2016-12-07



Jake Kanter/Business Insider

The BBC made the cut — but where?

Recruitment website Glassdoor has released its annual list of the best companies in the UK to work for, based on anonymous employee reviews.

Glassdoor lets people leave ratings and feedback on their employers anonymously and the company has used that data to rank companies, giving them a rating out of 5. Companies had to have at least 30 reviews on the site to qualify and have at least 1,000 employees.

Glassdoor gives all the company ratings to one decimal place and it wouldn’t give Business Insider any more precise figures. However, a spokesperson assured us that the companies are in the correct order and aren’t equally ranked even if the figure is the same.

BI used a 4.0 rating as a cut-off point and rounded up all the companies that rated at that level or above.

Check out the businesses that made the cut:

This story was originally published by Glassdoor.

35. SAP: 4.0



Rating: 4.0

What it does: Software.

What staff say: “Great culture, awesome colleagues, decent benefits, decent compensation, good car policy, agile organisation, multi-cultural, decent mid level managers.” SAP Service Architect (London, England)

34. KPMG: 4.0



Rating: 4.0

What it does: Consultancy and accountancy.

What staff say: “Very friendly environment and everyone is willing to help you. Good opportunities to move abroad and global mobility is the best I have seen.” KPMG Tax Consultant (London, England)

33. John Lewis: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Department store.

What staff say: “As every employee of the firm is considered a partner, everyone gets a say in how the business is run. This can be minute details to the Christmas advert but all partner opinions are vitally important.” John Lewis Stock Management Partner (London, England)

32. EY: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Consultancy and accountancy.

What staff say: “Flexible working hours and encouraged to work from home if desired, the senior management team/partners are easily accessible (nobody has offices) and are generally ready to listen and take on-board feedback, everyone is very friendly, good work ethic, and the networks are active, interesting and fun.” EY Consultant (London, England)

31. Deloitte: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Consultancy and accountancy.

What staff say: “You get exposed to lots of other companies and can get a breadth of experience quite quickly. Looks good on your CV. Great attitude to remote working when not needed on client sites.” Deloitte Audit Manager (Reading, England)

30. BP: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Oil company.

What staff say: “Among the best things about working for BP is its inclusive nature. I had two spells with the company and came back because I had such a great time working there in the first spell. BP gave me lots of opportunities to shine.” BP Employee (Egham, England)

29. Harrods: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Department store.

What staff say: “Get training and support from the Learning & Development team. Constant recognition for sales associates. Great place to build a career. Excellent employee benefits and everyone is supportive and friendly.” Harrods Assistant Manager (London, England)

28. Yell: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Listings service.

What staff say: “Uncapped bonus (requires hard work, but well rewarded), Great team spirit (the amount of banter that goes on is brilliant), You won’t get better working hours (Mon-Thur 8.30-5, Fri 8.30-2).” Yell Employee, (location n/a)

27. Microsoft: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Software and hardware.

What staff say: “Diverse like you wouldn’t believe, our leaders open to challenge, and Satya has helped give Microsoft a new lease of life. As a graduate hire, I have been given heaps of fantastic opportunities across the business to grow in capability and confidence but has, at the same time, kept me grounded and grateful for those opportunities.”  Microsoft Employee (location n/a)

26. Cisco Systems: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Network software.

What staff say: “Flexible working, work from home ethic, constant enhancements to benefits, innovative.” Cisco Systems Programme Manager (London, England)

25. GE: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Conglomerate (finance, consultancy, manufacturing, healthcare).

What staff say: “Working for GE is all about creating relationships, trusting and empowering each other, upholding integrity in everything you do, and being a part of something really big and positive that fuels today and creates the future of humanity.” GE Ombuds & Open Reporting Leader (London, England)

24. PwC: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Consultancy and accountancy.

What staff say: “Supportive of all needs, especially progression. Amazing intro to the company, mature responsibilities early on, expecting to pass exams with independent work.” PwC Flexible Associate (London, England)

23. Diageo: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Alcohol maker.

What staff say: “Amazing brands; very bright people; collaborative culture; fun!!; invest in personal development; flexible working policy.” Diageo Marketing Manager (London, England)

22. Jaguar Land Rover: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Car manufacturer.

What staff say: “Almost unlimited training opportunities; good working atmosphere; dynamic company growth; company vehicle discounts.” Jaguar Land Rover employee (Gaydon, England)

21. RackSpace: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Online hosting.

What staff say: “People are great. Amazing work culture. Plenty of benefits. A lot of opportunities for progression and training has been the best I’ve seen.” Rackspace Enterprise Business Development Consultant (Hayes, England)

20. Nando’s: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Restaurant.

What staff say: “Social, flexible, seasonal parties, daily food allowance, laid back, well above minimum wage, weekly pay for nandocas, quarterly bonus scheme – achievable, progression.” Nando’s UK Second Assistant Manager (Brighton, England)

19. Centrica: 4.0

Rating: 4.0

What it does: Energy (owner of British Gas).

