Beaverbrooks
Best for leadership
Sponsored by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
Good leaders never go out of fashion. Beaverbrooks’ Mark Adlestone won this
award for three consecutive years between 2004 and 2006 and now he is back.
Leadership is one of the most influential factors in our survey, and
continued strong performance here has lifted Beaverbrooks to third place
overall.
Employees say they find managing director Adlestone inspiring (earning an 87%
positive score) and they have a great deal of faith in him (89%). Adlestone,
as well as holding 11 focus groups around the country, visits every store
annually, engaging with employees from all levels to see how well the
company is acting as an employer.
Established in 1919, Beaverbrooks is still under the ownership of the founding
family who see themselves as its custodians. Adlestone, the grandson of the
founder, avoids barriers such as personal assistants and keeps his own
diary, managing his own appointments. Furthermore, to ensure staff feel he
is giving them his individual attention he knows everyone by their first
name.
“He puts himself out there, listens to everybody, and anyone who has spoken to
him has the confidence to phone him and he will take that call,” says Phil
Jepson, head of human resources.
“This makes people feel they have some input and can make a difference.”
Edward Jones
Best for training & development
Sponsored by Best Companies Ltd
Training is not considered an expense at global financial services firm Edward
Jones, but an investment which gives a healthy return of growth, talented
leadership and strength in the marketplace.
“The training never really ends,” says stockbroker and financial adviser Angus
Kirk. “If you’ve got a hunger to educate and improve yourself, Edward Jones
will support you.”
Associates receive regular feedback on their performance and the firm provides
career maps, training, mentors and guidance to help people navigate the many
opportunities. Senior leaders are charged not only with identifying
potential successors, but with ensuring that those selected for promotion
get the development and challenges needed to prepare them for more demanding
responsibilities.
Employees agree the training is of great benefit to them, giving an 84%
positive score. They also feel fully involved with the company (87%) and say
that the experience they gain is valuable to their futures, an 88% positive
score.
Heat
Best for wellbeing
Sponsored by The Energy Project
The wellbeing of staff is of paramount importance to Heat, the heating
installation specialists. Benefits include chiropody, sight and hearing
tests, body MoTs, posture awareness and head massage. All of these help
employees cope with deadlines (giving an 81% positive score) and pressure
(83%) while avoiding stress (89%).
Knowing it can at times be difficult to get a medical appointment, the
organisation employs its own company doctor. In addition to providing each
member of staff with private health insurance, Heat devotes the month of
February to raising awareness of specific health issues and bringing in a
range of services at no charge to its workforce. The company also sponsors
sporting outings and events, and has bought a £1m sports and recreation
facility that hosts functions for staff members.
Employees say that the pressure at work does not affect their concentration,
an 84% positive score, and that their health is not suffering because of
their work commitments (88%).
Heat
Best for work & home balance
Sponsored by Wellness International
Endeavouring to make company life a well-rounded experience, Heat wins our
award for work and home-life balance.
Employees are happy with that balance, giving the company an 81% positive
score. They say work does not interfere with responsibilities at home (an
83% score, the best nationally) and that they do not arrive home exhausted
most days, the 67% positive score here again the top mark for this question.
Teams work on a job and finish basis, which means that, in cooperation with
customers, employees can begin work at 7am in order to complete by 2pm. This
suits staff, particularly those with school age children, and clients alike.
The company is also proud of its flexibility in working hours and options
including job-sharing, home working, reduced hours, term-time-only
contracts, flexitime and staggered hours.
Heat has been able to accommodate every request for reduced or flexible hours
put forward by its female employees, enabling them to meet the changing
needs of their families and still allow them to enjoy a rewarding working
life.
Employees are provided with portable technology including mobile phones,
BlackBerrys and laptops. Last year Heat subsidised the cost of home
computers by 25% and offered interest-free loans over 12 months for all
staff members to ensure everyone had access to e-mail and the internet at
home.
Staff agree that they are not spending too much time at work (73%) and do not
feel the company takes advantage of them (78%, ranking second).
