do you love where you work?

Standing out from the crowd How the UK’s Best Workplaces

outperform the average organisation

GREAT WORKPLACES

Best Workplaces –Which organisations have

made this year’s ranking?

Do you love where you work?Getting from good to great

p01 cover Sunday Telegraph.indd 1 30/03/2016 10:21

There’s a lot our employees can do with a role

at McDonald’s. Whether it’s gaining valuable

skills for the future, earning while they learn

or just having the time to do what they love.

We’re proud of our people and are delighted to

have been recognised as one of the 25 Best Large

Workplaces in the UK for the last 10 years.

“ My dad always tells me I need to get some life experience. Now that I’ve started at McDonald’s, I know exactly what he means. I’ve learned how to work in a team and take pride in what I do. I feel like I’m on my way to a promising future.”

Charles

GPTW.April2016.002.indd 2 22/03/2016 09:02

CONTENTS

EDITORIALRedactive Media Group and Great Place to Work® UK SALES MANAGERJames Brunt

SALES EXECUTIVEThomas Grafton

PUBLISHING DIRECTORJoanna Marsh

ANALYSISSuzy Lee, Clare Hill, Amy Ong, Marianna Roach

GREAT PLACE TO WORK® UKAmy Ong, Anna Nurzynska, Benedict Gautrey, Charles Fair, Clare Hill, Elliot Slade, Emdad Khan, Filip Kitundu, Helen Wright, Jonathan Reid, Mariana Skirmuntt, Marianna Roach, Mathew Hellela, Matthew Dunbar, Musteyde Fikret, Natalie Grant, Nick Honour, Nicola Papenfus, Dr. Petrina Carmody, Sam Merchant, Sonya Bedi, Suzy Lee, Tom O’Byrne

EXTERNAL CONSULTANTPhil Wilson

PUBLISHED BYRedactive Media Group, 17-18 Britton Street, London, EC1M 5TP, Tel +44 (0)20 7880 6200

PRINTED BYWyndeham Peterborough

FRONT COVER Adam Nickel

6

4 Standing out from the crowdCulture, trust and recognition are just

a few of the areas in which the UK’s

Best Workplaces outperform the average

organisation. This year’s database reveals

some insights into how the best and average

workplaces compare.

6 Talking the language of employee engagementEngagement needs senior

management involvement if it’s going to be

a success, but how can HR professionals

communicate to CEOs that engagement

is worthwhile? We asked senior figures

at Best Workplaces about their

engagement strategies.

8 Best Workplaces 2016: LargeWe highlight the top 31 best UK

workplaces in the large category,

which features six new entries.

10 Best Workplaces 2016: MediumWe highlight the top 50 best

UK workplaces in the medium

category, which features a first-time entrant

at number one.

14 Best Workplaces 2016: SmallWe highlight the top 20 best UK

workplaces in the small category,

including another first-time entrant sitting

proudly in the top spot.

17 Interview: Large winnerSoftcat has grown its turnover

from £50 million to £600 million in

the past decade. CEO Martin Hellawell tells

Tom O’Byrne, CEO of Great Place to Work® UK,

how it has achieved such rapid growth.

19 Interview: Medium winnerIn its first year of participation,

local housing organisation RHP

Group tops the group. Chief Executive David

Done tells Tom O’Byrne how this was achieved.

21 Interview: Small winnerFoundation SP CEO Simon

Grosse explains to Tom O’Byrne

how the technology solutions company

embraced trust and engagement.

22 What’s it like to work at...…a great workplace? We asked

employees at our top-ranking

organisations about their experience of work.

26 How to be a great business, employer and brandBuilding a company culture to

win competitive advantage.

29 Hall of Fame and Special AwardsEvery year a new set of

organisations enter our Hall of

Fame or win our Special Awards. What role

does leadership play in their success?

22

WELCOME

www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 3

22

Helping you get from ‘Good’ to ‘Great’

‘Fine-Tuning’ actions

UK Best Workplaces Top 100

‘Big Picture’ actions

Trust Index© scoreImprovement over time

Threshold for consideration as a ‘Best Workplace’

UK National Average

55% 70% 85%

‘GOOD’ ‘GREAT’

Untitled-2 1

26

03.indd 3 31/03/2016 10:42

NUMBER CRUNCHING

Standing out from the crowd

The UK’s Best Workplaces easily outperform the average organisation. We look at how employees responded to a range of statements in our Trust Index© survey covering

17 different workplace areas or categories.

TOP 5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UK BEST WORKPLACES AND AVERAGE WORKPLACES BY TRUST INDEX© SCORE

TOP 5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UK BEST WORKPLACES AND AVERAGE WORKPLACES BY CATEGORY AND SIZE

Trust in leadership

87%

47%

Management’s actions match

their words

82%

41%

Management deliver on their

promises

82%

40%

This is a fun place to work

86%

44%

People look forward to coming to

work here

84%

42%

Top 5 large UK Best Workplaces

Top 5 medium UK Best Workplaces

Top 5 small UK Best Workplaces

Best Workplace score Average workplace score

Great Place to Work® Trust Index

© Survey data and Research Now 2015

Best Workplace score Average workplace score Difference between the two

90% 43% 95% 49% 98% 60%

82% 39% 86% 43% 92% 42%

84% 39% 91% 48% 99% 58%

88% 42% 94% 49% 99% 56%

85% 40% 92% 47% 98% 54%

4 [email protected]

Recognition

Reward

Talent management

Values and ethics

Trust in leadership

04-05.indd 4 23/03/2016 08:28

Best Workplace score Average workplace score

Staff

=

=

39%

75%

=

=

65%

35%

=

= 75%

38%

=

=

75%

38%

=

= 86%

40%

=

= 86%

50%

=

=

76%

44%

=

=

85%

47%

=

=

84%

46%

=

=

87%

50%

=

=

94%

70%

=

=

88%

56%

=

=

94%

66%

=

=

92%

67%

=

=

94%

72%

Managers Directors

Great Place to Work® Trust Index

© Survey data and Research Now 2015


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For all Staff

1. Teamwork

2. Career and development

3. Values and ethics

4. Wellbeing

5. Corporate social responsibility

For all Managers

1. Teamwork

2. Career and development


4. Corporate social responsibility

5. Communication and involvement

For all Directors

1. Teamwork


3. Empowerment and accountability

4. Communication and involvement

5. Diversity

TOP 5 KEY DRIVERS OF ENGAGEMENT IN ALL WORKPLACES

TOP 5 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UK BEST WORKPLACES AND AVERAGE WORKPLACES BY CATEGORY/JOB ROLE

04-05.indd 5 23/03/2016 08:28

FEATURE

6 [email protected]

Engagement needs senior-level buy-in if it’s going to be a success, but how can HR professionals communicate to CEOs

that engagement is worthwhile? We asked senior fi gures at Best Workplaces

about their engagement strategies

Talking the language of employee engagement

as fluffy, or as a process operator, as

opposed to the place that’s challenging and

thinking differently, you’re going to fail.

“Even those people who are very driven and

‘command/control’ still respect you when you

come back to say: ‘Here’s the evidence, make this

change and you’ll see a productivity gain.’ They grab it

straight away.”

Wellcome’s Head of HR, Deirdre Carty, adds: “We’re

not big on textbook theories or ‘jargon’. Engagement is

talked about in very practical terms, so ‘it’s the way people

feel around here.’ But our senior team does recognise that

the greater the levels of engagement the greater the

impact on how well we achieve our mission and therefore

the views of our people are taken seriously.”

