SAS among Norway’s best workplaces again

CARY, NC – SAS Institute, where yoga and massage are as much part of the working day as customer assignments and developing innovative technology, has again been voted one of the best workplaces in Norway.

On 18 March 2013, consulting firm Great Place To Work ® announced Norway’s best workplaces for the tenth year running. IT company SAS ranked second among medium-sized companies, based on job satisfaction measured among more than 40,000 men and women in Norwegian workplaces.

SAS has a proud history of recognition for its workplace environment the world over, including topping a list of the world’s best multinational workplaces in 2012. In Norway, the company has been nominated four times in the medium-sized company category, taking first place in 2007, 2010 and 2011 and second place in 2009.

“We are particularly pleased with our placement this year,” says HR director Hilde Sundt-Hansen. “Following comprehensive organization in recent years, we are delighted to have achieved such a strong position again. This confirms that involving our employees throughout the entire reorganization process and strengthening the competencies of senior and middle managers has produced the results we were hoping for.”

Management’s ability to involve and acknowledge employees, along managers’ accessibility and competency, are areas in which SAS has made significant progress since last competing in 2011for the Norwegian working environment award. The workplace feedback comes from the employees themselves, 95 percent of whom chose to respond to the questionnaire.

“The high level of participation among employees reflects their understanding that we use their responses to further develop the organization. It also shows the pride they take in their workplace,” explains Hilde Sundt-Hansen. “A remarkable 98 percent reported that they are proud to say they work for SAS Institute. This is an excellent starting point for growing a great working environment and producing good results.”

Every person makes a difference

SAS Institute CEO Kåre Nygård adds, “We live by the philosophy that if you treat employees with the genuine belief that they make a difference, then they will make a difference. This fundamental approach is applied equally in all 135 countries in which SAS operates.”

Building a culture that rewards results, innovation and commitment, while at the same time nurturing employees’ personal and professional growth, is SAS’ recipe for success and what makes SAS Institute such a good place to work, according to the head of one of Norway’s best workplaces.

“As a knowledge-based company, we are well aware that understanding, cooperation and responsiveness are important qualities in establishing a good working environment. Being seen and heard locally, being part of a strong, global professional environment, and having the world’s leading brands in your client portfolio adds to the sense of satisfaction of every single employee.”

Feel free to meditate!

SAS attaches great importance to being family-oriented. In addition to enjoying flexible hours and the opportunity to work from home, employees can bring their children to work, where they play in the children’s room. And employees with older parents to look after may take leave of absence, just as parents with small children do.

The Parkveien office in Oslo also has an “energy room,” complete with fitness training equipment. And Yoga and meditation are offered during working hours. In the basement, a large common room includes everything from billiard tables to a beer tap, where employees may share a beer each month on pay day. Attractive discount offers, from training studios to dry cleaning and meals delivered at home, are just some of the many benefits available to employees. Add to that outstanding insurance plans, health services and healthy meals in the canteen.

“We have determined that it pays for SAS to be generous in this way,” says HR director Hilde Sundt-Hansen. “We want SAS Institute to be a good place to work, where we encourage a balance between work and private life. We wish to be a workplace where employees can develop as people. The reward comes in the form of loyal, committed employees who are willing to make that extra effort when required. In addition, it increases the competent talent who want to work for us.”

Attractive products and assignments

SAS Institute specializes in selling software that helps companies extract insights from their data to spot opportunities, identify new perspectives and make better decisions.

“The fact that we earmark 24 percent of our global revenue each year for product development means that we are continually developing within our field,” adds CEO Kåre Nygård. “As a result of this strategy, SAS Institute has enjoyed 37 years of uninterrupted growth and continues to earn the most interesting market assignments. Ultimately, this is more important to our highly specialized employees than all the benefits we can offer. Our long-term private ownership strategy, combined with a fundamental belief in each and every employee, makes us difficult to beat in the working environment nominations.”

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business analytics software and services, and the largest independent vendor in the business intelligence market. Through innovative solutions, SAS helps customers at more than 60,000 sites improve performance and deliver value by making better decisions faster. Since 1976 SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know® .