The 2008 Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) were announced at a ceremony in Sydney in early September, with nine organisations recognised in this year's study.

In congratulating the 2008 Hewitt Best Employers, market manager of Hewitt Australia and New Zealand David Brown, said: "Bain & Company [overall best employer] has earned the commitment and loyalty of their employees by fostering a productive work environment that encourages employees to bring out their best and, as a result, they achieve better business performance."

The 2008 Hewitt Best Employers were selected by an independent judging panel chaired by Professor Roger Collins of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM) and including business leaders Andrew Mohl, Ann Sherry, Diane Grady, and Helen Lynch.

"The factors that drive employee engagement are a direct reflection on our changing social landscape. This year, three new factors have emerged: building a company culture that fosters productivity by 'walking the talk' and having company values that align with employees' personal values; having middle managers who understand and support business strategies; and building a diverse workforce," Brown said

A total of 199 registered participants were involved in the study, with over 40,000 employees contributing to the employee opinion surveys. Other winners included SEEK Ltd, Medtronic, Vedior Asia Pacific, Inside Mobile and FedEx Pacific.