Every year, a private research firm comes out with its list of the 50 best companies to work for in Canada. To get on the list, a company first has to be nominated by employees. The private firm — the Great Place to Work Institute Canada — then surveys thousands of workers to come up with its final tally.

Working Life is seen on Wednesday mornings on Newsworld. The institute uses a "trust index" to rank companies. People surveyed are asked 57 multiple-choice and two open-ended questions based on five categories: credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie.

Two-thirds of each organization's final score is derived from the employee survey, while the rest comes from a more detailed questionnaire that the institute conducts with the firm's senior human resources representatives.

Getting on the list requires far more than offering the best perks, the institute says. An organization's score encompasses the quality of the relationships throughout the workplace, the support people are given to succeed in their jobs, and their overall enjoyment of the total work experience.

"Companies on the Great Place to Work list outperform standard stock market indices by a factor of two to three," Jen Wetherow, the institute's director, said. "Their results are above average."

She adds that 84 per cent of employees on the workplaces list look forward to going to work every day. The Canadian average is 34 per cent.

The top three companies on the 2008 list are:

D.L.G.L. Ltd.

This Montreal-area firm helps large companies across the continent deliver integrated human resources services, as well as payroll, time capture and scheduling, pension and recruitment systems.

All employees and their families have access to the company's gymnasium, fitness centre and personal trainer. The firm also provides an outdoor terrace, a gazebo and a bistro equipped with a home theatre, pool table, car simulators and a massaging chair.

D.L.G.L. recently invited all employees and their spouses to a resort to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

The company's pay scale is higher than average in the IT industry and employees share a quarterly bonus that is based on objectives set at the beginning of the year.

Environics Communications Inc.

Toronto-based Environics Communications is a public relations and polling company that counts public, private and governmental organizations among its client list. The company also has offices in Montreal, New York and Washington.

After five years, employees receive a payment of $4,000 toward a holiday for that year, plus one additional week of vacation. Other significant rewards are offered after seven and eight years of service.

More than half the people hired by the company come from referrals by current employees.

Nycomed Canada Inc.

Oakville, Ont.-based Nycomed Canada is the Canadian subsidiary of Nycomed, which is among the 25 largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, based on sales.

The company's permanent employees have access to $3,000 a year in post-secondary tuition funding or $5,000 for post-graduate studies. Last year, about 30 per cent of the company's employees took advantage of this perk.

Nycomed relies on employee surveys, focus groups, a suggestion box, breakfast with the president, podcasts and town-hall meetings to keep information flowing between employees and the company's management.

Tips on finding a great place to work

• Do your research: Check lists of best workplaces and see which employers have put some effort into building a high-trust culture.
• Assess the space: Get a sense for the company's physical environment. Do you feel inspired by the space itself, and what would the commute be like for you? How would that affect your work-life balance?
• Talk to people who say their workplace is tops: Do you have a sense that they're proud of what they do? Is there a feeling of camaraderie that you get when you go into the workplace?
• Ask about the perks: If an employer is describing the perks or benefits that they offer, make sure you ask how many employees actually use those perks and benefits.
• Long-term plan: Ask about the opportunities for career development and progression throughout the organization. What's the long-term plan for you in this organization?