What does it take to build a workplace culture that stands out on a global scale? For the organisations recognised on the Fortune World's Best Workplaces™ 2026 list, the answer lies in creating environments where employees feel trusted, valued, and empowered to succeed.
From prioritising employee wellbeing to creating meaningful opportunities for connection and professional growth, the World's Best Workplaces offer valuable lessons for organisations of all sizes. We explore the practices behind their success and what employers can learn from their approach to workplace culture.
Recognising the World's Best Workplaces™ 2026
Compiled by Great Place To Work® in partnership with Fortune, the World's Best Workplaces™ 2026 list recognises 25 organisations for their commitment to creating exceptional employee experiences across their global operations. Spanning different countries, cultures, and industries, these organisations demonstrate what it means to build a great workplace on a global scale.
Ireland has a strong presence on this year's list, with 12 Great Place To Work Certified™ organisations among the winners: Hilton, DHL, Cisco, AbbVie, Salesforce, MetLife, Specsavers, Siemens Healthineers, Experian, Cadence, Allianz and Hilti.
While each organisation takes its own approach to workplace culture, their success offers valuable lessons for employers looking to strengthen their own employee experience. From listening to employees and acting on their feedback to investing in wellbeing, connection and professional development, here are some of the key practices we can learn from the World's Best Workplaces.
A strong workplace culture starts with listening
One of the defining characteristics of a great workplace is the ability to understand what employees need and respond in meaningful ways. Employee feedback is most valuable when it informs decisions and leads to improvements that people can experience in their everyday working lives.
DHL, ranked 6th globally, and also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing™ 2026 and Europe's Best Workplaces™, demonstrates how listening can shape an organisation's identity as an employer. When developing its global employer brand, DHL gathered perspectives from employees, candidates and business leaders to understand what made the organisation distinctive.
This research informed three central pillars: Deliver the Difference, We Care and We Grow Together. Rather than simply introducing these values, DHL sought feedback from employees to establish whether they genuinely reflected their experiences, setting a target of at least 80% agreement. The resulting employer-brand platform, Your Future, Delivered, draws on real employee experiences while allowing teams across different markets to adapt its messaging to their local audiences.
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A similar commitment to employee involvement can be seen at Hilti, ranked 15th globally and also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing™ and Europe’s Best Workplaces™ 2026. Through its AURORA project, Hilti Ireland placed employees at the centre of identifying opportunities to improve their workplace experience. The initiative generated 91 ideas across four key areas: benefits, work-life balance, compensation and social connection. These insights helped inform tangible changes, including greater flexibility, enhanced employee benefits and adjustments to compensation structures. With employee retention reaching 95% and more than €500,000 saved in turnover costs, Hilti's approach highlights the value of translating employee feedback into meaningful action.
Both organisations demonstrate an important principle: employee listening should not be treated as a standalone exercise. Its value lies in what organisations do with the information they receive.
For employers, this means creating opportunities for honest feedback, communicating how that feedback informs decisions and ensuring employees can see the impact of their contributions.
Employee wellbeing requires more than individual initiatives
Supporting employee wellbeing goes beyond occasional activities or standalone programmes. It requires a sustained commitment to creating working environments where employees have the resources, flexibility and support to prioritise their wellbeing in their everyday working lives.
Hilton, which secured the top position on the global list and was also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Best Workplaces for Women™, Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing™, Best Workplaces in Hospitality™ and Europe’s Best Workplaces™ in 2026, demonstrates how organisations can foster more open conversations around mental health. At Conrad Dublin, the team developed a programme for Men's Mental Health Month that approached wellbeing through a variety of activities, including a community 5K, a coffee morning for dads and a workshop focused on managing stress. By offering different ways to participate, the initiative helped make conversations about mental health more accessible, while encouraging employees to connect and share their experiences.