What staff say: “The people are great to work with. Opportunity for anybody with the tenacity to chase it. Development opportunities.” Centrica Senior Procurement Manager (Aldershot, England)

18. BBC: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Broadcaster.

“The BBC is moving their digital business forward at an extremely fast pace. There are always interesting new projects to get involved with.” BBC Senior Web Developer (London, England)

17. GlaxoSmithKline: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Pharmaceuticals.

What staff say: “Good solid FTSE100 company with a values based culture. Corp HQ with a good range of facilities from gym to restaurant.” GlaxoSmithKline employee (location n/a)

16. PageGroup: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Recruitment.

What staff say: “Throughout my career, I have always felt challenged, rewarded and proud to work for a business like PageGroup. There are countless opportunities to progress into management, work overseas or earn serious money in a billing role, whilst being recognised for achievements and seniority.” PageGroup Associate Director (London, England)

15. Accenture: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Consultancy.

What staff say: “Huge diversity in roles and opportunities for the consulting business. I have literally traveled the world and experienced a varied work experience that I don’t think is possible in other companies.” Accenture Technology Consulting Senior Manager (London, England)

14. Explore Learning: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Online tuition.

What staff say: “Training is great and you do learn a lot. The company is still learning and there can be lots of opportunities. Lots of freedom. Every day is different.” Explore Learning Centre Director (Manchester, England)

13. Google: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Software, hardware, internet search.

What staff say: “Absolutely love working for Google, been my dream for a young age. Food is great, people are great, the work is challenging and the pay is very good.” Google Employee (Location N/A)

12. Grant Thornton: 4.1

Rating: 4.1

What it does: Accountancy.

What staff say: “I work with really great people both in my local offer and more widely across the firm. With the firm now under the leadership of Sacha Romanovitch I feel that I work in a really positive environment and can see how my work contributes to both helping the firm grow, as well as having a positive impact on the local economy around me. There are lots of opportunities available, great support and a commitment to your career development.” Grant Thornton UK LLP Senior Business Development Executive (Location N/A)

11. American Express: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Credit card provider.

What staff say: “Genuinely empowered to try new things, to find your own path and speak your mind.” American Express Vice President and Senior Counsel (London, England)

10. First Derivatives: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Data and consulting services.

What staff say: “The company is filled with well educated and sociable people. The company organizes get-togethers for staff to meet outside of the workplace. This could be dinner and drinks, paintballing, watching a match… Nearly anything. There are incredible opportunities for travel. You could be sent to Singapore, New York, London, Sydney… The potential is endless. And with the great expenses package this is very appealing.” First Derivatives Financial Engineer (Newry, Northern Ireland)

9. Screwfix: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Building merchant.

What staff say: “There are countless pros. Real team spirit, fantastic opportunities to progress and make a career for yourself (note, this does not include slackers!), great customer base, supportive staff and managers. In company training in health and safety, first aid and city and guilds in retail management.” Screwfix Customer Service Supervisor (West Bromwich, England)

8. Salesforce: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Sales software provider.

What staff say: “Salesforce is an amazing company! It has a strong and inclusive culture as well as great people. It offers lots of opportunities for career growth and defining your own path as well as very good salary.

“Lots of learning opportunities. I joined as an experience architect but without experience of Salesforce. My first 90 Days at the company were an educational ramp program designed to immerse me in all the offerings of Salesforce. Really helped me to get up to speed.” Salesforce Program Architect (London, England)

7. Unilever: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Consumer goods manufacturer.

What staff say: “Flexible working hours along with a team full of friendly people who want you to learn as much as possible is the best part about it. Each Brand Manager also loves their brand personally which makes them put so much effort into their work.” Unilever Assistant Brand Manager (Leatherhead, England)

6. Peninsula: 4.2

Rating: 4.2

What it does: Employment and HR services.

What staff say: “I have worked with Peninsula in the health and safety department for approximately three years, over this time I have seen an unbelievable amount of growth, which has led to opportunities for employees to progress their careers throughout the business. I have found that Peninsula recognises, in most cases its employees are its greatest asset and the company tries hard to retain those who are motivated and demonstrate their achievements through a high standard of training and incentives.” Peninsula Business Safety Technical Advisor (Manchester, England)

5. Hays: 4.3

Rating: 4.3

What it does: Recruitment.

What staff say: “Hays is a genuine career company. They will support & develop you provided you show the drive & ambition to be a successful recruiter. Hays are very customer focused & believe in doing business in the right way. The working environment is fantastic – fast paced, fun and exciting. Rewards are excellent, the commission schemes really promote high performance and the incentives are brilliant.” Hays Plc Director (Manchester, England)

4. Mott MacDonald: 4.3

Rating: 4.3

What it does: Engineering consultancy.

What staff say: “A firm that you join for a career and not a job. The fact that the firm is owned by the senior staff makes a real difference. Always looking to make the right decisions for the future.” Mott MacDonald employee (London, England)

3. HomeServe UK: 4.3

Company Rating: 4.3

What it does: Home appliance insurance and assistance.

What staff say: “It’s an exciting, dynamic, growing company. The focus on customers and employees, makes it impossible for you not to thrive here (unless you don’t want to thrive, of course). I’ve had 3.5 great years and am proud of what the company has done, but also proud of what I’ve contributed personally.” HomeServe UK Senior Digital Marketing Manager (Walsall, England)

2. ARM Holdings: 4.3

Rating: 4.3

What it does: Microchip designer.

What staff say: “The atmosphere in the company is really great. I see everybody keen to help each other and lots of new cool technology stuff every day. There are lots of internal training opportunities and a whole bunch of internal sessions about new technologies being developed.” ARM Holdings Software Engineer (Cambridge, England)

1. Expedia: 4.3

Rating: 4.3

What it does: Online travel agent.

What staff say: “Amazing leaders, very accessible and communicating a lot with all employees. Flexible environment (cope easily with having children or other lifetime events).” Expedia Area Manager (London, England)

The post The 35 best companies to work for in the UK in 2016, according to staff appeared first on Business Insider.

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