HONG KONG - Aon Hewitt, the global talent, retirement and health solutions business of Aon plc (NYSE: AON), today announced the 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders®. GE, IBM, Hindustan Unilever Limited, General Mills, Inc. and ICICI Bank Ltd. round out the top five organizations named to the list.
The Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders study evaluates and recognizes what it takes to execute best-in-class leadership and talent management around the world. This year's winners were selected and ranked by a panel of independent judges, including well-known experts from Wharton School of Business, Indian School of Business, PUC Minas and Ivey School of Business using a number of criteria, including strength of leadership practices and culture, examples of leader development on a global scale, alignment of business and leadership strategy, business performance and company reputation.
"The list of 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders is impressive. This group of organizations sets themselves apart by demonstrating their passion for cultivating resilient and engaged leaders who take the time to know and develop their talent and understand what experiences they need to rise above the rest," said Pete Sanborn, Global Talent practice leader. "Since we first conducted this study in 2001, organizations have truly raised the bar on their commitment to leadership and the benefits are evident through higher financial returns, increased employee engagement and productivity and the continuous retention of top talent."
Aon Hewitt's analysis found top companies shared five key characteristics in their leadership approach:
·Assessment. When it comes to building leaders, top companies assess the wholeleader early in their careers. This includes evaluating leaders' experiences, competencies, values, and organizational fit. This helps organizations understand the unique needs of their talent pipeline to fuel the right development solutions that move people forward faster.
·Awareness. Top companies have leaders who demonstrate tremendous self-awareness by understanding their personal strengths and weaknesses and using this information to become more effective leaders.
·Resilience. In today's unpredictable and complex environment, top companies build resilience in their leaders by creating inclusive cultures where multiple perspectives and ideas are expected and fostered to help the organization meet continued business challenges.
·Engaging leadership. Organizations leading the way focus on identifying and building engaging leaders who are stabilizers, demonstrate versatility and stay connected to people and events inside and outside their organization.
·Sustainability. Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders focus on building talent programs nimble enough to respond quickly to the market demands, yet sustainable to deliver superior business outcomes.
"We are immensely proud to be ranked first in the Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders list," said Raghu Krishnamoorthy, vice president, Executive Development and Chief Learning Officer at GE. "This global recognition affirms the strength of the GE leadership philosophy, which holds that when one person grows we all grow, and together, we all rise."
"The Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders this year are especially notable for the detailed tracking and comprehensive building of their talent pipelines, with special emphasis on strategic thinking, broad engagement, and personal resilience -- all increasingly critical given the companies' changing and complex markets," said Michael Useem, Professor of Management and Director of the Leadership Center, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. "Also striking is the direct personal involvement of senior managers and even company directors in their leadership programs."
Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders were also selected and ranked in India, Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand and North America. Using a consistent methodology, winners in each of these markets (along with finalist organizations from Europe and Latin America) became the finalists competing for a spot on the global list. The Top 25 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders are featured below. To access the list of winners in India and North America visit www.aon.com/topcompanies. Winning organizations in South East Asia and Australia/New Zealand will be announced soon.
By Valerie Tullar(info@koreaittimes.com)
