Over 250,000 employees were surveyed by Great Place To Work UK to discover what people want from their employers and determine which companies are the 2024 UK’s Best Workplaces™.
Here are 4 ways these exceptional workplaces are meeting employee expectations and building outstanding cultures.
1. They create camraderie between their people
At the UK’s Best Workplaces, 85% of employees report a genuine sense of enthusiasm to come to work every day (compared to the UK average of just 55%), with one critical reason behind this being the people they work with.
But Best Workplaces don’t just hire a good culture fit and hope for the best – they actively work to advance social connections and a solid sense of fellowship amongst colleagues across all teams and levels of seniority. One respondent at FTI Consulting (Rank 49 in the Super Large size category) explained how their workplace fosters connection:
“I love the energy that is put into creating a social environment across the organisation. After work drinks, socials, summer and winter parties – it helps bring people together from different levels which is essential.”
2. They understand the importance of fun at work
Fun is more than fluff – it has significant impacts on job satisfaction, advocacy, loyalty and retention.
"It's human nature to seek connection," says Seema Shah, Director of Consulting at Great Place To Work UK, "and it's no different at work. Working with people you trust, feel comfortable with and share a good rapport with, creates a more joyful and fun work experience."
The UK's Best Workplaces prioritise fun, and it shows: 86% of their employees agree that theirs is a fun place to work.
3. They drive a culture of belonging
Employees at Best Workplaces feel respected, connected to, and valued by the people they work with, instilling a sense of belonging in their organisation.
4. They act in alignment with their purpose
According to research by Deloitte, purpose-driven companies witness higher market share gains and grow 3 times faster on average than their competitors. For 42% of UK employees, their jobs are just jobs. But within Best Workplaces, 81% of employees feel their work holds special meaning and “is more than just a job”.
One employee at Zest (Rank 36 in the Medium size category) explained how their organisation lives out its purpose every day:
“I think everyone here passionately believes in, and is committed to, carbon reduction and making the world a more sustainable place. This is obvious from the engagement in our company Teams channels – you get the sense that we are on a mission rather than just a company out to maximise value for shareholders.”
Discover more best practices, data and insights in our 2024 UK's Best Workplaces Publication.
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