're interested in, or curious about working at EMC, I'd love to know what stood out for you in this document.

If you've worked on a winning submission, I'd love to know what you think as well!  Include how we can improve. ;)

It is a journey. We learn more every day, and are better for it.

(Tech question:  We produced a DVD as well as a sister to the text document in this nomination. It has 11 video chapters which align with the essay content.  Any idea how I can share this in the public airwaves?  ie, too long for YouTube -- plus you need the DVD navigation. Do you know?)

In case I haven't thanked you recently, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my thoughts and engage with me on this important subject.

- Polly
http://www.pollypearson.com
@pollypearson on Twitter.