Steve Harvey, Microsoft UK's director of people and culture, tells
Ross Bentley how the software giant has built a reputation as an
employer of choice in the IT industry
Microsoft has a reputation for being an employer of choice.
What effect does this have on staff morale?
"The IT market is going through a tough time, we have striven at
Microsoft to be the employer of choice in the IT sector, and recent
recognition has measured us as such. Our employees feel extremely
proud of our reputation as a top place to work because they all
play their part in delivering our people vision of creating an
environment where great people can do their best work. It is
fantastic that more than 90% of our people love coming to work
every day."
Does Microsoft's reputation make it easier to attract the
best employees?
"Attracting the very top people is as hard in the IT sector as it
has ever been. Obviously, if you are known as somewhere that is a
great place to work then it definitely goes in your favour. Five
years ago that was not the case for Microsoft and we have worked
hard to change that. To put this in perspective, we had more than
10,500 applications for posts in the UK in the first eight months
of the last fiscal year - 7,500 of these direct via the web. Of
these direct applicants we only hired 13 people, which shows how
hard it is."
Where does Microsoft's corporate culture come
from?
"The culture comes from the core values of the company. We expect
all of our employees to have a real passion for technology as well
as a drive for results and a love of life. We hire for this every
day - that is what keeps our culture alive."
Do you think companies outside the IT sector value IT
workers?
"Many non-IT companies visit Microsoft to see how we use technology
and how our culture has developed. Great IT people play a
significant role in creating the culture we have, as they deploy
technology in a way that allows our people to get on and do what
they do best every day. There is definitely a critical role for IT
employees to play in helping other companies to achieve the
same."
What are the benefits of being a Microsoft
employee?
"Microsoft employees receive all the normal benefits you would
expect: company cars, life assurance, gym membership, permanent
health insurance, private health cover, discounted share purchase
and personal pensions to name a few. On top of the normal benefits,
we also give critical illness cover, free fresh fruit every day, a
wellbeing centre, and most recently a childcare centre and access
to private bankers based on site."
Microsoft UK
Microsoft's UK subsidiary was formed in 1982 and currently employs
more than 1,500 people. Its headquarters is at Thames Valley Park
in Reading. Its main functions are service, support, and sales and
marketing for Microsoft customers and partners across the UK. The
company also has satellite offices in Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin
and a UK-specific web portal company based in Soho, London.