Social events such as fun days, quizzes, rodeo nights and award evenings are
extended to the families of all employees. Marriages and births are marked
with £100 gift vouchers.
Hydrock
Best for giving something back
Sponsored by The Prince’s Trust
Hydrock aims to be a good neighbour no matter where it’s based. The company
encourages all its employees to be conscious of how their behaviour affects
the environment and all new staff have to sign up to the company policy.
Initiatives include the planting of rape-seed on part of the organisation’s
114 acres of land. The predicted 500 litres yield per acre is expected to
take Hydrock’s vehicles a substantial number of green miles. The firm also
has a strong recycling ethos and, where domestic recycling for plastic is
not available to employees, they are encouraged to bring their household
plastic waste to work to be recycled.
Showers and bike sheds are available, as well as an allowance towards the
purchase of a bike to support staff members who want to cycle to work. Car
sharers are given priority parking and a guaranteed taxi home if their
planned lift is unexpectedly unavailable. Hydrock’s workforce believe it
does enough to protect the environment, scoring this point 84% positive.
There is a budget for charity giving, which is distributed among causes
relevant to and nominated by employees. The company has supported staff in
raising money for Jeans for Genes, the Poppy Appeal, the NSPCC, World Cancer
Research Fund, Babe, Dorothy House hospice and Race for Life. People can
also apply for time off to help good causes, covering a range of activities
from being a school governor to running the New York marathon or even being
in the Territorial Army. The company has not sent Christmas cards for the
past two years to clients, instead making a donation to the Red Cross.
Through a Learning Links scheme, Hydrock supports local schools and colleges
by offering work experience, placements and visiting speakers, and attending
careers fairs. A student bursary programme has been introduced offering work
placements, mentoring and financial support to students.
Kwik-Fit Financial Services
Most improved
Sponsored by Best Companies Partnership
After being in our list for three consecutive years, Kwik-Fit Financial
Services fell from grace last year but the company has fought back and as a
result receives our most improved award.
The firm’s Giving Something Back, Personal Growth, Wellbeing and My
Manager factors are all significantly improved in the past year, and its
overall score is up by five percentage points.
The organisation recently restructured its charity committee, ensuring more
employee involvement – whether it’s selecting a charity for the company to
support for a year, dress-down and up days, or the gruelling Maggie’s
Monster Bike and Hike. In the past year, the overall Giving Something Back
factor score has improved by 9% to 63%.
Last year staff members also took part in a sponsored slim, with teams being
weighed by the firm’s gym instructor. Everyone got involved, including the
canteen, which offered optional slimming meals. The company’s healthy living
club now offers hot stone massages, aromatherapy treatments, head massages
and reiki. Consequently, Kwik-Fit Financial Services’ Wellbeing score is up
5% in the past year, with employees agreeing that their health is not
suffering because of work (83%).
The response of employees also indicates that a new “progressing your
performance” management scheme – which allows for regular feedback – is
making a difference. The company’s overall score for Personal Growth is up
6% and My Manager is up by 5%. Staff say their managers motivate them to
give their best every day (72%).
The thinking that inspires a workforce of 5,000
Britannia Building Society
Britannia Building Society chief executive Neville Richardson has a simple
philosophy. “It’s not my responsibility to think for 5,000 people,” he says.
“It’s my responsibility to create an environment where 5,000 people can
think.”
That outlook has resulted in Richardson winning our Best for Leadership award,
which is based purely on employee survey scores. Staff are inspired by
Richardson, giving him a 74% positive score, and say he runs the
organisation based on sound moral principles (81%).
The company conducts an internal survey twice a year to measure how effective
its Best for leadership communication is and staff seem to understand
Britannia’s strategy and agree that management is taking the business in the
right direction, saying they are excited about where it is going (75%).
Ten employees are invited to lunch with Richardson each month with the
opportunity to lead the discussion in any direction. All questions and
answers from the lunch are then shared with employees through the intranet.
Other special awards
Ernst & Young Best for training & development
American Express Europe Best for wellbeing
RBS Retail Banking Best for work & home balance
KPMG Best for giving something back
KPMG Most improved
