Sunday Times Best Companies Recognised in Awards

The results of the Sunday Times Best Companies to Work for List 2016 will be announced in award ceremonies on 24 and 25 February in London.

Each year employees around the country answer workplace surveys, giving their honest opinions about how they feel about their employer. Run by employee engagement specialists, Best Companies, people working at private companies and not-for-profit organisations of all sizes answer questions about staff wellbeing and happiness.

The winners in the small business and not-for-profit lists will be announced on Wednesday 24 February. The following evening will be dedicated to mid-size and big business award-winners.

Awesome places to work

The prestigious awards are seen by many employers as a positive way to demonstrate that they offer staff a great place to work, through employee engagement, which is known to help build a happier and more productive workforce.

The top overall best employers in 2015 included insurer Simply Business, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection and telecoms reseller Chess. Among the best small business employers were TPP – healthcare software firm, Opus Recruitment and media agency the7stars.

Founder and CEO of Best Companies, Jonathan Austin, explains the importance of great employee engagement:

Employees who work for a highly-engaged organisation can feel proud of their employer, benefit from having managers who are more likely to care for them, leaders who listen to them, more opportunities for personal growth and teams that support each other.

Jonathan Austin, Best Companies

More than 1,000 participants

Around 1,000 businesses and organisations took part in last year's surveys for all 4 categories, and the top 325 were recognised in the lists. To date, Best Companies has measured the opinions of almost 3 million employees on areas of employee happiness and wellbeing. The surveys' feedback is processed by Plymouth University.

Attract good employees

Being a supportive employer can influence the quality of staff small businesses attract. A good rating can turn a business into a "talent magnet" since nowadays, more so than ever, in-demand people looking for jobs want to work for reputable organisations, says Best Companies.

Read an article on employee engagement for small businesses written by Austin.