With holiday allowance starting at 29 days a year, rising to 41 with seniority and job tenure, staff at Denplan have plenty to flash their pearly whites about. But a job at the UK’s leading provider of private dental payment plans is about more than the fringe benefits. Staff get a lot out of their working lives, with communication and line managers coming in for particular praise. Employees say their manager talks openly and honestly with them, giving this question the top score in the survey at 86% positive. They also think their managers care about how satisfied they are with their jobs (82% and the second highest result) and share important information with them — rating this point 84% positive, another top score.

The company gives managers plenty of support via a leadership development programme as well as a mentoring system linking all new managers with more experienced hands. Training is available in a range of areas to everyone, from short workshops in career management to two-day courses on presentation skills. No courses start before 9.30am so parents can do the school run and still get there on time. Staff say their job is good for their personal growth and rate this question 83% positive.

Working at Denplan has certainly been good for the career of Steve Gates, the company’s managing director for the past six years. Last year’s winner of our Leadership award, Gates heads the company by following three guiding principles: leading by example, providing a sense of drive and energy and keeping things simple so everyone knows what the company is doing and where they fit in. Employees are inspired by him, rating this question 86% positive, a score bettered by just three other companies, and at 90% they give Gates the highest score in the list for having faith in his leadership.

Related Internet Links

• Company website

• Denplan's entry in 2007

• Denplan'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

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