ECI Software Solutions has been certified as a 2026 Great Place to Work in eight countries, including Australia for the fifth consecutive year.
Employee survey results showed 82% of respondents described ECI as a great place to work, up 7% from the previous year and 25% above the average for US-based companies. The certification covers the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway and India.
This marks ECI's eighth consecutive year of recognition in the US, its fifth in Canada, the UK and Australia, its fourth in the Netherlands, its second in Portugal, and its first in Norway and India.
The award is based on anonymous employee surveys administered independently. ECI said results improved year on year across every engagement category measured.
Findings cited by the company showed a 5% increase in responses saying leadership seeks employee ideas and suggestions, and a 4% rise in views on leadership communication. Employees also reported that leaders show a sincere interest in them as individuals.
Employee programmes
ECI attributed the result to a range of internal programmes used across its international workforce. These include Embrace Community Days, which give employees eight hours of paid time off each year for local community work, as well as donations of up to USD $500 to charities supported by staff.
Another initiative, Global Well-Being Day, involves closing the office for a day so employees can focus on mental and physical health without meetings or email. The policy is intended to recognise that many employees also have caring responsibilities outside work.
The High5 recognition programme recorded more than 131,000 peer-to-peer recognitions last year, a 13% increase on the previous year. ECI Connections, which matches employees across roles, departments and countries each month, led to more than 1,800 conversations over the same period.
Other measures include ECI Cares, a fund that provides emergency financial relief to employees based on need, and the ECI Shares incentive plan, which gives eligible employees a way to benefit from long-term increases in company value.
ECI sells business software to small and medium-sized companies in manufacturing, building and construction, field service and distribution. It says it serves 25,000 customers in more than 90 countries and has offices in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, India and Australia.
Chief Human Resources Officer Andrew Pryor said the survey results were being used to guide management decisions.
"Multiple consecutive years of Great Place to Work Certification reflect the focus our leaders place on employee feedback. Employee responses to this survey give us clear direction on what is working within our culture and where we can redirect our efforts," Pryor said.
He added: "This recognition affirms the sincere commitment to the programs and practices we have put in place to support our employees throughout their careers, creating meaningful opportunities for career growth and to build better lives for their families."
The certification body describes itself as a global authority on workplace culture and bases its assessment on employee reports about their experience at work. According to the organisation, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply each year for certification.
For ECI, the recognition comes as software companies continue to face pressure to retain staff, manage hybrid and international teams, and show that internal culture can be measured beyond recruitment messaging. Employee surveys have become a common tool for businesses seeking to benchmark management credibility, communication and staff trust across multiple markets.
Chief Executive Officer Trevor Gruenewald linked workforce engagement to the company's broader operations.
"Our employees' dedication is what enables us to serve our customers with reliable products and services, while continuing to innovate and expand our AI capabilities," Gruenewald said.
He added: "We are proud of our people and remain committed to supporting them at work and in their lives outside of ECI. To us, continuing to be seen as a great place to work is more than a recognition. It's a celebration of the purposeful, intentional approach we act on each day to build a global community where employees feel supported and empowered for years to come."