Do you love where you work?
Transcript of 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
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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
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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’
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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%
Recognition
Reward
Talent management
Values and ethics
Trust in leadership
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Best Workplace score Average workplace score
Staff
=
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39%
75%
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65%
35%
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= 75%
38%
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75%
38%
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= 86%
40%
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= 86%
50%
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76%
44%
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85%
47%
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84%
46%
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87%
50%
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94%
70%
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88%
56%
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94%
66%
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92%
67%
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94%
72%
Managers Directors
Great Place to Work® Trust Index
© Survey data and Research Now 2015
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 5
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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
3. Values and ethics
4. Corporate social responsibility
5. Communication and involvement
For all Directors
1. Teamwork
2. Values and ethics
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
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FEATURE
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
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 7
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
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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
Sector Banking/Credit Services
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.
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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
Sector Banking/Credit Services
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
Sector Retail/Specialty
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
Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity
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
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Best Workplaces 2016 Medium: 50-499 employees
1 RHP Group Employees 260
Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity
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
Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity
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
Sector Professional Services
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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
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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
Sector Consulting – Management
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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
Sector IT Storage/Data Management
netapp.com/uk
I am proud of the team culture and the
‘go-beyond’ attitude of all my colleagues.
27 Third Bridge Employees 150
Sector Consulting – Management
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
Sector IT Storage/Data Management
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
Sector Retail/Specialty
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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.
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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
Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity
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
Sector Professional Services
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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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
Sector Not-for-Profit/Charity
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
Sector Professional Services
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
Sector Financial Services & Insurance
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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
Sector Financial Services & Insurance
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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
Sector Advertising & Marketing
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.
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 15
14-15.indd 15 23/03/2016 08:30
WE CAN ALSO HELP YOU GAIN RECOGNITION AS A GREAT EMPLOYER, BUSINESS AND BRAND IN THE 2017 BEST WORKPLACE AWARDS.
FIND OUT MORE TODAY.www.greatplacetowork.co.uk [email protected] 0870 608 8780
GPTW.April2016.016.indd 16 22/03/2016 09:07
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 17
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
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 19
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
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 21
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
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 23
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
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 25
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.
26-27.indd 26 23/03/2016 11:19
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 27
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
26-27.indd 27 23/03/2016 11:19
@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.
GPTW.April2016.028.indd 28 22/03/2016 09:13
HALL OF FAME AND SPECIAL AWARDS
www.greatplacetowork.co.uk 29
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
29-30.indd 29 23/03/2016 08:33
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
29-30.indd 30 23/03/2016 08:33
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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