KLEEMANN, one of the major elevator companies in the world achieved second place for 2012 in the annual Best Workplaces category, receiving a distinction for its outstanding work environment and the mutual trust relationship between its employees and management. 

The Best Workplaces survey is organised in Greece by the Great Place to Work Institute Hellas and the evaluation is carried out with the collaboration and academic assistance of the ALBA Graduate Business School. Companies are ranked on the basis of the employees' responses to the Trust Index questionnaire (accounting for 2/3) and the responses of the Human Resources Division to the two Culture Audit questionnaires (accounting for 1/3) regarding personnel management practices and policies. 

KLEEMANN deservedly won the title of Best Workplace in the large enterprises category due to its ongoing investment in recent years in the training of its employees and the development of their talents and skills, while at the same time contributing, on its part, to the management of their careers and their personal growth. 
At the same time, it places emphasis on internal communication and has for this purpose established events such as "Breakfast with CEO", monthly staff meetings, focus groups to improve procedures, etc. To this end, the company runs the intranet portal HR Today and the employee newspaper Emeis stin KLEEMANN (We at KLEEMANN). 
Furthermore, it provides for the health and safety of its personnel, while also offering its employees the opportunity to entertain themselves and exercise at the gym and Playroom (entertainment room with games such as table football, ping pong and billiards) on its premises. 
It involves as many employees as possible in decision making through the procedure of submitting new ideas and through the participation of employees in the annual setting of company targets. It takes part in programmes that promote diversity in the workplace, and in 2010 it signed a declaration on diversity to fight all forms of discrimination in the workplace. 
Lastly, KLEEMANN's management encourages a sense of camaraderie in the workplace by organising corporate events for the personnel members and their families, lunches between departments, etc., while at the same time motivating employees to volunteer in corporate social responsibility programmes such as the recycling programme, programmes to support socially vulnerable groups and the company's blood bank. 

The companies are to be awarded by the Great Place to Work Institute Hellas on 24 April. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of "Best Workplaces" in Greece, there will be the additional presentation of special awards to companies for the outstanding practices they apply in respect of their employees. KLEEMANN is a nominee for the award for Respect for Diversity and Equal Opportunities, as well as for the award for Systematic and Effective Communication. 
It should be noted that the Great Place to Work Institute is a company that provides management consulting services and research. It is based in the USA and has associate members throughout the world.