At chocolatiers Lindt & Sprüngli, UK Managing

Director Joel Burrows says that he has

always tried to increase engagement with

employees. “I wanted to ensure there’s an

agreement between the company and the

employee in terms of what they get

beyond a salary. It’s come to the fore over

past three or four years. Our directors are

measured on improving our Great Place

to Work® survey scores.

“It takes an investment in time and

money, but it pays off in the long run. It’s

definitely improved retention rates and it’s

made it easier to get good people to

come through the doors.”

Lindt HR Director Jenny Lawrence says

Great Place to Work® has been really helpful: “One of

the reasons we’ve made such a big shift is through the

empowerment we give to our people. It’s deliberately

not an HR-led initiative. We encourage our people to

own the culture they want to work in and take an active

role in making initiatives happen.”

Bridget Marshall, Twining’s Head of HR for the UK and

Ireland, says that having worked on engagement

“WE’VE BEEN FOCUSING ON

engagement since 2008 and this is

our third Great Place to Work® entry,”

says Hyatt’s HR Director Dawn Turner.

“We wanted to test

ourselves against other industries, not just hotels.”

She says that to engage senior leaders: “HR has

to be supportive, collaborative, coaching and also

real. It requires an honest and open dialogue and

we’ve created an environment where failure isn’t

seen in wholly negative terms. It’s version 0.5, then

version 1.0, then version 1.5. At Hyatt it’s OK to try

something new and if it doesn’t work, we look at

how we can work together to make it better.”

Tellingly, results from employee engagement

surveys now form part of the senior leadership’s

incentive schemes.

Michael Gray, Hyatt’s Area Vice President for the UK

& Ireland, says: “In years gone by, the role of the HR

manager sometimes caused frustration in colleagues. HR’s role was to

dot the i’s and cross the t’s, to make sure we follow the law and act

fairly. Things have changed since then and engagement is an

important key performance indicator. Questions are asked and league

tables published. It’s very much a focus at Hyatt,” he says.

At Wellcome Trust, executive board member Ted Smith, Director

People and Facilities, says: “You can’t talk about staff engagement

unless your HR team is engaged with the executives. If HR is seen

Our directors are measured on

their Great Place to Work® scores.

It takes an investment in

time and money, but it pays off

06-07.indd 6 23/03/2016 08:28


strategies in previous organisations, senior management

involvement is crucial. “It shouldn’t be an HR initiative,”

she says. “Internally, we call it ‘building a winning

organisation’ – the premise is that it’s one of the enablers

to achieve the business strategy. My peers and I on the

board, together with the general manager, regularly

review all our engagement activities that we each

sponsor and are accountable for the success. However, it

is the wider team that really makes it happen with their

passion and energy around a number of areas including

charity, health and happiness, and skills development.”

It’s also vital, she says, that employee engagement isn’t

‘de-prioritised’ when companies face financial challenges

or need to move the business in a different direction.

“Cutting engagement activities would be disastrous. If

you have good engagement then when you do face

business challenges, people are more likely to go the

extra mile to make the business a success.”

For Clare Booth, Senior HR Business Partner at

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, engagement is

definitely a business topic, not an HR one. She says:

“We do a lot of work to make sure our colleagues are

engaged, particularly around communication – we have

an active employee forum which focuses on a number

of opportunities to maximise our employee

engagement. We always try to keep the lines of

communication open at all levels of the business.

This works really well for us.

“There’s been a step change in the employee forum,

moving away from typical forum topics to meaty

business topics that the representatives are passionate

about and want to take responsibility for. There’s still a

steer from the leadership team, but the power is very

much with them.

“We recently created a remote-working initiative, and we couldn’t

have done that without the involvement of the forum. It’s been

absolutely critical,” she adds

Managing Director Bob Middleton echoes her thoughts: “There is

an outstanding relationship between the leadership board and HR.

Clare is part of my leadership team and involved in every

conversation, whether it’s a people topic or wider business topic.

“As is the case for most financial services companies, our

organisation is constantly evolving. We need people who are

adaptable, understand the reasons for the change and want to be

part of the journey.

“In Milton Keynes, there’s a war for talent. We’re surrounded by

competitors and other attractive companies. We’re painfully aware

that recruitment and engagement are our battlegrounds and having

a great culture will help us to stand out from the crowd,” he says.

1 As a company, be clear about what you want to do,

then link the people strategy to the business strategy.

2 Senior-management involvement in

engagement is critical – it positions engagement as a business initiative, rather than an HR initiative.

3 If the CEO is focused more on financials than people,

give them hard data about the impact of engagement.

4 In some organisations, moving to an HR business

partner model can give HR a greater understanding of the business and earn its respect.

5 Make results from engagement surveys part

of an appropriate incentive scheme for senior leadership to gain their full attention.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR CREATING A BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HR AND THE CEO

06-07.indd 7 23/03/2016 08:28

UK RANKINGS

Best Workplaces 2016 Large: 500+ employees

1 Softcat Plc Employees 862

Sector ITwww.softcat.com

There is a genuine sense of people caring for

each other, and those who have been here a

long time really want to help newer staff succeed.

2 McDonald’s Restaurants Ltd Employees 31,250

Sector Food and Beverage Service

www.mcdonalds.co.uk

McDonald’s has taught me skills for life. I’ve learned

how to work in a team and take pride in what I do.

I feel like I’m on my way to a promising future.

3 Salesforce UK Employees 600

Sector ITwww.salesforce.com

Every day I grow in new ways and work with

people who are passionate about making our

customers successful. I love it!

4 Cisco UK Employees 3,236

Sector ITwww.cisco.co.uk

The care Cisco shows for its people when they

need help is a source of great inspiration to me

and other leaders in Cisco.

5 Capital One (Europe) Plc Employees 977

Sector Banking/Credit Services

www.capitalone.co.uk

The recruitment, induction and training I received

really gave me the feeling that the company cared

about me as a person as well as an employee.

6 Hyatt Hotels Corporation Employees 830

Sector Hotel/Resort

www.hyatt.com

The caring, friendly and family feel of being part of a

great company and knowing that your contribution,

however small, is part of the company’s success.

7 Pets at Home Employees 7,503

Sector Retail/Specialty

www.petsathome.com

Everyone helps out everyone. It’s an amazing

store to be working in. It is practically my

dream job.

8 Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Ltd Employees 863


www.vwfs.co.uk

I love working for the company and enjoy being

part of a positive, driven working environment

which celebrates its successes.

9 Rackspace Employees 1,134

Sector IT Storage/Data Management

www.rackspace.co.uk

It’s a quirky work environment with the occasional

superhero running around and an ‘it happens

sometimes’ approach instead of a blame culture.

10 Adobe Systems Europe Ltd Employees 557

Sector IT Software

www.adobe.com

They have a great balance between working

smart, caring for the local community and

allowing employees to enjoy their personal lives.

11 Pentland Brands Employees 1,303

Sector Retail/Clothing

www.pentland.com

This is a unique place to work, the camaraderie

and sense of family is something Pentland

Brands should be very proud of.

12 Bright Horizons Family Solutions Employees 4,692

Sector Education & Training

www.brighthorizons.co.uk

Everyone who works here has a passion for the

welfare and development of children. It’s so

rewarding to see the children learning and happy.

13 Mars UK Employees 4,025

Sector FMCG

www.mars.co.uk

We are encouraged to step out of our comfort

zones and take on new things, but always in a safe

environment that accepts mistakes as opportunities.

