NetApp
Headquarters: Sunnyvale, CA, USA
2010 Revenue ($ millions):5,123
What makes it so great?
????The 'Catch Somebody Doing Something Right' initiative, started by Vice Chairman Tom Mendoza 17 years ago and informally kept alive since, rewards NetApp employees of all levels for deeds that positively reflect the computer storage and data management company's culture. Mendoza makes 30 calls, 5 minutes each, a week and personally thanks staffers for their impressive behavior. "NetApp makes you feel that you are part of a bigger picture. Every effort you make to do [your] job really means something to the organization as a whole," says an employee.
????After NetApp was forced to reduce its global workforce by 5% in 2009, the company's execs went on a global tour, stopping by their offices in 13 different countries to raise company morale. The initiative worked: The next 12 months brought record numbers, including a 60% increase in the company's stock price.
