TOP EMPLOYER journey of MSD

January 26, 2021 5:00 pm +00:00

We are proud to announce that MSD Czech Republic has been named as one of Europe’s top employers for 2021 by the Top Employers Institute. We also received the Top Employer status in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and UK.

“Curiosity was the starting point when registering for Top Employer recognition. We wanted to verify how good a job we are doing compared to respected standards and use the feedback for HR development,” says Dita Faltínová, Associate Director, Human Resource Business Partner, MSD Czech Republic.

The certification program ran for several months starting in April 2020. In the first phase, extensive questionnaires containing hundreds of questions were completed. An audit process took place during the summer and all the documents submitted were thoroughly verified and quality assessed. The months of effort resulted in being awarded the Top Employer 2021 certificate in January of 2021.

“Obtaining the Top Employer certificate is great news for employees, job seekers, and specifically for people who are professionally involved in HR management at MSD. It proves that MSD is a good place to work, where careful attention is paid to all the essential aspects of working with human potential. I am really very proud of that”, adds Dita Faltínová.

Ten countries where MSD operates participated in the program this year. Structured results can be shared between the participating countries to inspire each other and replicate the procedures that prove to be the most effective. The Czech Republic can thus use the experience of Italy in managing Leadership Development, Poland can adopt the best practices of Talent Management applied in the Czech Republic, and so on.

The Top Employer certification program consistently examines an extensive list of HR categories and measures each sub-activity in relation to the best industry experience. For completeness, we’re presenting all the chapters that the audit procedure dealt with:

Business Strategy	Learning
People Strategy	Well-being
Leadership	Engagement
Organization & Change	Rewards & Recognition
Digital HR	Off-boarding
Work Environment	Values
Employer Branding	Ethics & Integrity
Talent Acquisition	Diversity & Inclusion
On-boarding	Sustainability
Performance	Business Context
Career

The basic concept and structure of the Human Resources discipline at MSD do not differ much from other corporations of similar scope and focus. It is a broad portfolio of activities charged with the complexity that traditional corporate HR has accumulated over the years. In the overall results, MSD met the demanding certification criteria in all categories. However, what is different and what makes each organization unique is the corporate culture.

Obtaining the Top Employer certificate concluded a thematic chapter which began in 2014 when MSD opened its first innovation hub in Prague and grew tremendously with the HR role gaining prominence.

MSD begins 2021 with 1,500 employees in the Czech Republic and continues to search for new talent, create the best conditions for current employees, and constantly innovate with procedures, and adopt new technologies as the company grows. The Top Employer 2021 award is a current reflection of the organization’s reality, however it’s only one stage in the company’s lifecycle.

As Anita Zubak, the MSD Executive Director and Prague IT Hub Lead says: “The Top Employer certificate is great, and it has brought many people immense joy. But a certificate, however prestigious, is not, and will never be, the goal. Our goal is to continuously increase our attractiveness for top job seekers and to create extremely friendly working conditions for existing employees which enable them to apply their skills, grow, and fulfill their ambitions. Now we have received a sign that we are on the right track. It’s a dose of energy that will help us going forward.”

ABOUT THE TOP EMPLOYER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

The Top Employer Institute is an international organization that has allowed companies around the world to complete the Top Employer certification program for over 15 years. Hundreds of organizations undergo a demanding and comprehensive HR audit every year. The most successful of these who meet the hundreds of certification criteria receive a Top Employer certificate.

More detailed information can be found on the official website of the Top Employers Institute.