14 Frontier Agriculture Ltd Employees 891

Sector Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing

www.frontierag.co.uk

There is a feeling of pride across the business and

a desire to do what is right for the company, the

customer and for individual employees or teams.

15 REL Field Marketing Employees 685

Sector Advertising & Marketing

www.relfm.com

The amazing culture at REL is shaped by our

People Promise and puts people at the heart of

everything we do.

8 [email protected]

08-09.indd 8 23/03/2016 08:29

16 Admiral Group Plc Employees 5,581

Sector Auto Insurance

www.admiralgroup.co.uk

It is such a warm and friendly place, everyone is

treated equally and there are no egos.

17 MBNA Employees 1,870


www.mbna.co.uk

Having been with MBNA for 20 years, I’ve always

been made to feel valued and encouraged to have

a voice to positively influence change.

18 Hilton Worldwide Employees 12,162

Sector Hotel/Resort

www.hiltonworldwide.com

We take things in our stride and there are daily

reminders of our shared values which support us

through each day and any crises or critical incidents.

19 Marshall Motor Holdings Plc Employees 2,200


www.marshallweb.co.uk

It lives its values, cares about its people and

creates a team environment, looking out for its

customers and continuously striving to improve.

20 Flight Centre (UK) Ltd Employees 1,998

Sector Travel Management

www.flightcentre.co.uk

Within Flight Centre, I progressed from a Travel

Consultant to an Area Leader in eight years and

now lead a growing team of 120 consultants.

21 AccorHotels UK & Ireland Employees 4,958

Sector Hotel/Resort

www.accorhotels-group.com

I joined the apprenticeship scheme after leaving

school and have worked in different hotels and

cities. There are so many opportunities here.

22 Discovery Networks Employees 937

Sector TV/Film/Video

www.discoveryuk.com

The focus on employees’ health and wellbeing

is exceptional.

23 L&Q Employees 1,521

Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity

www.lqgroup.org.uk

I’m proud that I’m trusted to perform here.

Plus, I get to work among people who are as

passionate about customer service as I am.

24 EMC Computer Systems (UK Ltd) Employees 1,600

Sector IThttp://uk.emc.com

I’m so proud to work for a company with such a

great culture, people and vision, yet a truly strong

sense of community. It gives me a real buzz.

25 Bayer Employees 950

Sector Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals

www.bayer.co.uk

Most of us are motivated by the right motives –

making a difference to the world and people

around us.

26 AbbVie Employees 363

Sector Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals

www.abbvie.co.uk

I am proud to work for a company that puts

patients at the centre of everything we do and

has a remarkable impact on people’s lives.

27 Wellcome Trust Employees 691


www.wellcome.ac.uk

Working at Wellcome you know that if there is

an area for improvement, either internally or

externally, then you can do something about it.

28 Capita (Cheltenham and Swindon) Employees 981

Sector Business Process Outsourcing

www.capita.co.uk

I feel I am treated with respect and given the

trust and autonomy to manage myself and my

team as I see fit.

29 City Football Group Ltd Employees 536

Sector Professional Football

www.mcfc.co.uk

It’s a dynamic and exciting place to work. We’ve

grown rapidly but retained our friendly atmosphere.

It’s a privilege to be part of this organisation.

30 Gowling WLG Employees 1,116

Sector Legal

www.gowlingwlg.com

People are approachable, friendly and willing to

help. There is no hierarchy and we feel that we

have an important part to play and can add value.

31 KFC UK & Ireland Employees 27,960

Sector Food and Beverage Service

www.kfc.co.uk

The camaraderie here I have not seen anywhere in

previous companies I have worked for. Everybody

works hard and managers lead by example.

WINNER: Europe’s Best Workplaces 2015

WINNER: World’s Best Multinational Workplaces 2015


08-09.indd 9 23/03/2016 08:29

Best Workplaces 2016 Medium: 50-499 employees

1 RHP Group Employees 260


www.rhp.org.uk

There is a positive culture of honestly delivering an

excellent customer experience, whether with

external customers or internally with colleagues.

2 Cosatto Ltd Employees 51

Sector Manufacturing & Production

www.cosatto.com

We are trusted to work when and where we like.

And the CEO gives us the chance to win a £10,000

‘Once in a Lifetime Experience’ every year.

3 Goodman Masson Ltd Employees 136

Sector Recruitment

www.goodmanmasson.com

The company really does create opportunities for

employees to have a work-life balance by hosting

events and activities for us to get involved in.

4 R.Twining & Company Ltd Employees 101

Sector Tea & Coffee Merchants

www.twinings.co.uk

My colleagues are empowered to constantly come

up with new ways to make work fun and inspiring

and to create a truly great place to work.

5 UKFast Employees 191

Sector IT/Internet Service Provider

www.ukfast.co.uk

Everything about UKFast makes it unusual and

unique. There is so much thought and time put into

making it an amazing place to be.

6 Baringa Partners Employees 350

Sector Consulting – Management

www.baringa.com

Baringa cares for its employees in a way I haven’t

experienced before, taking pride in developing

people to be the best in everything that they do.

7 bdht Employees 140


www.bdht.co.uk

Everyone really is genuinely happy to be here

and genuinely happy to help customers and

each other.

8 Autodesk Employees 334

Sector IT Software

www.autodesk.co.uk

I am most proud of being part of the Autodesk

family where people work as a community and the

management team has an open-door policy.

9 AXON Employees 50

Sector Professional Services

www.axon-com

The diverse, thoughtful and talented team make it

a pleasure to come to work and help us deliver

outstanding work for clients every day.

10 Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition Employees 171

Sector FMCG

www.danone.co.uk

Everyone has a joint passion and belief in what we

do – it is clear this company cares for its employees

and its consumers.

11 Madgex Employees 77

Sector IT Software

www.madgex.com

Madgex is a company that really cares about its

employees, and clients, and this is built into the

culture of the whole company.

12 Brand Learning Employees 89


www.brandlearning.com

I’m proud of our team spirit and culture. Everyone

is passionate, supportive and genuinely valued.

Working here is more than a job.

13 Liquid Personnel Employees 105

Sector Recruitment

www.liquidpersonnel.com

I’m proud that the business has been so

successful, and the team has grown and

changed so much, but we’re still Liquid.

14 Virgo Health Employees 73

Sector Consulting - Environmental

www.virgohealth.com

We have transformed to reflect our ‘Being Human’

proposition, enhancing our culture, developing our

team and delivering double-digit growth.

15 Lansons Employees 110


www.lansons.com

I love it that everybody builds on our founders’

legacy; everyone involved in Lansons – from clients

to colleagues – really cares about the company.

16 Intuit UK Employees 129

Sector IT Software

www.intuit.co.uk

Our people do ‘the best work of their lives’ every

day… the incessant commitment demonstrated to

each other and our customers is phenomenal.

UK RANKINGS

10 [email protected]

10-12.indd 10 23/03/2016 08:29

17 National Instruments Corporation (UK) Employees 140

Sector Electronics Manufacturer

http://uk.ni.com

Ideas for improvements are always taken seriously.

This helps develop a great culture where

everyone’s input is valued and we don’t stagnate.

18 Impact International Employees 72


www.impactinternational.com

We make a genuine, positive difference to the

people who attend our programmes and this

has a multiplier effect in their organisations.

19 Spring Personnel Ltd Employees 84

Sector Recruitment

www.springpersonnel.com

Our brand feels like a family, everyone cares as

well as being inspired to succeed.

20 Cadence Design Systems Ltd Employees 185

Sector ITwww.cadence.com

It might not be unique, but employees are

allowed five days per year paid time off to do

voluntary work in the community.

