AMSTERDAM: All eyes are focused on the BRIC countries, the fastest growing economies in the world. How do the employees in these countries experience that explosive growth? Effectory, European market leader in employee surveys, researched this in a worldwide employee survey - the Global Employee Engagement Index™ - and points out major differences in work perception.

More than 11,000 employees, from 35 countries, participated in the international employee survey.

India on top!

Indian employees are the most satisfied in almost all areas. This country scores a 7.3 in terms of general work perception, a high score compared to the global average of 6.6. The commitment of Indian employees to their organisation is high (7.3 versus a 6.1 worldwide). Remarkably, high scores are also obtained on willingness to change and customer orientation (7.8 compared to 7.1 for willingness to change, and 7.2 for customer orientation worldwide).

China closes the row

China stands out with lower scores. The employees rate their overall work perception with a 6.3. This is three tenths lower than the worldwide average. Employee commitment scores a 5.8. Willingness to change and customer orientation score a 6.8, one point lower than in India. Furthermore China scores lower across the board (below worldwide average) with the sole exception being the theme of leadership, a 6.3, which is equal to the worldwide average.

HR directors, who operate at an international level, explain the scores: "India's emerging economy is further strengthened by the perception of work in the country. Chinese employees have become increasingly more critical, they are standing up for themselves more and more. They ask for better working conditions and better compensation. That image is reflected in the scores of this survey."

Every country is unique

Of the BRIC countries, Brazil and Russia scored the silver and bronze medal respectively. Brazil manages to score a bit above worldwide average with work perception, commitment, willingness to change, and customer orientation, where Russia scores just below on average.

There is a wide variation in the work experience. "Every country is unique. Differences between these four emerging economies are partly attributable to cultural background and religion, resulting in differences in perception of the work. In China, for example, one would rather see the glass as half empty and in India as half full. This mindset is reflected in the scores."

About the Global Employee Engagement Index™

The Global Employee Engagement Index™ is an initiative of Effectory, European market leader in employee surveys. The index provides insights into worldwide work perception. At the website http://www.employee-engagement-index.com it's possible to benchmark 35 countries worldwide on different themes of work perception. Respondents were asked to assess their work, working conditions, colleagues, managers, remuneration, development possibilities, and more on a 10-point scale where 10 is the most positive.