Bosses at Deutsche Bank have literally played the “culture card” when it comes to keeping employees happy. The bank offers its hard-working staff eight lunchtime and evening lectures a year at London’s leading art galleries, as well as a card giving discounts at theatres and museums.

Rewards are impressive for the 8,000-plus UK staff at the global investment bank, which was founded in 1870.

One in eight employees, typically investment bankers, earns more than £100,000 a year and six out of 10 get more than £50,000. Everyone has performance-related pay, share options and private healthcare. A fifth of staff have a final salary pension, the rest benefit from a non-contributory scheme. People are happy with pay and benefits (a 66% positive score, ranking fifth) and feel that the pay is fair considering their responsibilities (59%).

The bank does well in surveys looking at the support it gives working women and has a company crèche, as well as offering childcare vouchers. Maternity leave is 18 weeks at full pay, eight at the government minimum and 26 unpaid, while fathers get two weeks off.

Related Internet Links

• Company website

• Deutsche Bank's entry in 2007

• Deutsche Bank's entry in 2006

Turning up the Heat pays off

Strong training and a sense that work is to be enjoyed add up to Heat powering past its rivals into top spot this year

BACKGROUND

• Hats off to great leadership

• Getting the message across loud and clear

• Fly high with the X Factor

• Why it pays to know what you’re doing

BACKGROUND

• Charity wins top small company award

• Special awards for best practice

• Rules of engagement

• 100 Best SME's to work for 2008

Multimedia

• Highlights from the awards ceremony

Staff don’t feel they are under too much pressure to concentrate (67%) and they get help letting off steam with a subsidised gym membership. People have 25 days of annual leave, can work flexibly or from home, and the company offers sabbaticals and career breaks.

There is excellent training (60%) and job opportunities across the world, with a database to help people search for internal global vacancies.

People say the work is stimulating (71%) and many believe they have found their dream job (45%). Even if they had another job offer, most people would not leave tomorrow (71%), and find their experience is valuable for the future (76%). More than a third of staff have been at Deutsche Bank for more than five years.

The company encourages everyone to spend at least two days a year volunteering and matches funds raised for charity to the tune of up to £3,000 per person annually. People say Deutsche Bank puts a lot back into the community (59%).

Explore Best 100 Companies

• Best 100 Tables