21 Liberty IT Employees 398

Sector IT Software

www.liberty-it.com

I’m proud that we develop applications that help

millions of people worldwide to protect the

things they cherish the most.

22 Baird Employees 98

Sector Financial Services

www.bairdeurope.com

The privately-held, employee-owned business

model gives all associates an opportunity to

own an equity stake in the business.

23 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Employees 81

Sector Education & Training

www.rcvs.org.uk

Seeing the benefits of high staff engagement on

the service we provide removes that Sunday

night feeling about work!

24 MediaMath Employees 123

Sector Media/Online Internet Services

www.mediamath.com

Everybody is always friendly and open, you can

expect support any time.

25 OPEN Health Employees 205


www.openhealth.co.uk

The atmosphere and environment created and

encouraged by senior management is unique and

brilliant. It’s easily the best place I’ve worked at.

26 NetApp UK Ltd Employees 356


netapp.com/uk

I am proud of the team culture and the

‘go-beyond’ attitude of all my colleagues.

27 Third Bridge Employees 150


www.thirdbridge.com

Many people here become managers, create new

roles for themselves and achieve great things.

Seeing their successes makes me feel really proud.

28 Adecco UK Ltd Employees 475

Sector Recruitment

www.adecco.co.uk

We are not just a team, we are a family. It has

every element – fun, challenge and passion.

29 Hitachi Data Systems UK Ltd Employees 158


www.hds.com

People get recognised for their success. If you

want something to change, you have the freedom

to make recommendations and implement.

30 Puig UK Ltd Employees 190


www.puig.com

Puig is a family-run company and that’s

exactly how it feels. I feel like a valued

member of this family.

31 Fleet Alliance Employees 55

Sector Financial Services & Insurance

www.fleetalliance.co.uk

This is the only employer I have had where

I genuinely feel valued and looked after.

32 Qlik Employees 307

Sector IT Software

www.qlik.com/uk

I’m very proud of Qlik’s people, values, culture,

and products, but our incredible CSR efforts

locally and worldwide really make it special.

33 MarketMakers Employees 242


www.marketmakers.co.uk

As soon as you join, you can start working your

way towards your first promotion by attending

power sessions and learning about the business.

34 Lindt & Sprüngli UK Ltd Employees 177

Sector FMCG

www.lindt.co.uk

I feel inspired working at Lindt and actually

proud to work for a business that looks after

its employees.


10-12.indd 11 23/03/2016 08:30

35 Office Angels Ltd Employees 325

Sector Recruitment

www.office-angels.com

We change people’s lives! We train people to

have the best skills to personally be able to

improve their lives in and out of work.

36 ResMed (UK) Ltd Employees 86

Sector Medical Sales/Distribution

www.resmed.co.uk

Inspired by strong leadership, innovative products

and instilled with trust and autonomy, it’s great

being part of a ResMed family that truly does care.

37 Weslo Housing Management Employees 80


www.welso-housing.org

I am most proud of working for a company that

genuinely cares for people and actively encourages

every single employee to realise their full potential.

38 Spring Technology Employees 80

Sector Recruitment

www.spring-technology.co.uk

Management is supportive when someone has

an idea and trusts their team to try new things,

while keeping an open mind about the results.

39 Cirrus Logic Employees 352

Sector IT Hardware

www.cirrus.com

I am proud to be part of a company that values

both employee job satisfaction and product

leadership in equal measures. Cirrus Logic rocks!

40 HSO Enterprise Solutions Ltd Employees 95

Sector IT Software

www.hso.com

HSO has created a culture that instils a deep sense

of comradeship, and support is there whenever

and however you need it!

41 FactSet Employees 388

Sector IT Software

www.factset.com

Ours is a very collaborative culture, thanks to the

people. Everyone is intelligent, friendly and

hard-working, which leads to a great environment.

42 Badenoch & Clark Employees 315

Sector Recruitment

www.badenochandclark.com

Our appraisal and Personal Development

Program makes me very proud. It allows our

culture to be open, honest and straightforward.

43 GCS Recruitment Specialists Employees 72

Sector Recruitment

www.gcsltd.com

I feel pride in what we have achieved, pride in

the success stories we create and pride in the

value we provide to our customers.

44 Unibet (London) Ltd Employees 280

Sector Online Betting & Gaming

www.unibet.co.uk

I am very proud to work with so many

talented and dedicated colleagues across

all our markets.

45 Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Ltd

Employees 444

Sector Auto Insurance

www2.mercedes-benz.co.uk

The company aspires to achieve exceptional

levels of fairness and transparency and to

create a culture we can all be proud of.

46 SC Johnson Employees 328

Sector FMCG

www.scjohnson.com

There is a genuine feeling that doing the right

thing for the company and the community is

highly respected.

47 FinancialForce.com Employees 241

Sector IT Software

www.financialforce.com

Work-life balance is great. There is a real sense

you’re trusted and management are easy to talk

to, departments collaborate well together.

48 Jobsite Employees 175

Sector IT/Internet Service Provider

www.jobsite.co.uk

The company has a family feel; open, friendly and

a lot of fun. This culture goes beyond our written

policies, it is created and reinforced by everyone.

49 General Mills UK Ltd Employees 167

Sector FMCG

www.generalmills.co.uk

A relaxed culture, family feel, casual dress code

and an environment where you are encouraged

to be yourself – a place where you smile, often.

50 Ketchum Employees 202


www.ketchum.com

There isn’t much that makes me more proud than

working for an agency that does incredible work,

has incredible people, and nurtures these people.


UK RANKINGS

WINNER: Europe’s Best Workplaces 2015

WINNER: World’s Best Multinational Workplaces 2015

10-12 GPTW medium lists 2016 v3 SS.indd 12 23/03/2016 12:20

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GPTW.April2016.013.indd 13 22/03/2016 09:05

UK RANKINGS

Best Workplaces 2016 Small: 20-49 employees

1 Foundation SP Employees 27

Sector IT Software

www.foundation-sp.com

FSP has strong values that everyone lives by

– family, success and passion. I love that the

company cares about me, my family and my

personal and professional growth.

2 DMW Employees 45

Sector IT Consulting

www.dmwgroup.com

There’s a commitment from all those that

you work with at DMW to genuinely do a

great job – be it for clients or for our own

internal activities.

3 Futureheads Recruitment Ltd Employees 30

Sector Recruitment

www.wearefutureheads.co.uk

Futureheads’ values are amazing – not just words

but a culture to live by. Every day we work in a

collaborative and ethical business with learning,

knowledge and fun running through its core.

4 Resurgo Employees 30


www.resurgo.org.uk

With Resurgo’s culture of trust and integrity,

I’m proud to work in a team that dares to take

risks, strives for excellence and transforms lives.

5 New Chapter Consulting Ltd Employees 36

Sector Recruitment

www.newchapter.co.uk

I am valued and respected as much as any sales

employee – rare in a sales culture. The company

always looks after my best interests and I’m

excited about my career prospects here.

6 Synergy Vision Ltd Employees 25


www.synergy-vision.com

We are committed to building a strong team

culture, where everyone is in it together and

pulls in the same direction.

7 Propellernet Employees 47

Sector Media

www.propellernet.co.uk

The business helps us be a best version of

ourselves while creating meaning and delivering

business success; there is a bucket list

business plan of sorts.

8 FISCAL Technologies Ltd Employees 38

Sector IT Software

www.fiscaltechnologies.com

We are proud of discovering our potential at

FISCAL – we didn’t know which direction our

careers were going when we started, but we have

been given many opportunities to develop them.

