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Best Places to Work :)

Jonathan Shepherd-Stubbs • 3 May 2021


REVEALED | Barclays & Tesco among ‘best workplaces to grow career’

HR Grapevine, Jade Burke, Apr21

Barclays & Tesco among ‘best workplaces to grow career’

The way we work today is a completely different beast from over a year ago; the pandemic has forced employees to work remotely, while new technologies such as automation and AI have been rolled out to enhance our ways of working.

These new methods have reshaped what we previously knew when it came to the world of work and what employees expect from their employers to assist with this.

With that in mind, LinkedIn has revealed its 2021 LinkedIn Top Companies list, which ranks 25 of the best workplaces for employees to grow their careers.

From our content partner Insights from UK’s Best Workplaces™

To create the list, LinkedIn has used an all-new methodology which uses unique data from the professional networking site to go beyond the firms that attract talent to find the companies that actually invest in their talent.

LinkedIn stated that these 25 organisations “help employees build a professional foundation that sets them up for success both at the company and beyond”.

Read on to find out who made it into the top five:

  1. Barclays

The banking giant made the cut thanks to its new remote working systems, as well as its increased focus on D&I throughout 2020.

  1. Tesco

Supermarket Tesco was commended for creating 16,000 permanent roles to support the growth of online shopping, as well as the hiring of 50,000 temporary staff members.

  1. NatWest Group

Another bank to make it into the top five – NatWest Group was selected because the business has taken the experiences throughout the pandemic to make flexibility a core part of its working environment. NatWest hopes to take on a hybrid model, with plans to help balance working from home with time in the office too.

  1. BT

The telecommunications provider came in at fourth place thanks to its pledge to hire 2,500 new roles to help with the roll-out of full-fibre internet connections this year. Plus, throughout the crisis BT chose to freeze pay but promised a bonus worth £1,500 to frontline staff. Despite this, the firm does remain under pressure from the Communication Workers Union over modernisation plans and the potential impact on existing roles.

  1. PwC UK

One of the Big Four accounting firms, PwC told staff earlier this year that they could spend two or three days a week in the office and the rest working remotely. It also stated that it would give employees more autonomy over their working hours.

Below is the reminder of the list:

  1. Deloitte UK    11. Bloomberg LP    16. Wipro Limited     21. eBay
  2. Sainsbury’s    12. Amazon    17. Alphabet    22. NFU Mutual
  3. EY    13. American Express    18. Accenture   23. Stryker
  4. Upwork    14. JPMorgan Chase & Co    19. Unilever    24. Bristol Myers Squibb
  5. BBC    15. Cisco    20. AstraZeneca      25. G-Research

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LinkedIn Poll Results - December 2024

by Simon Clark • 19 December 2024
As we approach the end of 2024, our latest LinkedIn poll sought to uncover the primary professional goals of our network for the upcoming year. The responses we received provide a clear indication of shifting priorities in the modern workplace as we head into 2025. An overwhelming 64% of respondents identified 'Better Work/Life Balance' as their top professional goal for the new year. This significant majority underscores a growing trend among professionals prioritising their well-being and personal time equally with their career ambitions. It reflects a broader movement towards achieving a healthier balance between professional responsibilities and personal life, emphasising the importance of mental health and overall life satisfaction. 'Career Advancement' still remains a priority for many, with 21% of the votes, showing that climbing the professional ladder continues to be important but perhaps balanced with a desire for quality-of-life improvements. Surprisingly, both 'Skill Development' and 'Networking' received the same level of focus, each garnering 7% of the vote this month. This suggests that while continuing education and expanding professional connections are still valued, they may currently take a back seat to more pressing concerns related to personal well-being and career progression. These poll results highlight a critical shift in professional goals as we move into 2025, with a notable emphasis on achieving a sustainable work/life balance. This insight is invaluable for employers and HR professionals as they plan support systems and corporate cultures that align with the evolving needs of today’s workforce.

Key Indicators of a Successful Interview

by Jonathan Shepherd-Stubbs • 29 November 2024
Interviews are often the most nerve wracking part of the job seeking process and whilst you might be happy that you got the interview, you might wonder if it went as well as you’d hoped. This is a natural reaction to something as important as your career but there are several key signs that suggest your interview was a success, let’s take a look at them. Positive Body Language and Engagement We can usually tell when we get on well with someone and you can also read subtle signs in the interviewers body language which could mean that you left a good impression. Were they leaning forward, engaging with you and seeming interested in what you had to say? Did they respond enthusiastically to your answers? These are all good signs. The Interview Takes Longer Than Expected Interviews are typically structured to a strict timeframe to allow the interviewer to see multiple people and find the best candidate for the job. If your interview has gone over the allotted time but it doesn’t feel rushed, this is a really good sign and means that the company is open to learning more about you and sees potential. Natural Conversations If you have built up a natural rapport with your interviewer and the interview doesn’t seem like a basic question and answer session, this bodes well. If the interviewer also shares information about the company culture, team and future plans with you at this stage, it’s a sign they see you becoming part of their company. Next Steps Discussion If the employer takes the time to explain what the next steps of the process are going to be during your interview, asks about your availability for further stages or lets you know about their onboarding process, these are all good indicators that you are being strongly considered for the role. Introduction and Highlighting the Benefits Another sign that your interview has gone well is if your interviewer introduces you to other team members or key decision makers during the course of your interview. This shows that they personally have deemed you a good fit for the role and could be looking for a second opinion before they make a hiring decision. The interviewer could also begin to highlight the benefits of you working for their organisation, they might mention the ‘perks’ of working for the company, any career progression opportunities or just that it’s a great place to work. They could be trying to sell you the role within the company which often means they think you are a strong candidate.  Whilst the above points aren’t a guaranteed measure of success, they are really encouraging signs that your interview has gone well and that you have made a good impression on the company. If you are currently navigating the job market and need some professional support and guidance, we can help, contact us for advice and information on our current vacancies today.
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