Recruitment company Blue Arrow is certainly on target when it comes to keeping its staff happy.

Employees at the Luton-based consultancy give a positive score of 79% for questions about teamwork, ranking the firm 21st.

Working in teams gives employees a buzz (74%) and there is a strong sense of family among colleagues (76%). An employee forum organises social events that help foster strong working relationships in the company.

Blue Arrow has 150 branches around the UK and specialises in matching jobseekers with vacancies in the office, industrial, catering, driving, IT and accountancy sectors.

A top 20 score of 80% shows employees find the job good for their personal growth, and they feel they can make a difference in the organisation (79%, ranking the firm 12th). The workforce isn’t bored with what they do (75%).

Personal career plans help staff progress within the company, and this is supported by a buddy system to encourage colleagues to help each other and to share knowledge. Performance reviews are held monthly, so personal development is always a priority. An 83% score, which ranks the firm sixth, shows that staff believe they can make a valuable contribution to its success.

A reward and recognition programme runs twice a year to thank staff members for their hard work. The most recent prize was a weekend trip to Portugal for 45 workers. A bonus scheme also rewards employees’ efforts. They find their work stimulating (78%) and say managers regularly express their appreciation when they do a good job (75%).

Managers have one-to-one coaching with a dedicated management trainer to develop their leadership and people skills. Employees say bosses care about their job satisfaction (74%) and help them fulfil their potential (70%). A 78% score, which ranks the company 14th, shows that managers share important information with staff members and motivate them to give their best every day (71%).

The workforce has confidence in the leadership skills of the senior management team (78%) and people feel inspired by chief executive Stuart McBride (73%).

Senior managers visit all Blue Arrow’s branches every year and an open-door policy means they can be contacted in person, by mobile phone or e-mail. Employees say senior managers truly live the values of the organisation (72%).

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