9 money.co.uk Employees 43


www.money.co.uk

I look forward to coming into work and

collaborating with down-to-earth, witty,

intelligent people. We’re a small team but

together pack a big punch.

10 Arrow Valves Ltd Employees 20

Sector Manufacturing & Production

www.arrowvalves.co.uk

It is more than just a job – it has a place in

your heart that makes you feel honoured to

come to work.

11 firstlight Public Relations Employees 21


www.firstlightpr.com

Being part of a team with such a collaborative

and equal approach to working has given me the

opportunity to grow professionally without any

barriers to my development.

12 Centor Insurance and Risk Management Ltd

Employees 36


www.centor.co.uk

Centor is a great place to work. I feel like part of

a family here and couldn’t be happier with my

choice of workplace.


14-15.indd 14 23/03/2016 08:30

13 Career Moves Group Employees 25

Sector Recruitment

www.careermovesgroup.co.uk

It’s a company that really cares about people,

ethics, doing things appropriately and applying

creative thinking to a subject that’s important to

get right... recruitment.

14 Zenopa Ltd Employees 38

Sector Recruitment

www.zenopa.com

The levels of trust and autonomy given to

employees is unique; this is a supportive

and progressive workplace.

15 London Vision Clinic Employees 47

Sector Healthcare

www.londonvisionclinic.com

I am proud to work for a unique clinic that

constantly provides outstanding service and

great care both to its employees and patients.

16 AV Rillo Employees 38

Sector Legal

www.avrillo.co.uk

You are encouraged to progress and even if you

make a mistake it’s recognised that mistakes

happen. There is no blame culture here.

17 CPS Employees 43

Sector IT Consulting

www.cps.co.uk

I’ve been with CPS since 1996 and I am truly

proud of the fact that we have managed to

retain a family feel to the culture, even as we

have grown.

18 Catalina UK Employees 48


www.catalinamarketing.co.uk

Whether we are going through challenging

periods or periods of success, we always take

time out to celebrate and reflect on learnings.

19 Thinkbda Ltd Employees 23


www.thinkbda.com

Working with such talented, creative and

amazing people on a daily basis fills me with

immense pride.

20 Just IT Recruitment Employees 25

Sector Recruitment

www.justit.co.uk/recruitment

Alongside our continued growth and success

year-on-year we have managed to remain

a company where everyone feels valued

and welcome.


14-15.indd 15 23/03/2016 08:30

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GPTW.April2016.016.indd 16 22/03/2016 09:07


THIS BUSINESS WAS SET UP MORE THAN 20 years ago with one clear goal in mind – to

create an organisation where people enjoyed

coming to work and felt engaged.

The founder of Softcat, Peter Kelly, was

determined to set up a workplace that broke away from

the feel of the more run-of-the mill, soulless and

anonymous corporates. His aim was to establish a happy

and vibrant working community and this is the culture

that still pervades Softcat.

The impact of such a legacy means that our people

focus is not regarded as a specific HR responsibility,

it’s everyone’s responsibility and is driven at from all

angles. The outcome is a positive attitude among staff

that produces great customer service and increases

profitability. It has led to us winning ‘Most Trusted

Leadership’ in the Large category and we are now a

Laureate, so it is definitely working.

How do I define engagement? For me it is how positively

connected employees are to the company and what it

stands for. It’s the most critical issue for our IT-reselling

business. We don’t have any intellectual property, we

haven’t invented any products and we don’t make any, so

the attitude of our employees and quality and enthusiasm

of the customer service we offer is how we differentiate

ourselves – it is the cornerstone of our success.

Our formula is simple: we recruit the right staff in the

first place, train and develop them continuously and

ensure they are engaged so they offer a fantastic service

to customers, who are then encouraged to buy more.

Communication is the biggest element in creating that

engagement. We communicate regularly using a number

of platforms including, for example, weekly meetings and

email. Nobody has an office here to encourage visibility

and we aim to be as transparent as possible.

We always look for new ideas from staff, through

formal and informal mechanisms, and are always seeking

feedback and opportunities to listen to them, so they feel

they have a stake in the direction of the company.

I devote an entire week of my time to go through, and

respond to, findings from our annual employee

satisfaction survey, the results of which, including the

critical comments about me, are shared with everyone

in the company.

I work closely with HR and it’s very important that I do.

High trust and engagement run through the DNA of this

company but so we don’t compromise on that, and for us

to grow as an organisation, we have to make sure we

attract the right talent at the outset.

The HR team is pivotal to this. They know precisely

what we are looking for in terms of attitude, potential and

ambition, despite the fact that we tend to recruit people

at an early stage of their career so they have no track

record to speak of. HR is also the eyes and ears of the

organisation – getting out and about and working hard to

keep staff motivated and passionate about what they do.

Ultimately, though, it’s not just down to my relationship

with HR that means there is an emphasis on people at

Softcat. It is ingrained here, it’s set in stone and that

foundation can’t be broken up easily.

One-to-oneSoftcat, winner of Best Workplace – Large Category, has grown its turnover from £50 million to £600 million in the past decade. CEO Martin Hellawell tells Tom O’Byrne, CEO of Great Place

to Work® UK, how it has achieved such rapid growth

INTERVIEW: SOFTCAT

17.indd 17 23/03/2016 08:31

Not your average bean counters.It’s the exceptional talent and the spirit of our people that make us more than the average finance company. We are delighted to take our place in the 2016 UK Best Workplaces ranking.

GPTW.April2016.018.indd 18 22/03/2016 09:09


WE HAVE A BIG AMBITION – TO BEone of the best service providers in the

UK and to be talked about alongside

the great names of service. We don’t

just compare ourselves with other

housing associations but with all kinds of organisations

across the business world. Alongside that goal we also

want to be one the country’s best employers. We know

that to achieve our ambition of being a leading service

provider our people have to be fully engaged. Experience

has shown us a clear link between employee satisfaction

and the quality of services we deliver. We are convinced

we don’t get one without the other.

For me, engagement is about aligning what we are

trying to achieve as an organisation with culture. That

requires three ingredients: a compelling, clear vision that

excites people; attracting people to the organisation that

truly understand our vision and passion; and freeing

people up to do brilliant, exceptional things.

This people approach has fantastic benefits for us at all

levels. We have a turnover of more than £50 million per year

and an AA credit rating with Standard & Poor’s – the joint

highest in the housing sector. But we also have a Trust

Index© score of 96 per cent from Great Place to Work®.

To put engagement at the heart of what we do we have

transformed our recruitment approach. We used to hire

predominantly from the housing sector but now we hire

from all backgrounds and sectors. We are simply looking

for people who share our passion for amazing service.

The way we describe jobs, the way we interview people,

(moving away from formal interviews to engaging people in

real conversations in groups rather than one-to-one), and

the way we induct people, is all geared to that aim.

Despite our success we are always looking for ways to

make it to the next step on our path towards excellence.

Every month we have a Great Place to Think session

where we invite external speakers to talk to employees

about various business issues. For example, a bomb-

disposal expert came in to talk about risk management.

This innovation piece is the key to our future success.

We have lots of conversations and forums, both formal

and informal, about great service to encourage staff to

speak their mind and share ideas.

HR is an integral part of everything we do, it’s not a

stand-alone activity. At executive meetings, culture and

engagement are the first things we discuss, it’s part of

everyone’s remit.

Although our HR team is completely in sync with our

aims and objectives, they also constantly try to look at

ways to improve things. They analyse the survey results so

we can access lots of information about areas to work on,

as well as areas we are good at. It’s vital information.