Elsewhere, Cadence, ranked 18th globally and also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces in Tech™ and Europe’s Best Workplaces™ in 2026, has introduced initiatives that embed wellbeing support into the everyday employee experience. Its Global Recharge Days provide employees across the organisation with dedicated opportunities to disconnect from work simultaneously, recognising that time away can be more effective when employees are not returning to an accumulation of messages and responsibilities. Cadence also offers a 24/7 Mental Wellbeing Support Programme for employees and their families, alongside a Lifestyle Spending Account that can support individual wellbeing needs.
Although their approaches differ, Hilton and Cadence illustrate the importance of recognising that wellbeing is not experienced in the same way by every employee. For organisations seeking to strengthen their own approach, the lesson is to consider whether wellbeing is genuinely supported by everyday working practices, rather than relying exclusively on individual initiatives.
Connection and belonging strengthen the employee experience
As organisations grow and adapt to new ways of working, maintaining a sense of connection requires more than bringing employees together. It means creating an environment where people feel heard, trusted, and empowered to contribute, regardless of their role or seniority.
Cisco, ranked 2nd globally and also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces in Tech™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Health & Wellbeing™ and Europe’s Best Workplaces™ in 2026, demonstrates how organisations can strengthen connections by encouraging collaboration across different levels of the business.
Through its AI Mentorship Program (CAMP), Cisco pairs employees with senior leaders, allowing employees with advanced AI knowledge to mentor executives. This approach creates opportunities for shared learning, open dialogue and a greater understanding of how emerging technologies are being used across the organisation. According to Cisco, every participant in the programme's first cohort reported that it created space for candid conversations, shared learning and experimentation.
The initiative reflects Cisco's broader emphasis on trust and employee involvement, recognising that valuable knowledge and ideas can come from every level of an organisation, not just its leadership.
Salesforce, ranked 8th globally and also recognised among Ireland’s Best Workplaces™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces in Tech™, Ireland’s Best Workplaces for Women™ and Europe’s Best Workplaces™ in 2026, connects workplace belonging with a broader sense of purpose.
Guided by five core values – Trust, Customer Success, Innovation, Equality and Sustainability – Salesforce encourages employees to contribute beyond their immediate responsibilities. Through its 1-1-1 philanthropic model, the organisation commits 1% of its equity, product and time to supporting communities, with employees participating in volunteering and pro bono opportunities.
Together, these approaches demonstrate that meaningful connections can develop through shared learning, mutual trust and a common sense of purpose. For employers, fostering belonging means creating opportunities for employees to contribute their knowledge, collaborate across teams and feel that their perspectives are valued.
Development and growth should be part of everyday work
AbbVie, ranked 5th globally and among Ireland's Best Workplaces™, was also recognised among Ireland's Best Workplaces for Women™ and Europe's Best Workplaces™ in 2026. Its approach to workplace culture demonstrates how investing in employee development and supportive leadership can contribute to long-term organisational success. Guided by the belief that greatness happens when people grow together, AbbVie emphasises professional development, work-life integration, community service and collaboration, creating opportunities for employees to grow both personally and professionally.
By investing in trust, collaboration, and supportive leadership, organisations can create environments where employees feel empowered to grow and contribute to their organisation's success.
Building a great workplace starts with trust
While the organisations recognised on this year's list operate across different industries, their achievements reinforce an important lesson: there is no single formula for building a great workplace.
From DHL's approach to employee listening and Hilti's commitment to acting on feedback, to Hilton's focus on mental health, Cisco's emphasis on collaboration and AbbVie's investment in employee development, these organisations demonstrate the different ways workplace culture can be strengthened.
Building a strong workplace culture means balancing shared organisational values with an understanding of local employee needs. While practices may differ across countries, the foundations of a positive employee experience remain consistent: trust, fairness, respect and opportunities for employees to contribute and grow. Ultimately, exceptional workplace cultures are not built through a single programme, policy or initiative. They develop through consistent decisions and everyday experiences that reflect an organisation's commitment to its people.
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About Great Place to Work®
Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. We help organisations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. We recognise Great Place to Work-Certified™ companies and the Best Workplaces™ in more than 60 countries. To join the thousands of companies that have committed to building high-trust company cultures that help them attract, retain and take care of their people, contact us about getting Certified today.
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