The present article discusses the results of surveys about the best companies to work for in Brazil, conducted by Exame magazine in the years 1997, 1999 and 2000. The researchers identified the 30, 50 and 100 companies which offered in the respective years the most attractive working conditions, based on dimensions which allow an evaluation of the best practices in the human resources area. The items investigated present a close resemblance to Walton's (1973) model of quality of working life. The methodology used was characterized as descriptive-exploratory. The data analysis indicates that those organizations whose practices were evaluated positively by their employees in the years 1997 and 1999 propitiated, first of all, a sense of pride in the work and in the company. In the year 2000 the most valued aspects were career opportunities and training. In general terms, we have observed that there has been a reduction in the number of companies which received top grades from their employees, as well as in the number of items positively evaluated.
quality of working life; human resources
