A strong culture lays the foundation for a strong business, or so we believe at Salesforce. Testament to the passion and purpose that goes into creating Salesforce\u2019s workplace culture, we\u2019ve again been recognised in the 2017 Best Places to Work in Australia study \u2013 an accolade we\u2019re incredibly humbled by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For us, culture is not an accident, nor is it a throwaway line. We\u2019re as intentional about the kind of culture we want to create as we are about the technology products we build, sell and service. Creating a robust workplace culture is an ongoing commitment. It\u2019s something that requires daily work, and everyone needs to walk the walk. It means keeping our core values \u2013\u00a0of trust, growth, innovation and equality for all\u2013\u00a0at the centre of everything we do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To be recognised, once again, as one of the best places to work in Australia is an honour, and a reflection of the incredibly talented team we have here at Salesforce, along with the effort we put into cultivating our culture every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To give you an insight into how important culture is to us at Salesforce, we define it by using the Hawaiian word \u2018Ohana\u2019, which means family. In Hawaiian culture, Ohana represents the idea that families \u2013 related or chosen \u2013 are bound together, and that family members are responsible for one another. #SalesforceOhana is an entrenched support system that we nurture inside our company. And not just for employees, but also for our close-knit ecosystem of customers, partners and our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been at Salesforce for five years now, and I\u2019m incredibly proud of the culture we\u2019ve created in Australia over that time. Our culture, I believe, is our differentiator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few initiatives that set us apart:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The investment we continue to make in our people, who are our greatest asset, captures our Ohana ethos.\u00a0The latest example of this is the updates we\u2019ve made to our parental leave policy.\u00a0All Salesforce employees in Australia are given 26 weeks paid time off if they\u2019re the primary carer of a new baby or adopted child, and 12 weeks if they\u2019re the secondary caregiver. We also contribute to the costs for those Salesforce staff who decide to adopt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The spirit of Ohana also means not shying away from our commitment to improve the community in which we live and work. Our 1-1-1 philanthropic model is based on a simple idea: we allocate 1% of Salesforce\u2019s products, people and resources to Australian not-for-profits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our staff have access to seven days of volunteer time off (VTO) each financial year, and are incentivised to take this time. Employees who complete 56 or more volunteer hours in a financial year are our \u2018Volunteer Rockstars\u2019 \u2013 each quarter, we select several Rockstars to receive US$500 grants to give to the charities of their choice \u2013 while the 100 employees who complete the most number of volunteer hours each financial year can each send US$10,000 to the charities of their choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the last year, we contributed more than 22,000 volunteer hours in Australia, and 177 of our Volunteer Rockstars completed their 56 hours and more. In addition to this we gave out close to half a million dollars in grants to support our strategic grant programs and amazing volunteering partners including Foodbank NSW, Foodbank VIC, OzHarvest, Dress for Success, the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence, Fareshare, North West Disability Services and Cerebral Palsy Alliance, The Big Issue and St.Kilda Mums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n