It’s through HR that I can learn about the heartbeat of

the organisation. As CEO it’s not always that easy to get

close to people in the organisation. HR gives me a

window into reality.

I have complete trust in the HR team to implement the

ideas they come up with. The biggest contribution I can

make is to create a culture where people can try things

out and not be afraid to make a mistake.

One-to-oneIn its fi rst year of participation, local housing organisation

RHP Group is this year’s winner of Best Workplace – Medium Category. Its Chief Executive David Done tells Tom O’Byrne,

CEO of Great Place to Work® UK, the secret of its success

INTERVIEW: RHP GROUP

19.indd 19 23/03/2016 08:31

Great places rely on great people.Our people take responsibility, build trust, work with passion, embrace diversity

and never stop learning. These aren’t only our values, they are how we work.

We have a wide range of roles in a flexible, customer-focused

environment with excellent benefits.

Join us if you want to be part of it. www.lqgroup.org.uk

BE FORCEFUL

Be challenged

Be respected

Be relevant

Be rewarded

WELL RUN, WELL FUNDED, AND WELL POSITIONED, FinancialForce.com is growing so fast you can feel the updraft. We’re an innovative Cloud ERP company that offers exciting challenges, generous rewards and clear paths for advancement.

WE’RE HONORED TO BE SELECTED AGAIN as one of the best places to work in the United Kingdom. This is testament to the talented people that are making such a successful impact on the Cloud ERP marketplace. We’ve pulled together a great team across the globe–a blend of smart, unique and talented people who never cease to amaze. And you are welcome to join.

Your best work is yet to be done. Find the job that’s as good as you are at FINANCIALFORCE.COM/CAREERS

GPTW.April2016.020.indd 20 22/03/2016 09:11


ENGAGEMENT FOR US IS ABOUT THE creation of total trust and authentic behaviour

between business and employee – creating

the conditions for our staff to become the

best they can be.

Creating such an environment requires an emotional

investment between the employee and the company so

staff feel they can take pride and feel motivated to work

here. We take time to listen and provide opportunities for

staff to contribute, rather than a more traditional command

and control environment. It’s about creating an open

culture and getting people’s contributions so they feel part

of it, as well as giving lots of recognition along the way.

Foundation SP didn’t set out with that approach though.

Almost two years ago we realised that to get the best out

of people it needed to be about empowerment and

responsibility, rather than just telling people what to do.

We introduced a mantra internally about ‘how it feels’ – so

making sure that how it feels for employees and for the

business is always being looked at, being measured and

being tracked. We’re always looking for ways to ensure

we’re looking at the best ways to optimise it.

We had an opportunity to build a business and

needed to engage people on the journey, rather than

just focusing on chasing revenue and profits, which too

many businesses do. It’s a mistake to just focus on

these outcomes. Happy, engaged staff make for a great

client experience; if clients place more business with us

and we manage it in a good way, we’ll grow and make

profits. The first agenda item every single week at

management meetings is employee satisfaction. It

comes before the financials.

We believe that the approach we’ve taken to people and

values – alongside our business-focused approach to

engaging with clients – is what differentiates us from our

competitors. We have openly discussed the four key pillars

of our business with our staff, customers and community

partners. Our values focus on creating a great culture in

which employees and clients feel engaged, rewarded and

happy. We focus on building bridges by finding ways to

connect people and businesses so they can share

knowledge and ideas. And we encourage creative

productivity, by focusing on innovation.

HR is integral to our people plan. Ultimately, I own the

performance and direction of the business because our

people are critical to our journey. There is a fantastic

relationship between our staff and the HR function in

running the systems, processes and contributions, but

it’s also very much a day-to-day activity for me to ensure

we’re in tune with how people are feeling.

Is the approach is working? 100% yes. There’s a

shared purpose, shared vision and a collective team

spirit. And at least 50% of our strategic goals for the

company for 2016 came from staff roundtables, rather

than the leadership deciding the goals. It gives us a head

start in terms of getting everyone’s buy-in.

One-to-oneFoundation SP, winner of Best Workplace – Small Category,

realised it needed to change to get the best out of its 36 employees. CEO Simon Grosse tells Tom O’Byrne, CEO of Great Place to Work® UK, how the technology solutions company embraced trust and engagement

INTERVIEW: FOUNDATION SP

21.indd 21 23/03/2016 08:31

FEATURE


We asked employees at our top-ranking organisations about

their experience of work…

1 Mission, vision, values and purposeBeing a great workplace isn’t all about generous

pay and a great working environment in state-of-

the-art offices with perks like free lunches or sports

facilities. Yes, many great workplaces have all of this and

more, but what they also have is a strong sense of

purpose and mission, vision and culture.

These determine what the business is about, where

it’s going, how it’s going to get there and the kind of

culture it needs to help them do that. Everyone who

joins the organisation needs to understand and

believe in what the business is trying to achieve

and how their role fits in with that. Employers at

Being a great workplace isn’t

all about generous pay and a great

working environment in state-of-the-art

offices

What’s it like to work at a great

workplace?

BEING RECOGNISED AS A BEST WORKPLACE IS an accolade many organisations aspire to – and job

hunters seek out. It tells current and future employees

this organisation is one in which their talents will be

appreciated and make a difference, a place where they

can grow personally and professionally, and where they can enjoy

working in a supportive culture with like-minded people.

People who work at Best Workplaces enjoy coming to work. Their

employers get the ‘hygiene’ factors right – pay and reward, a decent

working environment, the right tools to do the job – but there’s

something else. What sets these great workplaces apart is trust;

trust and a spirit of generosity, compassion, understanding and a

genuine interest in and concern for their employees.

While there is no magic checklist to being a Best Workplace,

we examine 17 different areas to determine whether or not an

organisation has got what it takes to be recognised as one. And of

those 17, we’ve picked out six areas that really distinguish a great

workplace from an average one. And it’s not so much what these

organisations do, as how they do it.

22-25.indd 22 23/03/2016 08:32


great workplaces also help staff see that what they do has real

meaning – it’s not just a job. And great workplaces put the needs

of their employees first, as some tell us.

‘You really get the impression that profit margins come second to the employee experience that the business can provide.’ Futureheads employee

‘This is not a corporate money-making machine. It cares about its environment, the people who work here and its customers. It is constantly looking at ways to improve and that is a very positive and thoughtful way of working. I wish it was a standard ethos across all businesses.’ RHP Group employee

Employees also need to be a ‘good cultural fit’; in that they fit in with

the values that help create the organisation’s culture. In great

workplaces values are an active and integral part of everyday life,

lived and breathed by everyone, particularly the leaders.

Trust is one of the most important values – and all great workplaces

are built on trusting relationships between managers and staff, and

between colleagues. You’ll see it in everyday relationships; does your

manager trust you to do your job without looking over your shoulder?

Leaders in the Best Workplaces role model the values of the

organisation – they are used to drive the business. Average

workplaces may well have values, but if they’re stuck on a wall

they’re not going to make much difference. No wonder average

workplaces have lower levels of trust.

‘Senior managers shouldn’t just put the values up on the wall, they need to act on them and live them.’ Employee at ‘average’ workplace

2 Wellbeing Wellbeing doesn’t just affect the individual employee, it affects

everyone around them at work, at home and, ultimately

society. That’s why the Great Place to Work® social mission or

purpose is to help improve society by improving workplaces.

