Recognition is the norm at IT services provider Softcat unless you are Peter Kelly, its chairman and founder. “There is no hierarchy at Softcat. When I walked around here in a Santa Claus suit nobody batted an eyelid,” he says.

“Peter is a bit of character,” says Martin Hellawell, the managing director. “His impact on the cultural side has been huge; on Mondays he hosts a company-wide meeting and he certainly gets you going for the week.”

This is reflected in our survey, where employees say they feel they can make a difference to the company, giving an 84% positive score. They agree that senior managers truly live the values of the organisation (92%, the third best score nationally) and are proud to work for Softcat (92%).

Founded in 1993 and based in Marlow in Buckinghamshire, the company provides software licensing, hardware, security solutions and other IT services to the corporate sector.

“We genuinely want to treat people well, and know they are having a good time and feel valued,” Kelly says. “You want an environment where people enjoy coming in to work, because that success breeds success.”

Employees feel Hellawell runs the firm based on sound moral principles (89%, a top 20 score). They see him as inspiring (91%) and have great faith in him (94%), both top 10 scores.

Softcat has a policy of developing its management team in-house and, according to Hellawell, the secret is not to stifle managers. “I will guide, but I won’t tell people what to do because I want them to think for themselves, and they just do it naturally,” he says.

Everyone has a say in decisions including their salary, training and company direction and they are even able to vote in managers.

“I loved it straight away. It felt right, the atmosphere, the people. It was so open and you got to meet the chairman and MD straight away,” says Rachel Smith, who recently joined the firm. “All the managers sit on the sales floor, I can bombard them with questions, so it feels like they aren’t managers because they aren’t boxed away.”

Training and development manager Anushka Davies has been with the firm for almost nine years and believes that her autonomy has been supported by the clear communication and accessibility of the senior management team.

“I still need guidance and go to Martin for advice, direction and sanity checks,” she says. “As much as I can be creative in my role, I want to check in and make sure changes I make are in line with business goals.”

Employees make it clear that managers motivate them (85%), talk openly and honestly with them (91%), both top 10 positive scores nationally, and that senior managers listen (a 91% positive score bettered by just one other company).

Softcat staff members have a strong sense of family in their teams (90%) and believe colleagues are fun (95%, and the top score for this question on our list).

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