Is the Great Place to Work Certificate Worth the Cost for Our Mid-Sized Company?

As a mid-level organization with approximately 75 employees, we are considering acquiring a Great Place to Work certificate. After inquiring, we received a quote of approximately 2 lakh + GST.

We reached out to some peer connections who have obtained this certificate, and the feedback we received was that it is not worth it and the cost is also on the higher side. Kindly suggest whether it is worth pursuing and if the price we were quoted should vary or if it is the right quote we received.

I had to read this twice to try and work out if it was some sort of joke.

The Criteria for "A Great Place to Work" Certification

After taking your money, how do these people decide your organization is "A Great Place to Work"? What is the criteria, how do you meet that criteria, etc.? The only people that can decide that your company is "A Great Place to Work" are your former employees, certainly not the management. I would be far more interested in talking to your former employees to find out what it is actually like to work there, and why they left. I am sure the comments would be very enlightening, and probably totally different from what your management team thinks.

Is It a Scam?

If it smells like a scam, then it is a scam. Do you seriously believe anyone would take notice of such certification? I doubt it.

If you think you need some rubbish like this, then you have far bigger problems that need to be addressed first.

Dear John,

You are absolutely right; it's the employees who drive the strategy of a great place to work, not the formal certificate.

Even I was asked the same by my previous employer and received a similar quote. These firms just roll out a survey with a sample of employees, and then they issue a certificate that has already been pre-decided based on the package offered.

It's a scam of attraction.

The Value of Certification in the Workplace

Nowadays, certification has become a commercial venture. We should know who the certifying authority is and assess their credibility. An establishment cannot be "A Great Place to Work" solely based on third-party certification. You and your management need to create a workplace that adheres to best practices without violating laws and rules. Both employees and management play a crucial role in improving the workplace and fostering a positive culture.

You can consider pursuing certification if your management believes it will greatly benefit your business.

Great Place to Work Certification

Great Place to Work is an American association that certifies employee-friendly organizations and processes. There is also one in India; I am not sure if they are related, but the sites look very similar: https://www.greatplacetowork.com/about and https://www.greatplacetowork.in/get-certified#

Relevance of Certifications

How relevant these certifications are, I do not know, but many large companies get themselves certified either as a branding exercise or as part of sustainability, DEI, etc., initiatives.

@John, it's not a scam as such, but I have seen enough certifications and don't believe in them. However, fresher employees do get swayed by them.

@OP: Depending on what the quote covers, I do not think the amount is excessive if they are going to work on reviewing your processes properly and diligently.

Certification Concerns in Australia

There is also one in Australia. I looked at the first three pages of companies certified and have never heard of any of them. I suspect it is some sort of franchise agreement for other countries outside of the US, though the website seems very opaque on these matters.

I strongly suspect that no one would be rejected for certification—after all, you are paying for it. They are not going to turn down revenue. The danger here is that anyone can get certified. We read posts here every week of people leaving their jobs, absconding, etc., due to the company not meeting the expectations or fulfilling the promises made at interviews, etc., about how good the company is.

The Importance of Due Diligence

The bottom line here is that no one should ever take such a certification at face value. The onus is on you to properly check out every aspect of the company BEFORE you apply for a job there. You know what you want in an employer, so do the homework to make sure you find the right fit. Very much akin to "buyer's remorse," i.e., not being happy with something you purchased and it did not meet your expectations.