Employers have a duty of care to look after their employees’

wellbeing and this can be as simple as recognising them as

individuals and showing appreciation. Great employers recognise

their employees as people with lives outside work and do what they

can to remove or reduce distractions and barriers to their wellbeing,

such as providing health plans,

loans to help buy property or just

showing extra compassion and

consideration for employees

going through difficult times.

Providing flexible working will

also help address the growing

work-life balance issue.

Employers that put the needs of

employees first, rather than

those of the business, tend to

offer a more comprehensive

range of flexible working

options. The culture of trust that

they are likely to have in place

is essential for flexible working

to be successful.

Unfortunately, at average workplaces, not only does

there tend to be little or no trust (which can also lead to

micro-management) but often employees feel they are

expected to put the organisation’s needs first.

‘…the support, through difficult times, which I have had personally, along with the encouragement and care that the directors and colleagues take in individual and group wellbeing is exceptional.’ Softcat employee

‘Improve the work-life balance – there is an expectation that [the company] comes first. Remove the underlying, unspoken expectation that you have to be available 24/7, 365 days a year.’ Employee at ‘average’ workplace

3Rewards Both the UK’s Best Workplaces and the UK’s

average companies have strong benefits

packages, but it’s an extra level of compassion that

usually distinguishes the best from the rest.

‘This [reward package] incentivises people to remain with the business and also shows that the company

At average workplaces,

there tends to be little trust

and employees often feel they are expected

to put the organisation’s

needs first

22-25.indd 23 23/03/2016 08:32

FEATURE

cares about its people – that is, helping them to set up a good home life as well as a work life.’ Goodman Masson employee.

4Showing appreciationGreat workplaces recognise that everyone likes

to be recognised and appreciated. If employees

choose to stay and add value to the organisation,

employers should make the workplace somewhere

they want to be so they create opportunities for fun

and social connection.

‘On Fridays, we partake in ‘Feel-good Friday’ where we all share something we feel good about. It’s great to share in each other’s success and happiness and end the week on a happy note. The company works hard to ensure everyone enjoys coming to work. I certainly do!’ New Chapter Consulting employee

5Giving employees a voiceGreat workplaces recognise that employees are responsible for

driving the organisation forward every day and will have valuable

views and suggestions to contribute. So initiatives to capture this

feedback and give employees a voice are universal at great

workplaces. The majority have some kind of employee survey or, at the

very least, a suggestion box. While many average employers also

solicit feedback, their employees feel that their opinions are not taken

on board and so they have little or no power to make any changes.

‘Actually listen to staff about how to move the business forward rather than just paying lip service.’ Employee at ‘average’ workplace

‘It would benefit the company as a whole if management sometimes asked workers: “What can we do?” rather than: “This is what we are going to do.”’ Employee at ‘average’ workplace

6Develop people to be their best and to do their bestGreat employers have an understanding that the

workplace presents opportunities for genuine fulfilment

and that we all want to be our ‘best selves’. Development in

great workplaces goes well beyond skills

development; it allows people to find

where in the organisation they can be

themselves the most, do the type of work

they enjoy and where their unique

contribution, both personal and

professional, can be recognised.

‘I have never worked somewhere where I have felt so free to be myself nor encouraged to express myself.’ Resurgo employee

‘I feel the company genuinely cares about me as a person and invests in me to grow and develop my sense of

purpose in the business.’ Twining’s employee

Likewise, lack of opportunity for development and

progression is one of the main contributory factors to

high levels of employee turnover in some of the UK’s

average companies.

‘The organisation needs to take a serious look at career progression and development of its employees. So much talent has left the organisation.’ Employee at ‘average’ workplace

Learning in Best Workplace organisations often goes

beyond formal training and other development activity.

For example, at Best Workplace Futureheads,

complaints or instances of mistakes are treated as

an opportunity to coach and embed real learning.

Here employees feel that the focus of management

is on knowledge, learning and growth.

‘The way they treat me feels like they genuinely see potential in me.’ Futureheads employee

So, what kind of organisation do you work for – average or great?

Lack of opportunity for development

and progression is one of the

main contributory factors to high levels of turnover


22-25.indd 24 23/03/2016 08:32


22-25.indd 25 23/03/2016 11:09

FEATURE


be a great

employer, business

and brand

Technology and products may be comparatively easy for competitors to

replicate but culture isn’t. How can your organisation build a culture to win that competitive advantage?

THE BEST WORKPLACES HAVE ONE THING in common: a strong culture aligned to a

strong strategy. That doesn’t just enable them

to become Best Workplaces, it provides them

with an advantage over their competitors.

Organisational cultures built on trust drive sustainable

engagement, which ultimately drives business and

financial performance. That is what 30 years’ of

research has told us. But when employees are asked to

rate how much they feel they trust their employers and

their employers trust them, the average organisation

scores just 55%.

In contrast, our top 100 Best Workplaces have average

trust scores of 85%, as measured through our Trust

Index© employee survey. To be even considered for a

place on the Best Workplaces ranking, an organisation

needs a trust score of at least 70%. So how do

organisations grow from being an ‘average’ workplace

to a ‘good’ workplace - or even a ‘great’ one, like our

Best Workplaces?

First you need to understand your organisation’s

current culture and to do that we look at what creates it

– your values, your leadership, your management and

your people systems and processes. We do that by

measuring how employees experience it through our

Trust Index© survey, and by evaluating the leadership and

people practices that create it through our Culture Audit©.

The data from the employee survey and the Culture

Audit© provides a unique and detailed analysis of your

workplace culture. When evaluating your data there are

three potential gaps we look at:

The gap between your current culture and your desired

culture. Where do you want to be? What’s the best way of

getting there?

The gap between how your people practices compare

with best-in-class organisations such as our Best

Workplaces, or others in your sector. For example,

flexible working is increasingly seen as the norm so if you

don’t offer flexible working or the choice is limited, you

could be losing talent to competitors who are seen to

offer better opportunities.

The gap between your people practices and how they

are perceived by employees. For example, you may think

that communication in your organisation is good but

employees may have a different view.

ABOUT GREAT PLACE TO WORK®

We help organisations boost business performance by understanding and improving their workplace culture – a key competitive advantage. A high-trust culture is critical for driving and sustaining engagement which, in turn, drives business and fi nancial performance. We assess culture by measuring how employees experience it through our Trust Index© survey, and by evaluating the leadership and people practices that create it through our Culture Audit©. Together, this provides a unique and holistic perspective of an organisation’s culture, which no other consultancy provides.

The Great Place to Work® Institute runs the largest study of workplace cultures and people practices in the world. Every year

it surveys more than 4 million employees across over 6,600 organisations, representing the views and experiences of more than 12 million workers. These studies culminate in annual national, regional and global Best Workplace rankings.

The data we collect through our global surveys is used by academics to research the link between workplace cultures and fi nancial performance. Their research over many years shows that high-trust, high-engaged workplaces consistently perform better than their peers and outperform the market.

We share our data and insights through our research and other publications at national, regional and global level as well as through conferences and events.

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Key steps to becoming a great workplace

1Get everybody on the same page, starting from the top. What is

your vision for the future? What are your goals? What kind of

culture and values are important to your organisation?

2 Two key Great Place to Work® tools can help you achieve

your goals by increasing your understanding of workplace

cultures. Our Trust Model focuses on building and maintaining

trust and shows what trust looks like from the employee and the

management perspective. Our Culture Audit© explores the nine key

areas of people management that are important for driving culture in

your organisation – hiring, inspiring, speaking, listening, thanking,

sharing, developing, caring and celebrating.

