According to a survey of employer reputation conducted by pollster Kantar Emor, Enefit, a subsidiary of the Estonian state-owned energy group Eesti Energia, is considered the most reputable employer among working people, while the Environmental Board is the top choice among public sector organizations.
This spring, two surveys focusing on employer reputation were conducted. The first survey mapped out which major Estonian employers are the most attractive to salaried employees, while the second specifically looked at public sector employers. In the first survey, Enefit (Eesti Energia) secured the top spot, followed by Tallinn Airport and Enefit Green, which is part of the Eesti Energia group. Other companies in the top ten included shipper Tallink, financial services group LHV, Skype/Microsoft, Swedbank, port company Tallinna Sadam, Telia, and SEB Pank.
“Although there haven’t been significant changes over the year, in the longer term — over the past five years — we see an increase in the attractiveness of banks,” said Mari-Liis Eensalu, lead expert in employee experience at Kantar Emor.
During this time, LHV has risen from tenth to fifth place, and Swedbank and SEB have also entered the top ten.
“The reputation of banks as employers has been supported by their strong financial performance. When choosing an employer, employees prioritize a decent salary and job security, and financially successful companies can offer both,” commented Eensalu.
Salaried employees were also asked to rate public sector institutions as employers. As in the last survey conducted two years ago, the Environmental Board retained the top spot.
“The willingness to work at the Environmental Board is primarily driven by the desire to contribute to environmental protection. People find work at the Environmental Board important and interesting,” said Mari-Ann Ploom, research expert at Kantar Emor.
The top three also included the Transport Administration and Statistics Estonia. Other institutions in the top ten included the Bank of Estonia, the Tax and Customs Board, the Police and Border Guard Board, the Rescue Board, the National Library of Estonia, the City of Tallinn, and the State Real Estate.
Environmental issues play a significant role in shaping the reputation of employers in both the public and private sectors. “The fact that Enefit (Eesti Energia) continues to hold the top spot in the overall ranking reflects respondents’ belief that the company is handling the challenges of the green transition well,” Eensalu said.
For employees, public and private sector employers together constitute a single job market. Nearly half, or 46 percent, of salaried employees have no preference for one sector over the other. More people prefer working in the private sector than in the public sector, 35 percent vs. 19 percent. In recent years, the preference for the private sector has increased. The most reputable public sector institutions reach the fringes of the top ten in the general job market.
“The private sector is favored due to better material motivation packages, but people also value the internal work atmosphere and management culture within companies. At the same time, the public sector is valued for its mission and the opportunity to do work that is important to society,” Ploom added.
A total of 1,825 working people responded to this year’s employer reputation survey, conducted for the 19th time. The public sector employer reputation survey, conducted for the second time, received responses from 1,420 people. Both surveys were conducted online and are representative of Estonian salaried employees.
Source: BNS
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