Over 250,000 UK employees told Great Place To Work that employers shouldn’t underestimate the power of fun at work.
Fun along with great management are key factors to them when rating their workplace. Using the data gathered from research-backed and anonymous employee experience surveys, Great Place To Work has announced its annual UK’s Best Workplaces list.
Each entered business is studied against a thorough and rigorous criteria, to rank and reveal which workplaces earn a place on the 2024 list revealed last week at Grovesnor House by comedian Katherine Ryan. Taking into account both culture audits and employees’ perspectives from a whole variety of industries and company sizes, respondents covered all levels of the workforce – from frontline workers to CEOs. Each person shared confidential feedback with Great Place To Work UK about what it’s really like to work for their organisation, their leaders, and with their colleagues – and what exactly makes these employers the best of the best.
BEST WORKPLACE KEY ATTRIBUTES
The analysis of employee survey responses highlights the key conditions that, according to staff, set the best workplaces apart. This year’s analysis revealed that:
Fun is more than fluff
Employees are warning organisations not to underestimate the power of fun and its impact on their job satisfaction, advocacy, loyalty and retention. Best Workplaces don’t just hire a good culture fit and hope for the best – they actively work to advance social connections and a solid sense of fellowship amongst colleagues across all teams and levels of seniority. At Best Workplaces, 86% of employees agree theirs “is a fun place to work” (vs. the UK average of only 65%).
Great management is key to employees’ wellbeing and intent to stay
Employees who believe management shows a genuine interest in them as people, and not just employees, are 7X more likely to recommend the organisation to family and friends as ‘a great place to work’ than those whose managers fail to do so. They’re also 7X more likely to feel the organisation is a psychologically and emotionally healthy place to work, which significantly impacts their wellbeing and intent to stay with the company – and, in turn, the business’ overall performance.
Culture is a key predictor of financial success
DHL Express, for example, which ranked third in the Super Large size category on this year’s List; was the number 2 World’s Best Workplace; and ranked 20 on the Fortune 500 Europe. The logistics giant is proof that great culture can be achieved even in a massive corporation within an industry widely perceived to be high-stress and low-fun for its frontline workers. “Every company says that people are at the centre of everything they do,” shared John Pearson, Global CEO of DHL Express. “But only if you live that out authentically, and can point to dozens of proof points that demonstrate it, then they’re not just words.”
PEOPLE-CENTRIC WORKPLACE CULTURES
Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director, Great Place To Work UK, believes that merging purpose and profit in a people-centric culture will become even more critical to organisational success in 2024. “Increasingly, UK employees are demanding more flexibility, more fun, and more opportunities for growth at the places they work. This is more than just a trend,” noted Gautrey. “Our year-long evaluation of over 250,000 anonymous employee surveys, and countless business trends, proves it is a powerful shift towards more organisations adopting this holistic approach to business. Market leaders are recognising that success can no longer be measured merely in financial terms – the wellbeing, engagement, and trust of every individual is what truly drives an organisation forward.
In Best Workplaces, employees agree that every individual is seen not only as an asset, but also as a valued contributor. “Their voice is not just heard, it’s actively sought. Feedback is assessed, addressed, and promises are delivered., Explained Gautrey. “These are not just great workplaces for some, they’re for all.”
BEST WORKPLACES IN THE UK
The best companies in the UK, by category, include:
Best UK Workplaces: Small category (10-50 employees)
Sumillion Limited (a sustainable IT reseller) tops the 105 Best Workplaces (Small) – scoring 100% for every area of the Trust Index employee survey.
“From our very inception we have always wanted to make the most positive changes to the world and believe that this is only possible by employing the most caring and committed staff. So, making sure that we provide the absolute best environment to flourish has always been our top priority,” stated David Manners, CEO of Sumillion Limited.
The top 5 in this category include:
- Sumillion Limited
- Iconic Smiles
- Moasure
- Hundred Star Games
- Live and Learn Consultancy Limited
Best UK Workplaces: Medium category (51-200 employees)
Talos360 (an HR technology company) tops the 105 Best Workplaces (Medium). And 100% of Talos360 employees say it is a great place to work, compared to 54% of employees at a typical UK-based company.
“We are absolutely delighted that our people feel so passionately about working at Talos360 that their votes have put us at the number 1 spot as a Best Workplace. We truly have the best team who through their passion bring our culture and values to life every day,” stated Janette Martin, CEO of Talos360.
The top 5 in this category include:
- Talos360
- Hatmill
- Morgan King Group
- Mercator Digital
- SquaredUp
Best UK Workplaces: Large category (201-1000 employees)
ServiceNow (a market leader in cloud-based business management software) tops the 105 Best Workplaces (Large) – ranking eight places higher than the last time they were on the List, in 2022.
“This win is truly an honour – especially because it’s based on feedback from our own employees! I’m so proud of our incredible culture, fuelled by an unwavering commitment to help all employees live their best lives, do their best work, and fulfil their purpose together at ServiceNow,” stated Simon Morris, Area VP, UK & Ireland of ServiceNow.
The top 5 in this category, include:
- ServiceNow
- NVIDIA
- Braze
- World Wide Technology
- Slalom
Best UK Workplaces: Super Large category (1001+ employees)
Cisco ranked the UK’s Best Workplace for the 10th consecutive year, and holds onto the No. 1 spot for Super Large for another year.
“I am incredibly proud that Cisco has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for 10 consecutive years. To us, this is more than an award, it’s a continual learning process towards our commitment to foster an inclusive culture, where people matter,” stated David Meads, Chief Executive of Cisco UK & Ireland. “We value what our employees do, over where or when they do it, and their feedback is instrumental in shaping our culture – making Cisco more than just a workplace, but a truly great place to work.”
The top 5 in this category, include:
- Cisco
- Hilton
- DHL Express
- Home Group Limited
- Softcat plc
Check out the full list here.
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