3 Employee opinion and involvement, and action, should be

central to your improvement strategy. Survey how your

employees view the organisation regularly and their role in it.

Importantly, make sure employees know you will act on their

feedback – and give feedback on their feedback. Even if some

changes are not possible, let employees know why. The most

common failing of survey programmes is a lack of feedback and

action – perceived or otherwise.

Helping you get from ‘Good’ to ‘Great’

‘Fine-Tuning’ actions

UK Best Workplaces Top 100

‘Big Picture’ actions

Trust Index© scoreImprovement over time

Threshold for consideration as a ‘Best Workplace’

UK National Average

55% 70% 85%

4 Set up a virtuous cycle

of survey/feedback/

action/re-survey.

At each stage, look at what

action you can take for the

greatest impact. It’s better to

do a few things and do them

very well than try to do too

many which may have little

impact – often because

of commitment overload.

And always communicate,

communicate, communicate.

You’ll find that at the

beginning of your improvement journey, the actions you take

will be bigger and predominantly at organisational level.

As your culture and performance gets stronger, it’s more

about fine-tuning what you do and directing your action

at a more local level – for example, coaching lower-

performing line managers in order to change behaviours.

And, who knows, if you do get to ‘great’, you could

even be recognised as a Best Workplace.

Wherever you are on your journey, we can help.

Our top 100 Best Workplaces have

average trust scores of 85%, as measured through our Trust Index©

employee survey

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[email protected]

@ketchumuk

Passion to innovate | Power to change

At Bayer we encourage you to question the status quo and constantly think beyond the obvious. We foster open discussions, sharing knowledge across our community and partnering with external networks. We always start by listening – because

our customers are at the heart of everything we do. At Bayer you have the opportunity to be part of a culture where we value the passion of our employees to innovate and give them the power to change.

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HALL OF FAME AND SPECIAL AWARDS


Leaders of the pack

Every year a new set of organisations enters our Hall of Fame or wins our Special Awards. What role does leadership play in their success?

THE FIRST BEST WORKPLACES list appeared in the UK in 2001.

In the intervening years, the

ranking has played host to

hundreds of large, medium and

small organisations across a range of sectors.

This year, two companies have reached the

signifi cant milestone of being ranked Best

Workplaces for every one of those years.

Car insurance specialist Admiral and

international law fi rm Gowling WLG (formerly

known as Wragge) fi rst made the ranking in

2001 and have consistently demonstrated the

characteristics of Best Workplaces ever since.

Admiral puts its success down to the “single

most important contributor” – its company

culture – which helps nurture employees who

are “friendly, happy, confident, helpful,

fun-loving, ambitious and positive”. And

Gowling WLG’s employees note how the firm’s

lack of hierarchy results in a sense that they all

have an essential part to play in its success.

However, leadership still plays a crucial

role in organisations’ sustained success as

Best Workplaces. But it must be the right

kind of leadership.

In 2016, we also welcome three new

Masters organisations. McDonald’s

Restaurants UK, Baringa and Ketchum have

now appeared on the list for the past decade.

We asked them how their approach to

leadership ensures their continued success.

This year too, we’ve asked our new

Laureates – those that have made the ranking

for five consecutive years – what role

leadership plays in their success.

2016: LAUREATES

2016: MASTERS

ACCORHOTELS

BARINGA PARTNERS MCDONALD’S KETCHUM

INTUIT

AUTODESK LONDON VISION CLINIC

EMC SOFTCAT

“We are striving to make it a place where

the leaders empower their employees

to reach the maximum they can be and

everyone has a voice.”

Thomas Dubaere, Managing Director

‘It all started with the dream of using

the skills and resources that make our

company unique to solve a big, unmet

social need and help change the world in an

unprecented way.’ Scott Cook, Founder

“Leadership involves driving results and

nurturing the conditions where employees

can thrive, while demonstrating high

standards of dignity and respect.”

Ian Mitchell, Vice President, HR

“We want our staff to feel comfortable,

valued and proud to be part of our

team and strive to achieve this with

our facilities, benefi ts and our internal

culture.” Ida Lewinsohn, Clinic Manager

“Great leadership helps to inspire and

motivate our employees to deliver against

our shared vision and goals, creating a

happy, positive workplace.” Ross Fraser, Vice President and Managing Director

“We don’t shy away from change but move

actively towards it; a forward-thinking

attitude where every employee helps to

mould our programmes and practices

together.” Martin Hellawell, CEO

“It is about having a vision that inspires and

motivates, values that guide and direct, and a

culture that is entrepreneurial and collaborative.”

Adrian Bettridge, Managing Partner

“McDonald’s takes a personal approach

to caring for its diverse employees, with a

philosophy that every employee has a right to

personal progression.”

“Being ranked for 10 consecutive years has

been an incredible honour and has strongly

infl uenced how we manage our company.”

Denise Kaufman, CEO, Ketchum London

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HALL OF FAME AND SPECIAL AWARDS

30 [email protected] PRODUCED BY REDACTIVE MEDIA GROUP

Special Awards 2016

MOST TRUSTED LEADERSHIP

EXCELLENCE IN CSR

EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT EXCELLENCE IN EMPLOYEE VOICE

EXCELLENCE IN WELLBEING

Small category winnersFIRSTLIGHT PRFOUNDATION SP

AUTODESK

FUTUREHEADS RECRUITMENT FOUNDATION SP

PROPELLERNET

Medium category winnerCOSATTO

Large category winnerSOFTCAT

“Hire good people then do everything humanly possible to help

them make a difference and become great. And, along the way,

trust each other to do the right thing.”

Paul Davies, Managing Director, Firstlight

“Foundation SP really does involve everyone in the business, we are

all in this together.” Simon Grosse, CEO

“Our open leadership and management style plays a massive role

in creating trust, security and happiness, making Cosatto a place

that the team enjoys coming to and giving 100% on a daily basis.”

Andrew Kluge, CEO

“Autodesk is committed to

advancing sustainable business

practices within our company.

Our efforts extend across our

value chain, from suppliers and

business partners, to our own

operations and the customers

who use our products.”

Ian Mitchell, Vice President, HR

“We use workshops, whiteboards

and presentations to teach and

develop theories to groups and

individuals from the Futureheads

Squad. Appealing to all learning

styles to empower is part of the

way we have fun and learn.”

Be Kaler, Director

“We really do live our core values

of Family, Success, Passion.

Order of priority in the business

is employee satisfaction fi rst,

with client satisfaction and fi nally

business satisfaction.”

Simon Grosse, CEO

“By aligning our mission and values

to the hopes and dreams of our

people we’ve created something

incredibly powerful; a business

that helps us be a best version of

ourselves while creating meaning

and delivering business success.”

Nikki Gatenby, Managing Director

“When it comes to good people management and engagement it’s

important that senior people put what they believe into action. The

message is important but it has to be demonstrated through everyday

behaviour. It’s got be genuine.” Martin Hellawell, CEO

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HEADHUNTING FOR THE 21st CENTURY

GPTW.April2016.031.indd 31 22/03/2016 09:06

Join the #SalesforceOhana: salesforce.com/ukcareers

Thanks to our talented and passionate employees, Salesforce UK is reaching new heights, which is why we are especially proud to be named one of the “UK’s Best Workplaces in 2016”.

We are bound together by a common mission to help our customers succeed and to give back to our communities, and each of us knows the role we play in achieving those goals. Simply put, we all understand that a commitment to achieve something

Above all else, our people are what makes Salesforce UK a best place to work.

GPTW.April2016.032.indd 32 22/03/2016 09:04

do you love where you work?

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