Beaverbrooks might sell diamond jewellery and watches, but its staff are still its most valuable asset. Sparkling customer service is how the high street and shopping mall stores set themselves apart from their competitors. Staff are buffed and polished into shape by excellent managers and under the inspirational leadership of managing director Mark Adlestone — a three-times winner of our leadership award.

Sales consultant Jane Lynch worked at Beaverbrooks for seven years before leaving to have children. When she returned years later it felt like a homecoming, she says. “Mark even remembered my maiden name from 13 years ago. He makes a point of coming to see everyone and asks what’s been going on. It feels like a family.”

Employees trust their MD; they believe he runs Beaverbrooks based on sound moral principles, scoring this question 90% positive (the highest score in our survey), and they have a great deal of faith in him (89%). There is also confidence in the leadership skills of senior managers (an 85% positive score) and belief that they truly live the company’s values (86%). Staff say their managers regularly express appreciation when they do a good job (83%), talk openly and honestly with them (85%), trust their judgment (83%) and care about them as individuals (85%), the latter another top score. The company develops internal candidates to fill management roles and nearly all managers and assistant managers have been promoted from within. Beaverbrooks extends its ethical ways of treating people to the wider world too. The company has pledged a generous 20% of pretax profits to charity, doubling the donation it gave in 2006. A flexible benefits package includes the option to buy extra holiday, private healthcare for employees and their families, childcare vouchers, life assurance and an employee assistance programme.

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